The K Junction: #BookReviewsByShital

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Nov 21, 2017

The Magic Umbrellas - Children Book Review By Shital Choudhary - #MondayMorningReviews

Wondering which books to read to your child? Welcome to this wonderful 10 weeks long project of #MondayMorningReviews where Shital Choudhary, a passionate storyteller & a mom herself, shares children's book reviews every Monday! The age group for these books is 0-4 years. This review series will help you choose the best books for your baby / toddler / preschooler / kindergartener. This week's pick is The Magic Umbrellas! Read on this full book review.

Book: The Magic Umbrellas
Author: Theertha Raj
Illustrations: Nancy Raj
Publisher: MsMoochie books
Recommendation: Strong
Age: 3+ years

Story

A little girl Leela's umbrellas keep getting lost. First day of school, she loses her first one, no one has a clue, on second day second one, but someone sees it, flying out of the window, third day third one goes 'whoosh' and everybody sees it flying out. Where are they going? Leela's mother decides to follow the forth one!

The suspense is built and unfolded in each passing day. We are kept glued till the end.

What I Liked

Suspense: I liked the 'Suspense' angle. I like children stories that try to incorporate suspense or investigation theories with very simple stories. And more so, I loved the ending, the suspense ends with a strong message.

Illustrations: detailing in illustrations like mess of classroom in the break time, vapor evaporating from hot cutting tea, umbrella designs is wonderful.

Green highlighted text: the story uses two fonts, one - normal and second - highlighted bold and bigger green fonts, these bigger fonts tell you all about the umbrellas.

Our Experience

Let me tell you about a couple of questions asked by my kid and answers given by me after 3rd reading of this book.

Q: mom how can Apoopa be young here (see the pic above) A: Oh! this coconut incident happened when he was young, so...
Q: what's pillion? A: back seat of a scooter
Q: How can author and illustrator both be 'Raj' A: just a coincidence Q: what's a coincidence? A: ...and i explained

I am sure each book and each story has a plethora of opportunities to talk, discuss and derive at learning and values we seek out in life.

Go ahead and enjoy this umbrella unfolding its magic!

Book review contributed by Shital Choudhary
Chief Reviewer at Children's Book Reviews & Stories

Shital Choudhary is a passionate storyteller (a Kathalaya Alumina) and a mom to a 6 year old. Apart from power of stories in teaching concepts and values, she believes that stories can come at your rescue absolutely at any situation in your parenting journey. You can reach out to her at storywayschool [AT] gmail.com. She documents her book reviews, recommendations and reading out experiences at her Facebook page - Children's Book Reviews & Stories

This book review is a part of 10 week long project #MondayMorningReviews which is going on in our Facebook Group. Join in the tribe of involved & conscious parents HERE now! You can find ALL the book reviews under this project HERE.

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Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

Wondering which books to read to your child? Welcome to this wonderful 10 weeks long project of #MondayMorningReviews where Shital Choudhary, a passionate storyteller & a mom herself, shares children's book reviews every Monday! The age group for these books is 0-4 years. This review series will help you choose the best books for your baby / toddler / preschooler / kindergartener. This week's pick is One Fish Two Fish by Dr Seuss! Read on this full book review.

Book: One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
Author: Dr. Seuss
Concept: Math and Phonics

About

It's no story book. It is just a book with funny phonetic sentences and funnier illustrations. It is more or less a funny 'Math' concept book. It touches upon all the basic Math concepts like colours, numbers, distance, speed, height, sizes and opposites in the simplest and funniest and rhyming way we can ever imagine.

You can read this book or you can sing. It will give your kid's imaginations little furry wings and keep your funny bones tickling!

For instance, Red fish, Blue fish, one fish, two fish, fat fish, thin fish, old fish, young fish. Some are fast and some are slow. Some are high and some are low.

Phonetic rhyming words like Run-fun-Sun. Bump-Wump-hump-gump. Here-there-everywhere. Dear-hear-near-ear-fear. Old-gold-hold-cold. so on and on the book goes on for 62 pages without beginning without end. Well, because fun is not supposed to end!

