Book review: The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me, by Roald Dahl

“The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me” is a delightful book about a young boy named Billy who meets three amazing animals, a giraffe, a monkey and a pelican and together they get up to some thrilling adventures.

Billy often stood outside a queer, old building and wondered about its past and the shops it used to hold. One day strange things begin to happen inside the building. Billy then meets the Giraffe, Pelly and the Monkey who were the new owners. They were no ordinary animals and had started the Ladderless Window Cleaning Company. They wanted a job and some food. The Duke of Hampshire sends his chauffeur to hire them as he needed someone to clean 677 windows of his sprawling Hampshire House

The crew of the Ladderless Window Cleaning Company does a sterling job in cleaning windows that had not been cleaned for forty years. While working on the top floors, Pelly captures a notorious cat burglar Cobra who was stealing the diamonds which belonged to the Duchess of Hampshire.

The Duke was extremely pleased. He invites the giraffe, the pelican and the monkey to live on his estate for the rest of their lives. They also get a lifetime supply of walnuts for the monkey, fresh salmon for the pelican and rare tinkle tinkle flowers for the giraffe. As for Billy, the Duke buys the building for him and turns into a marvellous sweet shop

I enjoyed this book because it is funny with adorable characters. It also teaches children about power of team work. Young readers would love it because it shows that dreams can come true.

Illustrated by Quentin Blake, it is a great addition to any library for young readers. 

Short and entertaining!

• Age Range: 8 – 12 years

• Grade Level: 3 – 7

• Paperback: 80 pages

• Publisher: Puffin Books;

• Language: English

Book review: Goodbye Mr. Chips, by James Hilton

Cover of the UK first edition

Once in a while you come across a book which you read with tears in your eyes and a smile upon your lips. Among its pages, you meet characters so memorable and warm that their memories stay with you long after the last pages have been turned and the book placed back upon the shelf.

One such book that I have read is "Goodbye Mr Chips" by James Hilton.

Goodbye, Mr. Chips is a short novella about a school teacher affectionately called Mr Chips and chronicles his life. Mr Chips is not just a teacher but an institute and an era in his personality. 

As the teacher of classics at Brookfield School since 1870, he sees many changes in the British society, the Franco-Prussian War, the First World War and survives many headmasters at the school. 

His wife Katherine appears in just a couple of chapters but her vivacious character is as unforgettable as her memories are poignant. She had a great deal of influence on him and changes him into a mellow, gentler creature well-liked and respected by everyone at school. 

Such is the love, fondness and respect for the elderly teacher that in spite of his tattered robe, his peculiarities and his old fashioned ways that when one headmaster tries to make him resign the students, their fathers and the board of governors comprising his old students stand behind him to a man. 

It's a very lovely book that will make you cry a little and smile a lot and give you a warm feeling of having known someone precious.

Highly recommended!

The Good Earth, by Pearl S Buck

Nowadays I am reading the book “The Good Earth” and it definitely falls in the category of books that should be read at least once in a lifetime. 

It has been written by Pearl S. Buck, an American citizen who spent most of her childhood and much of her adult life in China. The book was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1932.

It is a beautiful story of a poor Chinese farmer Wang Lung, his extremely hard-working and frugal wife O-lan and their family in old rural China where land and sons were valued above all else.

The story that I have read so far narrates their simple wedding, their hard labour on rice fields and what happens when drought dries up the crops and how the family then moves to a city to survive. 

The couple then moves back to their fields and Wang Lung acquires more and more land to become a rich farmer. Olan’s life was really tragic though. As long as there was poverty, she was needed to work like an ox without rest and without complaints but as soon as prosperity and wealth comes to their house, her husband found her dull and unattractive and brings home a concubine.

It made me want to stab him with a couple of chopsticks when he takes the pearls from her and gives it to his lovebird. But the book was great and an acute study of human nature with all its strengths and frailties.

I really wish I can find the other two books in the trilogy "Sons" and "A House Divided” but they are rather hard to locate. 

Great book!

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Children's Classics for Summer Holidays

Mark Twain once said “The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.”  While books by Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl and J.K Rowling are extremely enjoyable and a lot of fun to read, a good classic is something that makes you think about life, its challenges and the courage and determination of its characters in tackling difficult situations.

Many famous writers have written some wonderful classics for children. They are delightful to read and the best time to do so is during the long summer vacations. If the thought of reading an unabridged classic is too daunting, why not choose the shorter version by publishers like Oxford Progressive Readers or Illustrated Classic Editions and get to know those timeless heroes and heroines who live within the pages of these great books.

Let’s take a look at some of the most wonderful classics ever written for children.

