Tag Archives: Middle Readers

The illustrations are somewhat uneven but many capture well the close relationship between the little girl and the Kabuliwallah.

Eamonn O’Boyle’s illustrations add a wonderful layer to the story, bringing the vibrant and whimsical world of Minky and Rama to life. The visuals perfectly capture the fun and wonder of their journey, making the book even more engaging and enjoyable.

Overall, Baloo’s Big Win is a powerful tale of perseverance, passion, and social change. It not only emphasizes the importance of following one’s dreams but also addresses a critical social issue that remains relevant today. This book is bound to inspire young readers to chase their aspirations

The Hero Cake as a prize, initially presented as a mysterious reward, ends up being somewhat unconvincing. While this twist adds surprise, it may not fully satisfy readers who were expecting a more symbolic conclusion, especially in light of the uplifting identity revelation that precedes the end.

The storytelling and illustrations are simple and straightforward. The language even feels rudimentary at places, lacking polish.

The positive aspect of this story is that the individuals who raise the rooster accept its gender and behaviour. Children’s reaction to it provides many opportunities to discuss this story with them. Accepting someone as they are is a challenge, but it’s not impossible.

The illustrations by Fahad Faizal add another layer to the narrative, vividly bringing the story to life. The gray colour palette reflects the oppressive atmosphere of fear and dullness in the school, which is sharply contrasted by the bright colours that appear when Laila enters the scene.

This is an important book for children to read, to perhaps start to understand that not all of us are the same, and that sometimes some of us cannot confidently express ourselves.

In both stories, the illustrations do not add anything much. In two instances, they even contradict the description–in the first story, the boy is described as having the sheer standing but is shown sitting on the mat; candles are shown instead of the clay diyas as described in the text.

I can’t wait to delve into the stories. How many of us like bitter gourd? Very few! But we would like to know why the gourd happens to be bitter. Out pops a story from grandpa’s bag to tell us why. This unusual story tells us through the interaction of Shankar the farmer and a mermaid what happens if we do not cultivate politeness, humility and respect for others.