#Review: Story of the Ordinary by Deepika Bhalla

Story of the Ordinary
Author: Deepika Bhalla
Publisher: Vishwakarma Publications

I have been reading and critiquing children’s fiction for a long time now and one thing that I can safely conclude is that these books cater to adults too when read with the right intention. A similar book Stories of the Ordinary promises to touch upon aspects of the social well-being of children. It showcases the transformative power of uncanny and unprecedented encounters. Knowing how a child’s mind is like a sponge and that it can be moulded in whichever way we want, these stories highlight the importance of effective and open communication between the parents and children and also, very subtly, emphasizes the need to be observant enough around young minds.

A unique feature that comes along with this anthology is the blank characters that can not only be coloured but also used as an ‘expression canvas’. With the idea to evoke emotions and identify how to put them on faces, this strategy is good enough to allow children to emulate the feelings and work on expressing their true emotions. However, the lacklustre quality of the book dwindles the claims into a trickle. Nevertheless, the meaningful and didactic stories do the magic, for they are relatable and offer insight into the young and fleeting minds. While society mostly perpetuates stereotypes and biases into our being right from our childhood, it is books like these that make an attempt to unravel the truth and rationality of those notions.

Overall, this is a recommended one owing to its simplicity and open-ended approach to understanding varied perspectives.

Buy this book from here: Amazon