No Title
Neena Jaisingh
THE GRUMPY MAN by Cheryl Rao. Illustrated by Suvidha Mistry. Edited by Navin Menon Children’s Book Trust, 2020, 16 pp., 60.00
THE TWILIGHT ZONEby Nabanita Deshmukh. Illustrated by Subir Roy. Edied by Navin Menon Children’s Book Trust, 2020, 32 pp., 80.00
November 2021, volume 45, No 11

The Grumpy Man makes for a delightful reading experience. Illustrated by Suvidha Mistry, the scenes are set so beautifully that children are sure to have a blast reading this short story by Cheryl Rao.
As the title suggests, the story is about a grumpy man and the kids in the neighbourhood who are wary of him. Their curiosity is aroused and they want to know about this grumpy man who is not moved even by their good deeds. Their childhood pranks are always met with disapproval. On holidays, they would leave sweets for him at his doorstep but even that gesture does not endear him to them.

The children are very excited when their dad brings home a dog. Spot, who gets his name because of the dots all over, is much loved, for and despite his antics. The kids do their bit to ensure that they don’t lose of sight of Spot, and so, one day when he lands up in the grumpy man’s territory, they become worried about the dog’s dreadful fate, drawing up all sorts of scenarios. Imagine their surprise when they see that the grumpy man had befriended their pup and did not seem perturbed or annoyed by Spot’s playful ways.

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