Our Experience

Needless to mention, we had tons of fun laughing out loud, singing and reading this book together. And I must caution you, you will not reach to the last page so easily while reading it to your little ones, as he/she will turn back pages and say Mumma! please read this again! uff! AGAIN!

One Fish Two Fish.... A book to relish!

Book review contributed by Shital Choudhary
Chief Reviewer at Children's Book Reviews & Stories

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

Wondering which books to read to your child? Welcome to this wonderful 10 weeks long project of #MondayMorningReviews where Shital Choudhary, a passionate storyteller & a mom herself, shares children's book reviews every Monday! The age group for these books is 0-4 years. This review series will help you choose the best books for your baby / toddler / preschooler / kindergartener. This week's pick is Tiddler - The Storytelling Fish! Read on this full book review.

Book: Tiddler - The Story-Telling Fish
Author: Julia Donaldson
Publisher: Scholastic
Age: 2-4 years
Recommendation: Strong

About

Tiddler is a fish. He likes to make up stories. He makes up stories of how he got late for school (which he does every day). So no one believes him when he says I got late because I met up with a mermaid or got caught in the net and so on.

But what will happen when he really gets lost and doesn't reach school on time? Will his stories help him? Is there anyone who believes in him?

Best part: of the story is this jingle that gets repeated 'Tiddler is telling a story, Tiddler is telling a story ..... ' kids would love to hear this little song and would literally sway with you if you do.

It's a very relate-able story by all kids who often times makes up stories of their day to day encounters with friends, teachers, etc. At the same time, the book may be used as an opportunity to discuss pros and cons of making up stories.

Strongly recommended!

Book review contributed by Shital Choudhary
Chief Reviewer at Children's Book Reviews & Stories

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

Wondering which books to read to your child? Welcome to this wonderful 10 weeks long project of #MondayMorningReviews where Shital Choudhary, a passionate storyteller & a mom herself, shares children's book reviews every Monday! The age group for these books is 0-4 years. This review series will help you choose the best books for your baby / toddler / preschooler / kindergartener. This week's pick is Fun With Alphabet Stories! Read on this full book review.

Concept: Alphabet Stories
Book: Fun with Alphabet Stories (Set of 6 books)
Publisher: Navneet Publications (India) Ltd.
Age: 1.5+ years
Recommendation: Strong

Concept

Alphabet stories are conceptualized to focus on the derived learning it imparts, of words beginning with a particular alphabet. For instance Story of letter 'A', 'B' and so on till letter 'Z'. So there are always 26 stories. These stories can be designed in a progressive way to suit the audience from toddlers to kids age 11-12 years.

Primarily, each Story has many words beginning with that particular alphabet.

The ones designed for toddlers are very, very simple stories packed with as many simple words of that alphabet as feasible.

This is the best way to enhance a kid's vocabulary without fussing about it.

About The Set

There are many books available in the market based on the concept. But this set by Navneet is my absolute favorite.

Divided into 6 six books, there are of course 26 stories. Let's look at one of the stories. Story of Letter 'G' for instance:

Geeta Gorilla guards a Guava garden in Gauhati.
Through the gaps in the wall, goats get into the garden to eat the guavas.
"Eat some garlic and blast the goats with your breath," Ganju the goose suggests.
Geeta eats lots of garlic.
She blows her garlic breath.
the goats gag and hurry away.
Geeta is garlanded as the best guard in Gauhati.
"Thank you, Ganju," Geeta says gratefully.

Just 8 simple sentences, telling a proper story (the story has a problem and its logical resolution too), packing as many as 14 different 'G' letter words, including 3 proper nouns and 7 common nouns is an achievement in itself.

Don't you think?

Our Experience

I picked up this set when my child was just one year old. Like most of my books, I didn't pick it up for teaching anything. I picked up because, I wanted books with silly simple small stories to be read to a one year old. What followed was beyond my guess. Kid loved all the stories no ends. I had no choice but to follow 3 steps 1) read out 2) re-tell 3) repeat!

