Anokhi Dosti is my first review for a Hindi book and it happens to be a book which leaves the children with a very good message as well as story. The book has very beautiful pictures and illustrations. I was especially impressed with the pictures of Babbar. The pictures convey a lot of the story along with the text and add to the reading pleasure.
Anokhi Dosti is a story about Babbar, Hasmukh, Kaptan and Chotu. They are all living in Tadoba Jungle. The story tells of the journey of the tiger and donkey, who become unlikely friends. It talks of how we all are capable and have different traits that make us unique. This simple story has a message for its young readers, telling them that being big and powerful is not reason enough to be happy. How Hasmukh and Babbar make a difference in each other’s life.
The story is fun to read, though I did find a couple of difficult words for my six year old. Overall the story is easy and fast to read, the excitement and interest mount as we try to find out what Hasmukh is upto?
The other animals add to the story and make for a perfect bedtime read. It also is a good way to generate interest in our kids for reading Hindi a lot more. A good story that does a lot more than just entertain.
Anokhi Dosti by Subhash Kommuru
Does a smile or a laugh have trans-formative power? It does in a special place called Tadoba. Anokhi Dosti is a book written in Hindi and is a remarkable tale of the trans-formative power of companionship, particularly for someone who is lonely and never really had the gift of laughter. A flock of migrating geese stumble upon Tadoba, the land of the fierce tiger Babbar who does not tolerate anyone in his area. Will Babbar show any mercy? Can he change? Will the geese make it to safety? This is a story about change — a transformation that comes with the magic of friendship. Guaranteed to get a giggle out of kids, The Magic of Friendship also provides plenty of opportunities for readers to connect with the characters in richly detailed, mesmerizing illustrations. The focus is on friendship and its healing effect while the story is spoken from the viewpoint of a father and son in a multi-generation relationship. The picture book is perfect for read-aloud fun and is also appropriate for beginning readers.
About the Author
Subhash and Sujata hail from India. They migrated to the United States along with their memories of childhood and youth. Now that they are parents, just like every immigrant they crave to introduce their child to the culture and values of their upbringing. Yet it is challenging to teach something while you are in the midst of adjusting to a different culture yourself.
Subhash and Sujata both work in different disciplines and have different styles and backgrounds, but it is the upbringing of their son that brings them on the same page. That exact place where they meet is captured and reflected in their stories, where Subhash can express in words, and Sujata can illustrate them beautifully. Where he puts it in black and white, she adds color to it. You get the idea!
