THE BLUE UMBRELLA BY RUSKIN BOND

-

BOOK NAME: The Blue Umbrella

AUTHOR NAME: Ruskin Bond

NO. OF PAGES: 90 (illustrated)

PUBLISHER: Rupa Publications

BOOK BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.in/Blue-Umbrella-Ruskin-Bond/dp/8171673406

BOOK 1 of explore India readathon for the state of Uttarakhand.


As nostalgic as it can get, picking up Ruskin bond's book yet again is always a pleasure. 

The blue umbrella is a short story that follows Binya, who lives with her brother, Bijju and her mother. She is happy tending to her cattle, Neelu and Gori, daily. As a ten-year-old, Binya's idea of fun is walking around the hills and watching tourists on her way back home. One day, she falls in love with a blue umbrella carried by a lady traveller, and Binya sacrifices her leopard claw charm with her beaded chain in exchange for the umbrella. While the other children never miss an opportunity to praise it and hold it for seconds in their hands, the adults are already jealous and disparage it. Ram bharosa is hell-bent on having it for himself by all means. What will Binya do when she finds her most fancied possession is missing?




You need to pick this book on days when you want to read a feel-good, heart-warming short story while enjoying your hot cup of tea.

This book can be read by everyone regardless of age and is perfect for bedtime storytelling with its illustrations.

Some books have around 400 to 600 pages of intricate storytelling, whereas some books manage to do the same in less than 100 pages, just like this one. 

This book is a projection or extension of reality, showcasing how we still think materialistically as adults. Meanwhile, kindness and empathy can show up in anyone, irrespective of age. 


MY REVIEW : 5/5

#penbooksandscalpel

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CHAPTER 1 - ALIZA AND AHMED

-
Image
Their eyes met for the second time in the day. Every time this happens, Aliza feels a ticklish sensation in her stomach. It's not that they have not been closer than just eye contact, but the jitters won't leave her alone. Her mother-in-law was busy scooping out the last few morsels of chicken from the bowl with a creaking noise that numbed Aliza's ears. Her father-in-law was lost in thoughts enjoying his chicken malai korma and tempered ghee rice.   ‘Aliza, can you get me some warm water?’ Aliza comes running with a jar of water to fulfil her new wife's duties, and Ahmed finds his moment just when Aliza is filling his tumbler and his parents are busy eating. He pokes her in the hip, which is faintly visible between her saree fold and her blouse. Aliza winces and moves behind quickly. She turns around to ensure no one has witnessed it and promptly returns to work, flashing a smile. Ahmed had to steal moments like these between daily activities because the house was alwa...
Read more

CHAPTER 4 - DISTANCE MATTERS

-
Image
'Congratulations on your promotion and transfer. We are looking forward to your full commitment to us. Do get back to this letter at the earliest with your answer.' Read the crafted piece of paper. Ahmed's parents were delighted and jumping with joy. They were chanting 'Alhamdulillah' fervently while Aliza stood confused. She could not make anything of this news because Ahmed's promotion meant everything to her. But his transfer would only mean that Aliza must stay back with her in-laws while he would visit only during weekends. She would happily do so, too, if not for her unsupportive mother-in-law. Aliza wanted to cry, and her eyes brimmed with tears that the world looked like a smudged canvas laying still in front of her. She looked at Ahmed pleadingly and waited until 10 to ask him if he really wanted to go. Asking in front of her in-laws would only mean the end of her good days. Ahmed did not look up because he knew what his transfer meant for both of them....
Read more

CHAPTER 2 - THE BACKSTORY - ALIZA

-
Image
  Aliza is the middle child of her family, with two older siblings and two younger ones. She did not always get her parents' attention because the oldest or the youngest sibling often stole it. She was mostly brought up by her oldest sister, Razia, who made sure she bathed, ate, and went to school on time. After Razia's marriage, her next older sibling Fahim brought home his wife, who had sworn to taunt Aliza all her life. Her younger twin siblings Samir and Ameera were at school, and they often stayed outdoors playing. So Aliza grew up to be the one taking care of her siblings while also managing to thrive herself. After finishing high school, she wanted to join college because her friends were also planning to, and they said studying in college will help a lot in the future. She was also the captain of her school's volleyball team and was a tough player. Aliza thought she could pursue her ambitions after school if she managed to convince her father. But her relatives had ...
Read more