The digital world and progressions in technology have altered the way of life. Undoubtedly, it has made students’ life more competitive and full of anxiety and restlessness. To calm the mind, children’s imagination needs to be aroused. It should be channelised towards more comforting and simple things like the chatter of a stream, chirping of birds, various scents coming out of house kitchens and bazaars. Children need to know how to respect nature as well as relationships with fellow humans. Lockdown due to the pandemic has enhanced the stress of school children who are going through a virtual school life, where they keep on studying without physically meeting their friends during recess and after school. That warmth is undoubtedly missing in the current scenario. On the other hand, this is the right time to get back to reading and re-living that warmth that is genuinely missing in today’s world. 

Reading is a habit – how to encourage your child to read?

Eight Ruskin Bond Books for children

One author who is widely read and widely loved all across the nation is Ruskin Bond. So, here are eight books by India’s favourite oldest child Ruskin Bond, that can help school children to tranquilise their mind for a while and befriend some crazy, roguish and imaginative children.

Getting Granny’s Glasses

There are some feel-good stuff, places and moments in everyone’s life. This book lets you live this feeling. The children can experience different colours of nature and learn to observe simple things around them that usually go unnoticed. Aren’t kids and old-aged persons alike? The joy of savouring the magnificence of nature has been best portrayed by Mr. Bond through Granny’s eyes. The book offers visual descriptions of life in hills and shows the simplicity and caring nature of humble hill folks amidst the harsh conditions in the hills.

The Eyes of the Eagle

How responsible and strong hill people are! They have to adapt themselves according to harsh climatic and high-altitude conditions. Their never-give-up attitude is the backdrop of this story. This book is set in the Tung valley, where Shiva resides in his highest abode, Tunganath temple.  It narrates the story of a boy Jai, his dog Motu, a few of his people, and their intrepid endeavors to save their herd of sheep from the evil claws of a golden eagle and its mate.

Angry River  

In this story, there’s one river, an island, a girl, her grandparents, a boy and a tree. That’s all. Fighting for the necessities and against all the odds of nature is the essence of this book. So, the thing that keeps the readers hooked to the book is the aloofness of the setting, away from the crowd, noise and modernisation. The story reveals how impertinent nature can be. But what may come, the spirit of these people never let them give up.

Though the story is about the flooding of the island and its nearby villages, it profoundly tells the struggle of people residing in these kinds of areas where bare necessities of life are hard to earn and present challenges in keeping life on a move. The book is about the courage that these people exhibit in hard times and always start afresh after any kind of natural distress.

The Road to the Bazaar 

This book is packed with lively scenes of a small hill town in Northern India. It lets the children experience the simple but exuberant life of a hill town. Some joyous children indulge in such mischievous and inventive activities that make life pleasant. You’re going to experience an unusual zoo made in the backyard of a house; watch the race of some atypical animals (ahem! insects); some gossip full of laughter; music of the flute; a day spent on an old tree; and many more.

This book is everything that a child can imagine. So, are you, fed up with the humdrum of city life? Have no time to perceive the primitiveness of life? Go grab this book.

The Blue Umbrella  

It is a delightful and fascinating story that teaches the virtues of benevolence, sacrifice, and letting go. It is tough to let go of what you love with passion, but keeping human relations above material fancies is what matters most. This is what Binya, the pretty and brave girl discovers at the end of the story. Her life was full of adventures after she gets her most dear possession, the blue umbrella. The way the beauty of the blue umbrella and everyone’s longing for it is described shows the exceptional art of storytelling of Mr. Bond.

A Long Walk for Bina

Through the story, Ruskin Bond has introduced the children to the flora and fauna of Garhwal hills and the changing landscape through human intervention. The controversial issue of the Tehri Dam is dealt with thoughtfully. So, children will be compelled to think about the effects of such kinds of interventions in the natural landscape.