My Recommendation

Buy the set, start with Story of letter A, sit on the story for as long as child wants you to, read, tell, repeat! Move on to Story of letter 'B' when your child tells you to.

You may also want to check out my video review of this set in this video below. It also includes a read-aloud of story of letter 'F' for reference.

Even though I recommend these books for 1.5 years onward, I have successfully done storytelling of these stories with much older kids too.

Book review contributed by Shital Choudhary
Chief Reviewer at Children's Book Reviews & Stories

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

Wondering which books to read to your child? Welcome to this wonderful 10 weeks long project of #MondayMorningReviews where Shital Choudhary, a passionate storyteller & a mom herself, shares children's book reviews every Monday! The age group for these books is 0-4 years. This review series will help you choose the best books for your baby / toddler / preschooler / kindergartener. This week's pick is Clumsy! Read on this full book review.

Book: Clumsy!
Author: Ken Spillman
Illustrator: Manjari Chakravarti
Publisher: Tulika Publishers
Age Group: 2+ years
Recommendation: Strong

About The Book:

Disability is not always physically glaring, sometimes it's more like inability to do things the way it's expected. The book tells a tale of a girl who lacks heavily in what we call 'motor skills', yes! And how she is been treated by all around her on this point alone.

Family, friends, teachers call her names; Some call her 'Clumsy', some 'Butterfingers', some 'Slowcoach', some 'Messy' and what not!

One day, her grandmother gives her a paintbox. She loves to paint. In her imagination she is not clumsy, not butterfingers, not messy. She loves to draw and paint her imagination. She also signs off her painting with a name, that's not Clumsy or butterfingers or messy or slowcoach, but with her real name. Because she has one just like all of us.

The beauty of the story is the message hidden in it. Let's accept all inabilities around us instead of shaming! Let's focus on abilities a person possesses rather than not.

I some times wonder... forget about kids, aren't we adults clumsy at times? It is the time to accept.

Book review contributed by Shital Choudhary
Chief Reviewer at Children's Book Reviews & Stories

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

Sea In A Bucket - Children Book Review By Shital Choudhary - #MondayMorningReviews

children kids book review the k junction sea in a bucket eklavya publication

Wondering which books to read to your child? Welcome to this wonderful 10 weeks long project of #MondayMorningReviews where Shital Choudhary, a passionate storyteller & a mom herself, shares children's book reviews every Monday! The age group for these books is 0-4 years. This review series will help you choose the best books for your baby / toddler / preschooler / kindergartener. This week's pick is Sea In A Bucket. Read on this full book review.

Book: The Sea in a Bucket (An Avehi-Abacus Story)
Publisher: Eklavya Pitara
Illustrations: Deepa Balsavar
Age Group: 3 years +
Recommendation: Strong

About The Book:

The book is a pictorial representation of our 'Water-Cycle'.

It starts like this, "This is Sonu", "This is Sonu's Bucket", "This is the tap that brings water to fill Sonu's Bucket" and so on it goes to describe backwards what gets water to the tap, lake, river, mountain, clouds, and role of the Sun and the Sea.

The previous sentences gets repeated with each step forward, which makes the reading rhyming and fun.

The last page also deals with what happens to the water after Sonu bathes with it. It completes the circle.

Illustrations:
Illustrations steal the show here. At the end of the book, there is a chart given compiling all the illustrations of this book. This 'all pics-no text' chart speaks for itself and explains the whole water cycle.

And of course there is more to the illustrations then just water-cycle. The detailing of - at the residence, river, lake, mountains, at the sea has much more to talk about than just the water-cycle.

Somebody is feeding the dog, someone's brushing teeth, a lizard on the wall, fishing, goatherd, some writing happening at the banks of the river, snow clad mountains, Yaks, Snow leopard, monks pine trees, mountaineers, and more.

Oh! One can play a fine spot game with these illustrations.

