Grandpa’s Bag of Stories
Author: Sudha Murthy
Publisher: Penguinsters
Sudha Murty’s new book, Grandpa’s Bag of Stories, is yet another one of those anthologies that follows the same kids—Anoushka, Krishna, Meenu, and Raghu—who go to a place in the mountains. This time, they’re in Uttarakhand, which is probably pretty, but it’s also where Ajja starts telling stories. So, there’s that.
The book has the kids exploring the mountains while Ajja talks about kings and princesses, and other stuff like bitter gourds, which seems a bit random, but I guess it’s supposed to mean something. The kids also meet new people and learn some local traditions, which is okay if you’re into that kind of thing. The author tries to make you feel like you’re there, describing the snow and trees and all that, but it can get a bit much. More so because Murthy’s writing is often redundant and plain.
If you’ve read any of Murty’s other books, like Grandma’s Bag of Stories, you pretty much know what to expect here. It’s more of the same, with a few new bits thrown in. It’s not bad, but it’s not exactly groundbreaking either. If you like Murty’s style, you might like this one too but don’t expect anything particularly fresh or exciting. It’s a book, it has stories, and if you’re into that, you might find it okay.
Find this book here.