Book Review: Boyhood Dreams and Other Tales by Ruskin Bond

Boyhood Dreams and Other Tales
Author: Ruskin Bond
Publisher: Rupa Publications

If there is one thing that everyone has a right to, it is dreaming. Dreams and desires form the soul of our existence. No one can be deprived of dreaming and building castles in the air. ‘Boyhood Dreams and Other Tales’ is a collection of stories penned by Ruskin Bond. These tales radiate joy and happiness through simple yet sensible characters. Whether it is Binya, who falls in love with the frilly blue umbrella or the boy, who had lost his father or Kishan, who knows his workaround the forest and considers himself to be a part of that realm- most of the characters are relatable and evoke genuine emotions from the readers.

The book has abridged versions of the stories that people still rave about. ‘The Blue Umbrella’, ‘The Funeral’, ‘The Tunnel’, ‘A Long Walk for Bina’ and ‘The Kitemaker’ are some of the gems that have found a place in this assorted collection. The central theme of all the stories is the importance of having dreams because they are what shapes you into a mature individual. Dreams cannot be measured in terms of size or plausibility. That’s the reason they are just dreams. One’s efforts and morality are what determine whether the dream/ desire was worth all the blood, sweat and tears! The stories also highlight how imperative smaller joys are! One cannot keep on waiting for larger joys to come and occupy space in their life. It is the smaller moments of bliss that are remembered in the long run.

Ruskin Bond’s love for nature is evident in every story of his. The vivid imagery and beautiful descriptions breathe life into all the objects that become a part of the story.
Overall, Boyhood Dreams and Other Tales is just the book that kids and adults need to read to lighten their mood and understand how effective and impactful simple writing is!

Best wishes to our favourite Ruskin Sir!

Buying Link: Amazon