Our Experience:

We vacationed in Sikkim this summer. I had ordered a set of 22 books from Eklavya Pitara and this book was one of them. I had no clue what was inside the book except for the concept. Imagine our surprise when we received this book just after returning from Sikkim! It was like re-visiting our memories of the mountains we had just visited. How? (see pics) the snow clad mountains (Zero Point), the Yaks, the flower valley (Yumthang valley), Teesta river, the monks and the monastery, the pine trees, the flags of monks on the mountains, the tea leaves plucker with her basket.... woohoo! Couldn't have asked for more!

A must have book!

Book review contributed by Shital Choudhary
Chief Reviewer at Children's Book Reviews & Stories

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

children kids book review the k junction 1001 words to talk about alka publication

Wondering which books to read to your child? Welcome to this wonderful 10 weeks long project of #MondayMorningReviews where Shital Choudhary, a passionate storyteller & a mom herself, shares children's book reviews every Monday! The age group for these books is 0-4 years. This review series will help you choose the best books for your baby / toddler / preschooler / kindergartener. This week's pick is 1001 Words To Talk About. Read on this full book review.

Book: 1001 words to talk about
Publisher: Alka Publications
Age: 0-2 years
Recommendation: Strong

Wondering why have I placed this book (1001 words) in 0-2 yrs age group?

Let me tell you why and all about it..

The book claims to cover 1001 words (who knows? I have never counted... Because I didn't buy the book to teach a number of words)

Experience With The Book:

About this... As I see it... (Why I bought the book):

When I saw the book in a bookstore, all I saw were pictures of our day to day lives to talk about to my tiny tot, such as:

our family
wake up time scene
going to school
indoor, outdoor play time
in the kitchen
bedtime
at the beach
at the doctor's

So on and on ... About 38 topics are covered.

(Two pages cover one topic)

Each page/topic has a) one big sized illustration for that particular topic b) sentences within the illustration c) questions about the picture d) pics of objects covered in the illustration.

For instance - (See pic) Topic: 'let's get dressed' - 'father is ironing his trousers', Ena is combing her hair, etc. Sentences can be read to a toddler while pointing at the pictures.

How to go about:

First just read out the pictures by reading out sentences written within and add your own sentences if you wish (I did. For eg. I would say Ena was looking at herself in the mirror, there was a yellow round clock above the mirror, etc.)
Second, play spot Game... ask them to point out objects within illustrations. Eg. Spot an iron, spot a clock, etc.
Third, at later stage when you have chewed and chomped this book with your toddler and have practically taped each page (like us ... oh! very important parameter of judging .. ha ha)

Go on with asking questions suggested on each page.

Don't buy this book:

for teaching kids anything
period

Buy this book:

to show relatable situations based illustrations and to talk to the kids.

... and be rest assured to achieve what the book is probably intended for by the publishers, that is learning 1001 words more or less.

We loved this book no ends. You will too. Have fun! Learning is a by-product.

Source: I bought from a bookstore. However on the book they have given website address, you can check there too. (www.alkapublications.com)

Book review contributed by Shital Choudhary
Chief Reviewer at Children's Book Reviews & Stories

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

children kids book review the k junction phonics story time library

Wondering which books to read to your child? Welcome to this wonderful 10 weeks long project of #MondayMorningReviews where Shital Choudhary, a passionate storyteller & a mom herself, shares children's book reviews every Monday! The age group for these books is 0-4 years. This review series will help you choose the best books for your baby / toddler / preschooler / kindergartener. This week's pick is Phonics Story Time Library. Read on this full book review.

Book: Phonics Story Time Library (6 in 1 stories)
Publisher: Shree Book Centre
Age: 6 months +
Recommendation: Strong

Experience With The Book:

Learning Phonics the fun way is the aim of the book. So basically it is for pre-primary school kids (Age 3.5+) learning Phonics.

Then why am I recommending it for 6m+ babies?

Well, because my reasons for buying this book were completely different from what is supposed to be the aim of this book. I bought this book when I didn't know what the word 'Phonics' meant.

I bought this book because it had -

silly simple fun stories, with JUST ONE sentence on each page
big fonts

You see?

I was looking for books for my then 8-10 month old.