King Solomon’s Mines, by H. Rider Haggard

Famous hunter and explorer Allen Quatermain does not want any more adventures but then he meets Sir Henry Curtis and Captain Good. Soon the three of them are on a dangerous journey into the heart of Africa in search of King Solomon mines. They are captured by the fierce Kukuana tribesmen and taken to the terrible one-eyed King Twala. They participate in a battle to help the right king back on his throne but can they defeat the evil witch Gagool and find the diamonds hidden in the King Solomon Mines? 

The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett

This is a wonderful tale of three young children, Mary Lennox, Colin and Dickon who due to their friendship and courage manage to overcome their troubles and sorrows. Mary is initially sullen and lonely, while Colin is a bed-ridden cripple until they come to know about a secret garden whose key has been lost. In their quest to find the key to the garden door and bring it back to life, the children find the key to their own happiness.

Heidi, by Johanna Spyri

In this much loved classic tale, we get to meet a little Swiss girl called Heidi who is very devoted to her simple mountain home. Her life changes when she is sent to live with a rich family in Frankfurt as a companion for a sick girl, Clara. The city life does not suit her and she is extremely unhappy. Heidi longs to go back to her gruff old grandfather, the Alps and the goats. Clara comes to visit her but what happens when Peter spitefully sends her wheelchair crashing down the mountains? Well, you’ll have to read the book to discover the end.

Around the World in 80 Days, by Jules Verne

This wonderful book tells the story of Phileas Fogg, an English gentleman who makes a fantastic trip around the world as a bet. He has to complete his journey within 80 days or he will lose all his wealth. With his French servant Passepartout, he travels around the world on train, steamboats and elephants. He is pursued by a detective who mistakes him for a notorious criminal and is determined to catch him. You will know whether Phileas Fogg wins his bet or loses everything when you read this funny, timeless classic.

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C. S. Lewis

Consisting of not one book but seven, this masterpiece series is considered a must read for children all over the world. Four children step through a wardrobe door in a huge country house and reach the magical land of Narnia where animals can talk and a wise lion, Aslan rules all the beasts.  There are grand battles between good and evil and many adventures and journeys which are chronicled in this magical series. The books are sure to keep you occupied and out of trouble all summer!

A Little Princess, by Frances Hodgson Burnett

This is a heart-warming riches-to-rags-to riches story of Sara Crew, an intelligent and kind-hearted girl whose father leaves her in a boarding school in London. When the snobbish headmistress discovers that Sarah’s father has died penniless, she makes Sara a servant in the same school. But how does the little princess behave in her new circumstances, you will know only when you read this book.

Treasure Island, by R. L. Stevenson

This book brings you the blue seas, bloodthirsty pirates, treasure maps marked with an X and hidden sea-chests containing unimaginable wealth and of course, the unforgettable character of Long John Silver. Treasure Island is a wonderful tale featuring the exciting adventures of young Jim Hawkins who finds a treasure map and outsmarts a gang of mutinous pirates to bring the treasure home.

The Hobbit, By J. R. R. Tolkien

In a quest to win a portion of treasure guarded by an evil dragon, Bilbo the hobbit makes an adventurous journey into unknown territories. If you are a fan of fantasy and make-believe worlds, then read ‘The Hobbit’ to meet a wide variety of magical creatures like the hobbits, wizards, elves, man-eating trolls, evil goblins, giant spiders and of course dragons. 

Some other classics that you might enjoy are The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne, Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, Woman in White and The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, Kidnapped by R. L. Stevenson, and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.

So during these summer holidays curl up with these classic tales and explore the wonderful worlds they take you to. What will make the experience even better is that after reading the book, try to watch their movie adaptations and decide whether you enjoy the book more or the movie. Don’t forget the popcorns!

Happy Reading!!

Book review: Circus, by Alistair MacLean

It is rather difficult to review an Alistair Maclean book.

Some readers might not be able to go beyond the first chapter and put down the book rolling their eyes at the sheer audacity of characterization and implausibility of the plot.

Most of his books are also dated with action taking place in the Cold War era. The heroes are always extremely brave and patriotic undercover agents from MI6 or CIA and the villain is always the Secret Police in some communist country like Russia or East Germany.

The ladies, or should I say the lady (because there is usually only one) is also relegated to the status of eye candy. Her sole purpose in the book is to look pretty, fall in love with the hero, cry buckets of tears  and say, “You must not! You will get killed...” just to make sure that the readers fully understand  that the hero is in imminent danger of dying in every chapter (which he never actually is. Halfway through the book, it is actually the nasty villains with cold blue eyes that you will start feeling sorry for.)

However, those who like to read books featuring ultra suave heroes like James Bond would love these books. There is plenty of thrill, espionage, spies, traitors, a little romance, some cold blooded murders and all the other ingredients in his books that make them good spy thrillers. 

