The very first words Zakir hears from his famous father, Allarakha, are bols — rhythms played out on tablas! From then on, bols sing and dance in his head, on Amma’s cheeks, on the pots and pans in the kitchen… Sandhya Rao follows these beats, stringing together little vignettes from his life. From a childhood around music to the highs of a performer who took the tabla to the world, this joyous story introduces children to a musical genius, whose busy fingers and flying curls make him the inimitable Zakir Hussain. Illustrator Priya Kuriyan’s fingers add their own magic.
ISBN: 9789389203707
Pages: 32
Avg Reading Time: 1 hrs
Age: 0-11
Country of Origin: India
PAVO AND CAVO
- Author Name:
Nirupama Raghavan
- Book Type:
- Description: A curious crow comes across the palace of the rich and elegant king of birds, Pavo Cristatus the peacock. Soon after, Pavo has a visitor — a cousin, Cavo Pristatus, from Africa who looks like a peacock, but is not quite one. Who is he? This cheerful tongue-in cheek story with flamboyant pictures combines the themes of the weak outwitting the strong and shining in borrowed feathers!
Cloud Eater
- Author Name:
Chewang Dorjee Bhutia
- Book Type:
- Description: Phumtopchen – meaning ‘Giant Girl’ in Tibetan – is a happy child who loves to blow passing clouds into different shapes and eat them up too. So when people are threatened by some big, black clouds, it is Phumtopchen to the rescue for she knows exactly what to do! A charming old-world folk-style story in verse about a big little special girl who stomps over gender stereotypes as she goes her happy way. Set high in the northeastern hills of India, the stunning visuals play with size and perspective.
Ilhaamcha Vaadhdivas
- Author Name:
Aftab Yusuf Shaikh
- Book Type:
- Description: Ilham has a problem. Her Papa has given her a crisp fifty rupee note for her birthday, and she doesn’t know where to keep it absolutely safe. A pocket would be best, but her new frock doesn’t have one. So she runs to Salma Chachi the tailor to get a pocket stitched — but that leads to another problem. A charming little nugget of a story with the flavour of old Hyderabad captured warmly in the pictures!
J is for Jalebi
- Author Name:
Chitwan Mittal
- Book Type:
- Description: kh is for khichdi. And kh is also for khana! J is for Jalebi is a clever and fun way to introduce children to the Hindi alphabet and to South Asian food vocabulary. There has never been a more exciting Hindi alphabet book. Your child will not be able to put it down! Stunning illustrations will make you feel the jalebis are in your own hands. This book is a must have for those who have foodie babies! Simply put, just yummy!This board book is perfect for toddlers and pre-schoolers (2-4 year olds). This is a Board Book and not a Hard Bound Book.
Food Monster
- Author Name:
Meenu Thomas
- Rating:
- Book Type:
- Description: From roti to dosa and chakli to barfi, there are different kinds of food you can eat across India. Food Monster explores the shapes of these food items. The illustrations in the book are inspired by Gyotaku or ‘fish rubbing’, an old printmaking technique used by fishermen to record their catch.
The Damroo Man and the Monkey Gang
- Author Name:
Ishan Trivedi
- Rating:
- Book Type:
- Description: Monkeys jump! Monkeys grab! People run – what a mess! The city of Varanasi has a BIG monkey problem, and no one knows what to do. Then Dum-dum-a-dum-dum! The damroo man comes up with a clever idea. He has a special trick...and a special treat. For the monkeys and for you too!
My Story, My voice – Sita and Helen
- Author Name:
Shailee
- Rating:
- Book Type:
- Description: Sita and Helen. Two of mythology’s best-known ‘heroines’, famed for the epic wars fought over them in Lanka and Troy. There are endless accounts of how beautiful they were, what happened to them, and how their valiant husbands rescued them. But what do we really know of the women themselves? What did they think? How did they feel? Listen now to their own stories, in their own voices… Shailee imaginatively constructs their hidden sides, filling in the gaps where there was silence before. Rich, detailed illustrations augment text and theme to re-present these stories with an alternative perspective for young people of today.
Rahul and The Dream Bat
- Author Name:
Ken Spillman
- Book Type:
- Description: Rahul felt strong, confident and clear. He also saw something much larger. The old man's words rang in Rahul's ears. "Be Calm - Your wish is its command". Every day was a new day. Every Match began with an opportunity. Each ball was there to be struck.
Warrior Women
- Author Name:
Tara Anand
- Book Type:
- Description: Flashing swords, firing guns, charging on horseback, planning strategies and talking peace… These women did it all, and how! Sweeping aside the myth that it takes a man to fight and rule and protect, they led from the front, went fearlessly into battle, fought against injustice, and took care of their people. Some were royalty, some ordinary – but all had remarkable courage and determination. These twelve warriors burst powerfully out through the dynamic energy of the visuals. Brief word portraits and snippets give a peek into their turbulent and fascinating lives.
