1. check
it out
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Re r all
fo e s
Ag
Pintoo and the
Giant
BY SULABhA R DevpUKAR
`135, Tulika Books
This book is about the adventures
of an eight- year-old boy called Rebels in Rajasthan
Pintoo. One day, Pintoo decides BY ShAMIM PAdAMsee
to take a short cut home, instead `125, Puffin
of his usual path. This leads to an
adventure he could never have Siblings Vayu and Deeya receive
imagined. The path is dark and a letter from their uncle Jadoo
The Very Hungry eerie and Pintoo loses his way. inviting them to visit him. But Uncle
Caterpillar While searching for the correct Jadoo is kidnapped by an evil Djinn
BY ERIc CARLe route, Pintoo meets a giant who and the children have to locate the
`105, Penguin Books wants to eat him. Pintoo tries to seven keys that will free him. The
trick the giant by telling him that children enlist the help of a magic
This beautifully illustrated book his friend’s dog Bobby is more talking window-frame as they set
tells the story of a little caterpillar delicious than him. The giant out to find the first of the seven
that hatched on a Sunday. He has a believes Pintoo and they try to find keys. Their adventure takes them to
voracious appetite. On Monday he the right path together. the deserts of Rajasthan where they
eats through one whole apple, on help save a prince and princess
Tuesday he eats through two whole The story has been written in trouble.
pears and so on, till he is not a little completely from a child’s point
caterpillar anymore! of view and what a child would This book is the first in a series of
do if he comes face to face with such books. The story is short and
Toddlers love the repetitive poetic a giant. The book has wonderful simple, and told in an engaging
flow of words used by the author illustrations in watercolours by manner. The characters come alive
page after page. Soon, they will Ashwin Chikerur. through the narration. Children
be counting along with you and will enjoy reading this book as the
repeating the days of the week as theme is centred on something
the little caterpillar eats his way which they love: adventure. The
through the pages and transforms illustrations complement the flow
into a beautiful butterfly. of the story.
52 Parent Circle / March 2012

2. The Whistling It’s not the end of
Monster the world
BY JAMILA GAvIN Bollywood Knights BY JUdY BLUMe
`199, Walker Books BY NIcO RApOsO `241, MacMillan
`199, Penguin Books India
This book is a compilation of ten A divorce can have a shattering
simple stories from around the Every Indian is fascinated by the impact on children and this book
world, from India to Finland, from world of Bollywood and is ever deals with how teens and pre-
Canada to Botswana and Brazil. so curious about the ‘inside’ teens can come to terms with this
The stories are largely from folklore happenings. In the form of a decision taken by their parents.
or from mythology. For instance, fiction, this book takes you into
the story from India pertains to the this glamorous world of glitter The story is narrated in first person
birth of Lord Krishna. The story and paparazzi. Seventeen-year- by a 12- year- old Karen Newman,
from Mongolia speaks of the fierce old Raj Kapoor is the only son of who has an older brother Jeff (a
warring tribals, and how Gulnara, Bollywood superstar Amit Kapoor, teen) and a younger sister Amy.
an ordinary maid becomes a who is directing a film with the Together, they witness the breakup
warrior herself, only to bring about starlet Preeti Shabbir. After Preeti of the marriage of their parents.
peace between them. is almost killed on the sets of Everyone is affected. Jeff runs
the film, Raj and his two friends away (he comes back later), Amy
Narrated simply, all the stories Madhuri and Nagi set out to solve suddenly wants to share her bed
retain the flavour and colour of the the mystery. with her older sister. Karen wants
place of origin. to bring about a reconciliation
The book hints about the gossips between her parents, so that
The illustrations are abstract and on the set, the catfights between everything will be alright again. Will
creatively done by Suzanne Barrett. actresses, the production process her plan work? Can she bring her
of a film - just about everything. family back together again or does
Though the book is written for she have to learn to live with her
children, adults will also enjoy parents’ decision?
reading it.
www.parentcircle.in 53