The Bee Master

When rock bees build a bee colony in Gowri’s balcony, her mother decides to ask Mr Ramaiah, an expert on bees, for help. They don’t have to be killed, the bee master tells Gowri and her mother. Just moved to a safer place, safe for us and for them. The little girl watches, fascinated, as the bee master gently goes about collecting the bees in a special sack and takes them away. As Gowri learns about bees and the environment, we too are drawn into a contemplative journey of discovery. Available in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali. (Tulika, 2013)

Sravasti Datta. The Bee Expert, The Hindu. Bangalore, August 8, 2013, read here.

Laxman's Questions

Laxman’s head was full of questions: Why did seeing a bird fly make him happy? Did the birds who saw him feel just as happy? Read this book to see if you have such questions too. Available in English, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Urdu, Bengali and Odia. (Pratham Books, 2010)

Book Reading Bangalore Literature Festival outreach, 2012, read here.

The Spider's Web

Ali did not know how to really see until he looked closely at a spider's web through his father's camera. The Spider's Web is one of several stories by Lata Mani in which loving attention to the self, other and environment makes magical a child's experience of the everyday. A dynamic tranquility pervades the stories drawing the reader and listening child into a contemplative journey of discovery. The nature of relationships in the human and natural world are subtly presented through warm illustrations and revealing photographs. Available in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali. (Tulika, 2009)

Malayalam edition co-published with Kerala State Institute of Children’s Literature

The Spider's Web... tells us of 6-year old Ali and his photographer dad who observe a delicate yet sturdy web glinting in the sunlight. Amazing photographs interspersed with illustrations by Ashok Rajagopalan... flow along with the narrative. As a wise friend once told me, it is simple things that are complicated to convey. Lata Mani has done a great job of it indeed. Read here.

Subha J. Rao, Chronicles of Nature, The Hindu, Metro Plus March 3, 2009, read here.

The Tamarind Tree

A warm afternoon, a fruit-laden tree, four boys in search of something to do...Join them as they pick the fruit and climb the tree. Available in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali. (Tulika, 2008)

Malayalam edition co-published with Kerala State Institute of Children’s Literature

Four boys in search of an adventure after school and a tamarind tree that beckons. A tranquil environment in which the story is set makes magical a child’s experience... 6+ readers will relate to it. Pragati Gupta, The Book Review

Subha J. Rao, Chronicles of Nature, The Hindu, Metro Plus March 3, 2009, read here.