Is development more important or the conservation of nature in its original form? This book highlights the effects of such kinds of invasions on not only wild animals but also on the residents of that particular area. This story with beautiful visual vocabulary is certain to make you happy and considerate of your surroundings.

Friends in Wild Places 

The book celebrates Mr. Bond’s unusual friendships. Befriending everyone he meets is an exceptional quality of Ruskin Bond. But the unusual point is that he befriends not only human beings but also plants, animals, birds and insects. This is the reason that his stories always have something related to wildlife.

This book commemorates Mr. Bond’s unique friendships and encounters with some unusual wild creatures. This book is the best way to let children know about wildlife through some captivating stories.

When I Was A Boy

Living in the magic of the world, conceived by Ruskin Bond, while reading the timeless tales penned down by him, sometimes there’s an urge to know about the life incidents that turned him into a marvelous storyteller. Here is the book with a comprehensive account of his childhood days and a concise description of his living in a room on the roof before moving to England. This astonishing book is attractively embellished.

You get to see the chubby little Ruskin tucking in cookies in his mouth. The little boy Ruskin looking through the windows of many colours while strolling through the ruins of a Jamnagar palace. And a growing young Ruskin doing his first dance at a ball in Dehra.

To Conclude

I can write so much more about the beauty of the literature under the name of Mr. Bond, but I think these books are good enough to start with. These books will give comfort, warmth, and pleasure to our young readers. It will help them to nurture that imagination which is very important in every stage of life. So, pick up any of the above books, go to a comfortable place, and dive into the world of Mr. Ruskin Bond.

About Ekta Kubba

Ekta is a Science teacher in a Punjab-based government school, but her heart ponders for literature. She is an avid reader and an ardent fan of Ruskin Bond, she is administering a fan group on Facebook, entitled ‘Ruskin, the Radiant Bond’. Staying at home during the 2020 lockdown enabled her to realize her long-cherished dream to pen down her thoughts. Her writings can be read on her Facebook page ‘The Writing Nerd’.

The group, Ruskin, the Radiant Bond can be reached here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/925991211175469/

Her page, The Writing Nerd, can be reached here: https://www.facebook.com/The-Writing-Nerd-111755207220177/

Disclaimer:
*The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of www.kolkatafusion.com. Any omissions or errors are the author’s and KolkataFusion does not assume any liability or responsibility for them.
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বাবা, মা আর বোনের সাথে আমি ২০১৯ সালের ডিসেম্বর মাসে কাজিরাঙ্গা ন্যাশনাল পার্ক ঘুরতে গিয়েছিলাম। আমার বন্ধু রংমন গৌহাটি তে থাকে। আমরা ওদের সঙ্গে গিয়েছিলাম।

প্রথম দিন আমরা জিপে করে জন্তু দেখতে গেলাম। সেখানে আমরা অনেক বাঁদর, এক খড়্গের গন্ডার, হাতি, বুনো মোষ, হরিণ, জেব্রা আর অনেক সুন্দর পাখি দেখলাম। সেদিন খুব মজা হয়েছিল। একটা কালো বুনো মোষ আমাদের জিপের সামনে দৌড়ে রাস্তা পেরোলো। ‌ আমরা সবাই খুব ভয় পেয়ে গেলাম। পরের দিন সক্কাল বেলা আমরা এলিফ্যান্ট সাফারিতে গেলাম। আমি এমন সাফারি প্রথমবার করলাম – তাই খুব মজা লাগল। হাতির পিঠে করে আমরা জঙ্গলের ভিতরে গেলাম।

ওখানে একটা গন্ডার ছিল- সাথে ছিলো ওর ছোট বাচ্চা। আমি মাকে বললাম বাচ্চা গন্ডারটাকে ট্রলিতে ভরে বাড়ি নিয়ে যেতে। আমরা একটা মা হরিণকে দেখলাম শুয়ে থাকতে, মনে হলো ওর বাচ্চা হবে। অনেক কচ্ছপ দেখলাম নদীর ধারে রোদ পোয়াচ্ছে। আমি ওখানে একটা সবুজ বড় কুমিরও ছিল। শীতকাল বলে আমরা অনেক পরিযায়ী পাখি দেখতে পেলাম। একটা কাঠঠোকরা ছিল। একটা বড় রঙিন ধনেশ পাখি গাছের ফল খাচ্ছিল। আমরা ওটার অনেক ছবি তুলেছি।

For more stories by kids in both English and Bangla, click here.