So we enjoyed each story of the book as it is, without caring about learning sounds and for next 4 years post buying!

It's a progressive concept book (which I realized much later when I learned about Phonics along my parenting journey). Let's look at a few sentences from a story called 'Chippy and Chuck' to showcase how the story and learning progress.

Page 1: Chippy was a chicken

Page 2: One day, Chippy was munching chestnuts when someone said:
Page 3: "What a charming Chicken you are!"
Page 4: Chippy looked up and saw a smart Fox.

......story goes on to describe this cunning fox luring chippy to come to dinner with him promising chocolate and chips and cherry-pie etc. Naive chippy thinks fox is kind. Just then Chippy's best friend Charlie the Chimp arrives there and chases the fox away, scolding Chippy on being so foolish.

Simple, isn't it. A good message too (though that's not the aim). You can notice lots of 'Ch' digraph words and other sound based words too.

You can start reading out these stories to your tiny tot and keep on doing so, till the child is about 3-4 years old when you or the school introduce Phonics, sounds and Digraphs. At which stage the child will be able to (without any provocation) tell you .. "look mumma, it's Ch/Sh/Ou/ng etc. digraph!"

A wonderful collection of 6 stories to be read again and again to learn sounds without being aware of it.

Book review contributed by Shital Choudhary
Chief Reviewer at Children's Book Reviews & Stories

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

children kids book review the k junction navneet read & grow

Wondering which books to read to your child? Welcome to this wonderful 10 weeks long project of #MondayMorningReviews where Shital Choudhary, a passionate storyteller & a mom herself, shares children's book reviews every Monday! The age group for these books is 0-4 years. This review series will help you choose the best books for your baby / toddler / preschooler / kindergartener. This week's pick is Read & Grow Series By Navneet. Read on this full book series review.

Book Series: Read And Grow Series by Navneet
Publisher: Navneet Education Limited
Age: 6 months to 3.5 years
Recommendation: Strong

About The Series:
There are 16 books in the series available in sets of 4. So in all there are 4 sets A,B,C,D containing 4 books in each.

Very simple and silly little story is covered in each book, just the way it should be for a tiny tot. At age 6 months to about 2 years, they are picking up sounds and learning to communicate using simple words. Anything you talk to them is a story.

These books are just that. It talks to the child about something in a storyway. No, but don't confuse them for knowledge books or books to teach words like 101 words or Pictionary, etc. Because it does the same job with simple stories.

First two sets, A & B, have about one or two sentences for one illustration per page. Set C has about 2-3 sentences and set D has about 3-4. So, in a way the series in progressive in nature and you should take up reading out them in its order for the maximum benefit.

Availability:
Navneet's books are available on first cry and Raj Kart and Amazon too but currently shows out of stock. The best way is to call them up and find out their nearest dealer's address and go there to pick it up literally.

Experience With The Book:
I have a trunk-ful of memories reading out these books to my then tiny tot.

I bought these books when my child was just 9ms old. I had this Navneet's store near my house and I used to visit them and ask if they have anything for such a young child and very hesitantly they showed me this series .. I loved the very sight and picked it up.

The first book from the series I read out was Kanji's Bullock cart (Story: Kanji uncle has set his cart to go to the fair. Two kids ask him, 'Can we come with you to the fair?', He says Yes. Next he is asked and says Yes to a peacock, a dog, a turtle, etc. and the cart becomes too heavy. they lose balance and fall on each other, Bullocks get scared and run ahead. They had to walk to the fair on feet. Later Bullocks calm down and they return to the village happily sitting in the cart)

(All stories are this very simple)

It was an instant hit with my LO. I read it again and again for 10 to 15 days before my child let me move on to the next. The same thing got repeated for each of the first 12 books.

It's impossible to count the number of times ..

I read out these books
I told these stories at parks, in autos, in cars, at airports, in trains, at bedtime, at anytime.........
my child cuddled, played, licked, chewed off and tore these books ....
I taped the torn pages of all these books
I put my child as well as fellow passengers' children to sleep telling these stories

A must, must have series if you have a child below 3 years.