Heroes in Alistair Mcleans novels are a very special breed. They can take down dozens of baddies without breaking into a sweat or leaving a smudge on their pristine white shirts. Bruno Wildermann, the main character in “Circus” has such a long list of skills and accomplishments that James Bond seems Lilliputian in comparison.

He is a world-famous circus aerialist, trapeze artist and mentalist with a photographic memory,. He gets  recruited by the CIA to break into a heavily guarded Russian prison/research lab to steal the plans for creating an antimatter bomb, under cover of a circus tour to East Europe.

En route, there are stabbings, disappearances, murders and kidnappings but the hero remains committed to his mission. How he saves the day, the entire world and his family is for the reader to find out. 

Those who might take a dim view of  Alistair Maclean books should know that famous wartime movies like The Guns of Navarone (featuring Gregory Peck), Ice Station Zebra (with Rock Hudson), Where Eagles Dare (with Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood) and Breakheart Pass (starring Charles Bronson). were based on his novels.

I must confess that I loved Alistair MacLean books when I was a teenager. Now I am re-reading them some 20 years later but this time with a  smile on my lips rather than with wide-eyed wonder and awe at the risky escapades of the hero.

Final verdict: An entertaining read but not one of Alistair Maclean's best novels. Still hard to put down after you go beyond the first few chapters.

Book review: The Citadel, by A.J. Cronin

I have just finished reading the book, “The Citadel” by A.J. Cronin. To say that the book was interesting or captivating would be a gross understatement.

It is the story of a young idealistic doctor, Doctor Andrew Manson, who starts his professional journey with only one intention...healing the sick and helping the unhealthy to get better.

However he soon finds out that being a doctor is much more than diagnosing diseases and handing out prescriptions. He has to contend with lazy medical officers, greedy committee members and stubborn people who thwart his every move to improve their condition.

He moves from the small Welsh mining village and finally reaches London where he is sucked into the glamorous world of deceit and avarice; where healing matters less than making money by pampering rich and old hypochondriac ladies, suggesting unnecessary medical treatments for spoiled brats of wealthy tycoons and referring cases to influential doctor friends who do the same for the portion of exorbitant fees charged by them.

Along the way, the protagonist marries a lovely school teacher who gradually becomes unhappy with the way he is seduced into the system he had initially abhorred. Finally, a very tragic and unnecessary death sends Dr Andrew Manson crashing back to earth. He sees the errors of his ways but not before he too has to pay a heavy price for his choices in life.

The best thing about the book is how the readers are made to feel Dr Andrew’s elation on bringing back a new born baby back to life during his early practice days and his utter horror on seeing a patient who depended on his sound medical judgment, lifeless and drenched in his own blood on the operating table during his fashionable London days. 

At times the book becomes too wordy but still it is an excellent book and though with lots of medical jargon, it is easily understood with never a dull moment.

Final Verdict: A book that must be read once in a lifetime. 

Author: A.J. Cronin

Language: English

Published: 1937

Book reviews: A Book of Brownies, by Enid Blyton

I am a big Enid Blyton fan and whenever I have a little time on my hands I always grab a book by her and escape into childhood.

A Book of Brownies is a classic example of Enid Blyton’s imagination and creativity as she tells the story of three very mischievous brownies named Hop, Jump and Skip who live in Crab Apple Cottage.

Due to their naughty behavior, they do not get invited to the party that is being hosted by the King of Fairyland in his grand castle. An old witch comes to their cottage and teaches them some magic tricks so that they can attend the party disguised as conjurers. Things go wrong as one of the magic tricks makes Princess Peronel disappear and they do not know the spell to get her back.

The angry King banishes the three brownies from Fairyland and forbids them to return until they have found their goodness. Their quest for their goodness takes them to exciting and dangerous places. First they are imprisoned by a bad wizard in the Cottage-Without-a-Door,

Then they meet the Red Goblin. They outwit him and rescue a mermaid who had been forced to work in his castle as a servant. Then they have a bad time in the Land of Giants and the Land of Clever People. They rescue a little girl and help her get back to the Land of Giggles.

Then they have an exciting adventure on the Green Railway and end up in prison in the Toadstool Town. They meet the dear old Saucepan Man who agrees to lead them to Witch land. Before he could do so, he is captured by the Dragon Bird who belongs to the Golden Dwarf. 

The three brownies risk their life and limb and save the Saucepan Man from being eaten. To their immense surprise, all their good deeds had been bottled up and they were able to find their goodness after all. They manage to find Princess Peronel but are captured by the evil witch.

In their last attempt to rescue the little princess, they give up their bottles of goodness to the witch who wants them for a powerful spell. Princess Peronel is safe but the brownies cannot enter the Fairy Land without their goodness. The book, ends on a happy note in typical Enid Blyton style. The King forgives them because of their heroic effort and the brownies get a resounding welcome from the fairy folk.