কাজিরাঙ্গা থেকে ফেরার আগে আমরা হাতি, গন্ডার, কচ্ছপ ইত্যাদির পুতুল কিনে এনেছি। কাজিরাঙ্গার কথা আমি কখনো ভুলবনা।

কোথাই থাকবেন আর কি করবেন জানার জন্য: Kaziranga National Park, Assam.

Archisha Bhattacharya

অর্চিষা ভট্টাচার্য্য আইআইটি কানপুরের প্রাথমিক বিদ্যালয়, ক্যাম্পাস স্কুলের চতুর্থ শ্রেণীর ছাত্রী। অবশর সময়ে, আঁকতে এবং বই পরতে প্রচণ্ড ভালবাসে। অর্চিষা নাচ ও শেখে – অবশ্য সেটা আপাতত বন্ধ আছে COVID-19 এর জন্য ।

The post আমার কাজিরাঙ্গা সফর appeared first on KolkataFusion.

There was a dark graveyard in the jungle. It was so silent. No one visited there. Three children went hiking. There were two girls and one boy. They saw the graveyard. They could hear wolves howling at a distance. ‘’Ooooo.”

Mary: “That’s such a scary grayeyard.”

Browdie: “I am so scared that I am shivering”.

Bob: “I don’t believe in ghosts! Let’s discover the graveyard. This is going to be a mission.”

They all went to the graveyard silently. They walked slowly.

Mary: “Is this a ghost jungle?”

Browdie:  “I am so scared that I am shivering”.

Bob: “Come on! Lets go ahead.”

Mary and Browdie both said, “Best of luck to you Bob! We are leaving, but you can go ahead.”

Bob: “I am not going alone. We are all friends. Hold my hands! Together we will discover this graveyard.”

Mary and Browdie – “Okay Bob. Three of us will go ahead.”

They started exploring the graveyard.

Suddenly they saw a skeleton and got very scared. Mary screamed loudly. Her voice echoed through the entire graveyard. And suddenly behind them they saw a ghost moving.

Mary: “I was correct. This graveyard is a ghost Jungle. It’s a haunted jungle.”

Then they again heard the wolf howl and turned round and saw the wolf standing on a tombstone.

Also Read: The Dragon went to the toilet

Bob pulled his sleeve and went to fight with the wolf. Bob had got a firecracker that could scare the wolf. The wolf charged towards them.

Bob: “Don’t fear when Bob is here!”

Bob threw the firecracker at the wolf. It bursted and the wolf went flying high up and fell down. The wolf was in pain and was crying in pain.

Mary: “Poor wolf! I will put bandages on you and you will heal.”

Suddenly the wolf started talking. “ Thank you soo much Mary !. But this is hurting so much. Let me open my costume and you can put medicines.”

Mary looked inside the costume and shouted, “ Bertie !! What are you doing here? You are the Wolf!!”

Bob: “Bertie! I thought it’s a real wolf.”

Browdie: “You gave us a shock. You made a fool of us. Serves you right, you tried to fool us”

Mary: “Enough of this. Bertie is in pain. We have to give him medicines.”

Bertie: “Thank you, the medicines made me feel better. I made my own ‘Graveyard Theme Park’ and planned to have fun with you all. It was just for fun and not for attacking.”

Browdie: “Sorry Bertie! We thought you are a wolf. Were the ghosts also false?”