Book review contributed by Shital Choudhary
Chief Reviewer at Children's Book Reviews & Stories

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

Gajapati Kulapati Gurburrrrrooom - Children Book Review By Shital Choudhary - #MondayMorningReviews

children kids book review the k junction gajapati

Wondering which books to read to your child? Welcome to this wonderful 10 weeks long project of #MondayMorningReviews where Shital Choudhary, a passionate storyteller & a mom herself, shares children's book reviews every Monday! The age group for these books is 0-4 years. This review series will help you choose the best books for your baby / toddler / preschooler / kindergartener. This week's pick is Gajapati Kulapati Gurburrrroooom. Read on this full book review.

Book: Gajapati Kulapati Gurburrrrrooom

(this is the third book in the Gajapati Kulpati (GK) series.
Author: Ashok Rajagopalan
Publisher: Tulika Publishers
Age: 6 months +
Recommendation: Strong

Buy Here - Tulika Official Website | Amazon | Flipkart

About Gajapati Kulapati:
Gajapati Kulapati (GK) is a gentle BIG elephant, who is a darling of all the villagers. They fuss a lot over him, feed him, play with him, take care of him ... and he loves them back.

About The Book:
In this particular book, villagers like banana-seller, farmer, flower-seller and post-man feed different things to GK. After over-eating in this way, he gets a BIG stomach ache. Everybody starts getting worried. Post-man goes on to call the doctor ... how will he get cured? Read the book to find out.

About The Series:
There are three books in this series, all super hit among young children. Each book tells you a funny little tale of the friendly elephant named Gajapati Kulapati. The name itself is a tongue twister to the toddlers and that's the beauty ... toddlers LOVE to repeat "Gajapati Kulapati - Gajapati Kulapati" in their cute little baby-language and the storyteller enjoys this constant interaction whilst telling the story.

Sounds Used In The Series:
The series has one quite notable feature, which is its Sound language. Lots of sounds are used to describe events, emotions, gestures and actions. For instance, the second book in the series (GK- Kalabalooosh) uses sounds like Plish, plosh, glish, glosh, bloosh, woosh, kalabaloosh to represent splashing into the water sounds, Gaga-Gada Gadum gadum for sound of elephant's speed of running. The GK - Gurburrrrrooom book uses Mummmmmummmm sound to represent chewing, eating, Owowooooh! for crying, etc.

Toddlers and tiny babies would JUST love these sounds, maybe because that's just the thing they learned very first in their lives?

About The Author:
Ashok Rajagopalan (popularly known as Achhok Rajgolapan or Ashok Rajapalanan, etc. among the toddlers) has not only created this brilliant kiddy tongue twister name Gajapati Kulapati and its cute stories but also beautifully illustrated all the books in this series.

Not to be missed series for all the toddlers and of course performing Storytellers!

Book review contributed by Shital Choudhary
Chief Reviewer at Children's Book Reviews & Stories

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

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Nov 21, 2017

The Magic Umbrellas - Children Book Review By Shital Choudhary - #MondayMorningReviews

One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish - Children Book Review By Shital Choudhary - #MondayMorningReviews

Tiddler - The Storytelling Fish - Children Book Review By Shital Choudhary - #MondayMorningReviews

Fun With Alphabet Stories - Children Book Review By Shital Choudhary - #MondayMorningReviews

Clumsy - Children Book Review By Shital Choudhary - #MondayMorningReviews

Oct 3, 2017

Sea In A Bucket - Children Book Review By Shital Choudhary - #MondayMorningReviews

1001 Words To Talk About - Children Book Review By Shital Choudhary - #MondayMorningReviews

Phonics Story Time Library - Children Book Review By Shital Choudhary - #MondayMorningReviews

Read & Grow Series By Navneet - Children Book Review By Shital Choudhary - #MondayMorningReviews

Oct 2, 2017

Gajapati Kulapati Gurburrrrrooom - Children Book Review By Shital Choudhary - #MondayMorningReviews

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