Champa Ka Ek Phool
- Author Name:
Jaikar +1
- Book Type:
- Description: What if a child decides to be a champa flower? Can anyone tell that it is him? From Indiaís greatest poet and storyteller comes this charming and perky poem that will surely lead to a fun round of hide-and-seek. A timeless treasure. Enjoy!
Forgetful Dida
- Author Name:
Himanjali Sankar
- Rating:
- Book Type:
- Description: Dida has a forgetting illness. She almost went to the grocery store wearing just one sandal, instead of both, and she forgot the numbers between three and ten. What will Dida forget next? A tender story of memory told by a young girl about her grandmother. Reading Level:3;for children who are ready to read on their own.
Sringeri Srinivas Keeps His Promise
- Author Name:
Rohini Nilekani +2
- Rating:
- Book Type:
- Description: Awaited
GULLA AND THE HANGUL
- Author Name:
Mariam Karim Ahlawat
- Rating:
- Book Type:
- Description: When he takes his sheep and goats to the mountains, Gulla is always careful – of bears and leopards, the terrible Banbudhiya, and the men with guns. But one day, rushing to save a little hangul from wild dogs, he goes deep into the forest. This story from Kashmir, where the hangul is a protected animal, carries many shades of the region – the quiet life of the villagers, their close link with nature, and the underlying disquiet they learn to live with. This rugged, rocky and less familiar part of the beautiful state is evoked by the illustrations with a soft charm.
FOLLOW THE ANTS
- Author Name:
Amrutha Satish
- Book Type:
- Description: Across the room, over a table, under a chair… Anita follows a long line of ants. Where do they take her? Zestful pictures capture the curiosity of a lively little girl and introduce young readers to some simple, everyday vocabulary.This is a bilingual book
Dorje's Stripes
- Author Name:
Anshumani Ruddra +2
- Rating:
- Book Type:
- Description: A beautiful Royal Bengal tiger, Dorje, is missing his stripes. In a small Buddhist monastery in Tibet, Master Wu, a gentle-hearted monk tries to understand the secret of Dorje’s missing stripes. This story takes us to Tibet, Bengal and the heart of the Royal Bengal Tiger. for ages 7- 9 years.
Birds Laughing
- Author Name:
Viky Arya
- Book Type:
- Description: Its a fascinating book for kids learning to read and colour. Through the story of how various birds laugh, kids get introduced to a fun-filled world. Drawing and colouring exercises as given in the book enhance the interaction of the reader with the book.
Asha the Auto-Driver
- Author Name:
Aruna Shekar
- Rating:
- Book Type:
- Description: Asha’s first trip in her colourful auto every morning is to the flower market, where she buys a big bag of jasmine buds. Follow her through the week and through the city, as she picks up and drops off passengers at the railway station, the beach, the cricket stadium… stringing and selling jasmine all the way. Vibrant pictures liven up the route and offer snapshots of a city – Chennai!
Mallipoo, Where are You?
- Author Name:
Radhika Chadha
- Book Type:
- Description: When Paytu the pig goes on a sugarcane walk with Amma the elephant and Hutoxi the horse, she asks Anna and Akka to look after her babies. But the two elephant teenagers get busy in a game of coconut-football... and the piglets disappear! The muddy-buddy fourth story in the ever popular series about Bahadur the baby elephant!
WHERE IS THAT CAT
- Author Name:
Manjula Padmanabhan
- Book Type:
- Description: One naughty little cat with an orange tail and pointy ears is lost! Minnie goes looking for her Pooni, and steps onto a busy city street filled with people to talk to and things to look at. Writer-artist-cartoonist Manjula Padmanabhan’s humour-filled pictures with delightful details invite us to join in the search – for the cat who is always just one step ahead!
Chandramadhla Sasa - Bilingual
- Author Name:
Indrani Krishnaier +1
- Book Type:
- Description: When a herd of elephants creates trouble in the jungle, do the little rabbits run away in fear? No! From Aztec to Chinese, there are many versions of the story about the rabbit in the moon. The illustrations for this bilingual retelling are based on the pithora folk style of central India, which derives from cave art.
Customer Reviews
March 7, 2023, 10:34 am
Archana A
"Do you want to learn to play the tabla?" This book is suitable for kids 5 years and above. The beautiful illustrations shows the life of young Zakir, hearing his father's words, playing with his mother and siblings. The pictures are so good that it kept me hooked. I want to preserve these carefully. I got this from Rachnaye app. Go grab your copy.
March 4, 2023, 4:48 pm
radhika kapoor
Such a wonderful way to make our young generation know abt the famous tabla player, Zakir Hussain. There is so much to learn from his life experience, there is so much inspiration attached, young readers pick your book today.