Bertie: “Yesss!! They were all holograms and the wolf howling was from a speaker.”

Bob: “So this haunted graveyard was a prank?”

Bertie: “Okay now let’s start the party!”

About Diptanu Chakraborty

Diptanu Chakraborty, is only 10 now but if you go through his stories you cannot predict his age anyways! Currently studying at standard 5 at The Cambridge School this little storyteller started his journey when he was only 4.5 yrs and his mum was the sole listener to his 4 line stories. He is fascinated with dragons,dinosaurs, volcanoes, trains and interprets the world in his own creative way with vivid descriptions. Seeing the usual stuffs in an unusual way~  may be the most  important virtue of any writer and Diptanu is blessed with it. He also tends to bring in elements he is scared of like lightning,cockroach,aeroplanes and deals with them in a fun manner in his stories. And, if you have ever known that High Functioning Autistic children have communication problem then his stories will make you rethink!
So, let’s explore Diptanu’s world of imagination!

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of www.kolkatafusion.com. Any omissions or errors are the author’s and KolkataFusion does not assume any liability or responsibility for them.

The post The Ghost in the Graveyard appeared first on KolkataFusion.

Once upon a time there was a dragon and he ate too many apples. And he got a tummy ache. He got hiccups too. Then he went swimming in the lake.

One day when he was swimming in the lake he met other dragons. But then dragon had trouble. He called out ‘Oh ! This water has reminded me I need to go!’ So he ran into the woods. He asked the animals and bugs. He asked a cockroach but cockroach said ‘I cant help you, there are many kids who want to ride on me.’ The dragon said ‘Oh!’

Then the dragon asked a mosquito but the mosquito said ‘No way! I cant. I don’t know where the bathroom is.’

Then the dragon asked an ant but the ant said, ‘I need to go too to the bathroom and all my friends need to go too.’ The ant asked, ‘Did you ask the cockroach?’

The dragon said ‘ I did but he said there are many children who want to ride on him.’

Then the dragon asked a fly but the fly said ‘I also need to go to the bathroom. Did you ask the mosquito?’

The dragon said, ‘I did, but he cant because he doesn’t know where the bathroom is.’

Then the dragon met a lizard and the lizard said, ‘ its hard to find the bathroom in the woods and the tiger can help you!’

Then the dragon, the ants and the fly went to the tiger and asked him.

The tiger said, ‘I know the bathroom. Follow me!’

So the tiger showed the dragon, the ants and the fly the way to the bathroom. Then they saw the bathroom.

The dragon got in the bathroom, the fly got in the bathroom even the ants got in the bathroom. When they came out they all thanked the tiger.

‘Thank you tiger !’

Tiger said, ‘you are welcome. Whenever you come bathroom hunting just call me’.

The dragon said, ‘like I always say whenever you need to go, you need to go.’

 And they all went back happily.

About Diptanu Chakraborty

Diptanu Chakraborty, is only 10 now but if you go through his stories you cannot predict his age anyways! Currently studying at standard 5 at The Cambridge School this little storyteller started his journey when he was only 4.5 yrs and his mum was the sole listener to his 4 line stories. He is fascinated with dragons,dinosaurs, volcanoes, trains and interprets the world in his own creative way with vivid descriptions. Seeing the usual stuffs in an unusual way~  may be the most  important virtue of any writer and Diptanu is blessed with it. He also tends to bring in elements he is scared of like lightning,cockroach,aeroplanes and deals with them in a fun manner in his stories. And, if you have ever known that High Functioning Autistic children have communication problem then his stories will make you rethink!
So, let’s explore Diptanu’s world of imagination!

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of www.kolkatafusion.com. Any omissions or errors are the author’s and KolkataFusion does not assume any liability or responsibility for them.

Recommended Read: What happens when you return to an old place? Read the story here.

The post The Dragon went to the toilet appeared first on KolkataFusion.