The language of the book is very simple and captivating and the characters are very endearing. There is never a dull moment and this ensures that the readers remain hooked to the book until the last page is turned.

Just look at the names of people and places, and you will understand why Enid Blyton is regarded as one of the most-loved and celebrated children's authors of all times.

Book review: The Kite Runner, by Khalid Hosseini

"The Kite Runner" by Khalid Hosseini spent over two years on the New York Times bestseller list, and has been published in 42 different languages.

The story is about two Afghan boys, Amir, who belongs to a rich and affluent family and his servant boy Hassan who belongs to the ethnic minority Hazara. The novel explores the relationship between these two boys and how Amir's cowardice and Hassan's devotion to his master help shape their destiny.

Amir's father is disappointed in his only son who shows no interest in soccer and buzkushi, two sports all Afghans are crazy about. Amir is also jealous of Hassan's innate courage and the special place Hassan holds in his Baba's heart. To win his father's approval, Amir vows to win a local kite flying tournament and asks for Hassan's help.

After their victory, Amir witnesses a brutal crime being inflicted upon Hassan. He chooses not to intervene so as to avoid getting hurt. This incident changes him forever. He makes repeated attempts to banish Hassan from his life in a bid to escape guilt but memories of Hassan's loyalty refuse to let go.

After 26 years of guilt and insomnia, Amir finally has a chance to redeem himself and save Hassan's son from a fate similar to that of his father.

This novel explores friendship, betrayal, guilt and love like no other work of fiction. It describes the rich traditions, the multi-ethnic culture and the beauty of a land that is in the process of being destroyed brutally.

It is a book that will make you misty eyed and bring a lump to your throat. Full of vivid images, honest emotions and brutal descriptions, Hosseini has made sure that his readers understand his love for his homeland and feel his pain to see its devastation.

At the same time, the book is laced with hope and optimism. "For you a thousand times over" is a beautiful refrain in the book to encompass loyalty and friendship and willingness to sacrifice all for its sake.

I did not find the two other books by Khalid Hosseini as inspiring as "The Kite Runner".  This is a book that should be read at least once in a lifetime. 

Final Verdict: A compelling book that is hard to put down.

Jinnah of Pakistan, by Prof. Dr. Stanley Wolpert.

"Few individuals significantly alter the course of history. Fewer still modify the map of the world. Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state. Muhammad Ali Jinnah did all three.”

                                             Stanley Wolpert

These are the opening lines of the preface of Stanley Wolpert’s book, “Jinnah of Pakistan” and serves to entice you to read an extremely thorough, comprehensive and detailed study about one of the most pragmatic and charismatic leaders of South Asia, Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Stanley Wolpert is an American academic who is considered to be one of the world's foremost authorities on the political history of modern South Asia. During a trip to Bombay in 1948, he became interested in the complexities of Indian culture, history and politics. Since 1962, he has published many fictional and non-fictional books on his favorite subject.

“Jinnah of Pakistan” was published in 1984. This unique and insightful biography explores the fascinating public and private life of founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah from his birth in 1876 till his death in 1948.

In recording the events that unfold and shape Jinnah’s life, Wolpert also chronicles almost eight decades of Indian history to the point where India achieves independence from British rule amid growing Muslim-Hindu antagonism.

Physically a frail man, Jinnah alone gave courage, hope, strength and voice to millions of Muslims of South Asia who were dismissed as second class citizens in United India before partition in 1947.The book reveals Jinnah’s loneliness, his pain, his broken marriage, his estrangement from his only daughter, his long and fatal disease which he kept under wraps and yet the true worth of his gigantic accomplishment can only be more appreciated when viewed alongside his human weaknesses.

'Jinnah of Pakistan’ is an absolute must read for the students of political history of South-Asia and for every Pakistani who is interested in knowing the extent of debt owed to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah for freedom and a separate country after the end of British Raj in the sub-continent.

Have you read the book? What is your opinion?

Story Time for Kids: A collection of short stories for children

A delightful collection of short stories for children with memorable characters, witty plots and unexpected endings. 

It is a lot of fun to read about James and his adventures in his uncle's time machine, how Billy the big bad bully gets his just desserts and how the ultra-cool young Detective George Krevis gets rid of the monsters for his feisty client. 

It is easy to see that the young author is heavily influenced by British authors like Enid Blyton and J.K Rowling and her stories are cheerful, uplifting and a joy to read! 

This book would make a lovely addition to your children's library if they like to read short stories featuring brave protagonists and exciting adventures!

Product Details

Paperback: 90 pages

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 2 edition (March 12, 2014)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1497324947

ISBN-13: 978-1497324947

Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 0.2 x 9.2 inches

Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces

Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars