By Anita and Amit Vachharajani, Scholastic, Ages 8+. Rs 250.
This is no ordinary geography atlas. Kids can read about subjects as wide-ranging as wazwan, the 36-course meal in Jammu and Kashmir, “scraptures” in Chandigarh and filmstar Rajnikanth in Tamil Nadu. Amazing India celebrates the diversity of our 28 states and seven union territories not just with facts and figures, but through cultural anecdotes, legends and trivia. Most of the factoids are accompanied by striking illustrations, and will have children spouting sentences starting with “did you know...” for weeks after.
I Like Cats
By Anushka Ravishankar and others, Tara Books, Ages 8+. Rs 350.
I Like Cats is not just a picture book: it is a showcase for folk artists across India. Hand-bound, with a print inside that can be framed, this book is more of a mini-coffee table jewel to linger over. The array of beautifully rendered kitty characters is accompanied by text in verse. Tara Books is convinced this book will “delight cat lovers, art lovers and artsy cat lovers”. How many of those artsy cat lovers are kids begs the question.
Reviews by Amrita Gupta
Source : Time Out Mumbai ISSUE 26 Friday, August 20, 2010