WHY CAN'T ELEPHANTS BE RED?

Author : Vani Tripathi Tikoo

Publisher: Niyogi books

Genre: Children &Young Adult

Book buy link @ Amazon

 In the age of 2 to 3, toddler's interests and skills tend to bloom at an amazing, almost dizzying rate! All the new things they start to do—from walking and talking to figuring out how things work and beginning to make friends. These fuel for the imagination and creativity. This is a special time in a child's life.

Here is one such two-and- half –year- old child named Akku - a lively, imaginative and adventurous little girl around whom the plot of the book "WHY CAN'T ELEPHANTS BE RED?" revolves around. In this book the author presents certain incidences from the life of Akku, from a child's perspective.

The author VANI TRIPATHI TIKOO is an actor and teacher. After having worked in theatre with kids for more than two decades at National School of Drama, Theatre in Education Company and having written plays that turned into performances, she has finally forayed into writing for children.

The book is with 12 interesting chapters where Akku shares her daily activities and experiences she gains from it in a playful way. The book is light and easy to carry. Fonts are clear, legible and colourful at specific places highlighting pronunciations and certain objects. The stories move in a childlike  uniform  speed in every chapter. The book has eye catching pictures (illustrated by Rupak Neogy) that is sure to keep the children hooked throughout the book. 

The prominent message of the book is to keep the imagination alive. I quote "Run with our imagination, because tomorrow whatever the big people believe and think to be right will shape our lives. So isn't it fun to think of a crab who has mustache, a fish who probably has a horn, a unicorn which doesn't have a horn, and an elephant which is red? What fun would that world be! You also keep your fantasizes alive, because those who don't dream, don't have a tomorrow!

The book brings out and lays focus on the positive approach with which children handle things in different situations and new environment. Their desire to learn and do new activity keeps them happy and away from boredom.

This book is a perfect companion for children which encourages them to play as well as to learn and to come up with their imagination.  

Here we can remember the words of Dorothy Law Nolte in her poem “CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE”

If children live with criticism

They learn to condemn

 

If children live with hostility

They learn to fight

 

If children live with ridicule

They learn to be shy

 

If children live with shame

They learn to feel guilty

 

If children live with tolerance

They learn to be patient

 

If children live with encouragement

They learn confidence

 

If children live with praise

They learn to appreciate

 

If children live with fairness

They learn justice

 

If children live with security

They learn to have faith

 

If children live with approval

They learn to like themselves

 

If children live with acceptance and friendship

They learn to find love in the world.

 Do encourage and praise children to bring out the best in them. Though it is a children’s book, adults can also enjoy reading it and there is a little hidden message for them too- to bring in the child like enthusiasm and see how life turns beautiful.  

(This book review is  a part of BlogChatter's Book review program. Details here)