#440 - Strangus Derangus & Other Adventures of Little Shambu

by Reena I.Puri and illustrated by Savio Mascarenhas

“Strangus Derangus & Other Adventures of Little Shambu” by Reena I.Puri and illustrated by Savio Mascarenhas. Published by Penguin. A delightful collection of six stories in chapter book format featuring Little Shambu who is none other than Shikari Shambu, a beloved character from Tinkle, when he was a child :)

Little Shambu has always been endearing. Known for seeking some adventure and rushing headlong into trouble while at it is his trademark. All this with a loyal companion in the form of his dog Dum Dum. There is always an anticipation of adventure or rather misadventure whenever Little Shambu is around. Even his best friend Shanti will vouch for this! :) This is the first book of the Little Shambu series which brings the stories of this evergreen character in chapter book format.

There are six stories in the book. The first story is about how Shanti and Little Shambu meet for the first time. Initially Shanti is wary of him and doesn’t take to his attempts to befriend her. She is angry with him when she thinks that Dum Dum caused her cat Kittu to get scared and run away. Papa Shambu is angry when he finds his prized carrots uprooted on the day that he was supposed to harvest them and suspects poor Dum Dum to be the thief much to the consternation of Little Shambu. Then there is the title story of the time when Little Shambu tries to earn some money to buy icecream for himself and Shanti. This with the help of a strange and exotic creature that he claims to have stumbled upon. As if this is not enough, Little Shambu finds himself in more adventures such as confronting the school bully, saving a mouse from a rat exterminator and busting a panda smuggling racket. Dive headlong into the world of Little Shambu with this book to experience all these adventures with him and his friends.

This book is guaranteed to tickle one’s funny bone. There isn’t a dull moment at all in the entire book. My nine year old just couldn’t put away the book and found it very amusing. This book was his introduction to this ever popular character and he found him extremely funny. He couldn’t help himself feeling sorry for Little Shambu each time he got into trouble and would become happy as soon as things bounced back on track :)

After all Little Shambu wasn’t really bad or mean or anything of that sort but just a little boy who couldn’t help being curious and a little bit mischievous. He had his heart set on the right things though. His qualities like kindness towards animals, willingness to help others, not giving up and standing up for what is right were what we appreciated. The accompanying illustrations added to the charm of the stories and brought them to life. Overall it was a nostalgic read for me and an extremely entertaining read for my son. We are already reading the second book from the series as I write this. After all, who can resist the charms of Little Shambu.

Recommended Age

The book is apt for children aged 7 and above.

Reasons to Read

The book is a good means to read the childhood adventures of the evergreen Shikari Shambu in chapter book format.

Disclaimer - We received this book from the publisher, Penguin India, for review. Thank you to Mansi, from Penguin, for sending across the book!