Tuesday, September 16, 2014

BOOK REVIEW: The Rumour by Anushka Ravishankar, Illustrated by Kanyika Kini




Based on a folktale, this book was one of the winners of the 2013 South Asia Book Award for Children’s Literature. 

The story is set in the village of Baddbaddpur where everyone is so happy and prosperous that they have plenty of time for idle gossip. 

Pandurang is the grumpiest man in the village.  One day, while returning home from town, he gets a bout of coughing and strangely spits out a feather.  He tells his wife about it and asks her not to discuss it with anybody else.  But alas, his wife can't hold herself back and the grapevine begins to work!

The matter snowballs from a small feather to a flock of birds to an entire forest growing in Pandurang's mouth.  

When the villagers hurry to look at grumpy Pandurang with their own eyes, what happens?   
You will have to read to find out!

Written in a combination of prose and humorous verse, this book has some amazingly vivid illustrations.

Appropriate for ages 6+.

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