Mayil will not be quiet

Title: Mayil will not be quiet
Author: Niveditha Subramaniam and Sowmya Rajendran
Age: 10+
Publisher: Tulika Books

My father got this book from Chennai for D during his last visit. He knows my love for Tulika books (after I asked him to get almost all of their books when D was 2) and he has subscribed to their news letter. He keeps sending me their new book titles once in a while and asks me if I need any for D or A :) 

Mayil will not be quiet is an oh-so-lovely read. D and I read this book together. It is about Mayil, a spirited 12 year old girl who is full of opinions, stubborn at times, witty and will just not keep quiet. Her dad gave her a diary and asked her to practice writing to get her to keep quiet and since Mayil aspires to be a writer when she grows up. From the get go, I felt that Mayil was so similar to D, the questions she asks, the thoughts that run through her mind, her conversations with her friends and mother. Thanks to this book, I've already caught a glimpse of a "teenager-D"! Although the main story revolves around Mayil's day-to-day life, every other character was so well-etched. I loved her mother. The way she was protective of Mayil when she had to, but also giving her the space and time at other times to get Mayil to figure things out for herself. I can't count the number of times I've spoken to D when she talked about "being pretty and beautiful" about how its the inner beauty that matters. It was so heartwarming to see that being reinforced through this book when Mayil's mother tells her - "You look good if you feel good". Mayil's love-hate relationship with her brother, Thamarai - its classic. I could just see D and A when we read about Mayil and Thamarai. The book talks about a myriad of issues ranging from gender discrimination to sex education to adolescent crushes - All of these were introduced in a fantastic way and how they were dealt with was even better. I loved how this book was devoid of any gender stereotyping - Mayil packs a punch and Thamarai loves dolls! And the way gender stereotyping was questioned. Oh and such cute and creative names for a boy and a girl!

This was a great opportunity for me to talk to D about female body and hormonal changes and answer all her questions. We also talked a bit about transgender, sex education - although I did feel she couldn't fully grasp it. But, this was a wonderful way to introduce some of these things because the book made it all seem so normal, exactly the way it should be. It totally transported me back to my teen/pre-teen days and all the warm, fuzzy feelings that come right along with it! It will make a lovely gift! 

Where's that cat?

Title: Where's that cat?
Author: Manjula Padmanabhan
Age: 2+
Publisher: Tulika Books

Ever since I heard about Tulika, I've been in love with all of their books. Each one of them is so fun to read. I introduced Tulika's books to D when she was 2 years old and till date she still loves reading some of them over and over again. This one here is such a simple yet fun read.

Story: The story is about a cute little girl, Minnie coming home from school and can't find her pet cat Pooni. She goes all around the neighborhood in search of Pooni and is upset when she can't find Pooni anywhere. The ending is quite cute and brings a sigh of relief :)

What we loved:

• The brilliant and vibrant illustrations which bring the busy Indian city streets to life. I was extremely nostalgic when I looked at pictures of the mailbox, autos, parrot lady, the fruit and vegetable seller. A was so fascinated by autos during a recent trip to India and we read this book right after we came back. He was so happy pointing out the autos in this book. 
• The cute names of the characters - Minnie and Pooni - They bring a huge smile to A's face every time I ask him what is the cat's name and he goes "Pooooooni". 
• A loved finding the hiding Pooni in every page of the book. It was as though he and the cat were playing hide and seek.
• Finally, the simple and short story. 

Looking at the world through a child's eyes

Who doesn't remember spending all those glorious summer vacations as a child reading Panchatantra stories, Tenalirama tales, Enid Blyton, Charles Dickens and Mark Twain classics? There is magic in stories. Tales and adventures set in far away places, a strong urge to visit that magical place that has your imagination running wild. Seeing the world through the eyes of a child is seeing it as if for the first time, the saying goes. Apart from the well known benefits of reading aloud with your kids, the pure joy of snuggling up cozily with your kids in one blanket, reading a book with everyone wholly invested in the story is a treasured moment.
Mom to two. I love reading with my kids whenever I find the time - This has become quite a challenge, thanks to a full-time job outside the home, a 2 year old who keeps me on my toes and the never ending weekend chores. D, My 7 year old girl loves to read and sketch. I have tears of joy every time I see her with paints/colors/sketching or reading a book ignoring everything else that's happening around her. I'm so glad we as a family invested time in reading to her when she was little. A, my 2 year old boy loves listening to stories when we read together. He loves repetition, I can't count the number of times I've read peek-a-who and Wheels on the Bus to him. As he grows up, I'd love to see him sprout reading roots soon.
One of my new year's resolutions this year is to read more (every night - if I can pull it off) with my kids. This blog is an attempt to record and share the books that we loved reading as a family and how it has impacted the kids. Now that D is older, I may even have her write a guest post once in a while about a book she read. Although the blog is titled as reading, I'd also love to share our favorite TV shows, things we are learn about and what keeps us interested at the moment. All the views in this blog are solely my thoughts. Your mileage may vary.