#489 - Against All Odds
by Ramendra Kumar
“Against All Odds” by Ramendra Kumar. Published by Duckbill, an imprint of Penguin. A heartwarming story of a boy whose life revolves around football and he has to find a way of playing it when denied.
Kartik and Kavya are twelve year old twins. While Kartik is crazy about football, Kavya loves cricket and dancing. They live in Kolkata. The story starts off with their parents Adarsh and Smita telling them about their upcoming move to Rourkela. Adarsh has been transferred there and they need to go in a couple of weeks. The twins are not happy about this. They feel that Rourkela is a smaller town and life will not be as good as it has been for them in Kolkata. Also, Kartik has another worry gnawing at him. His left arm is not fully developed since birth. But that hasn’t bothered him at all so far and he has managed to do pretty much everything. No one has ever treated him differently. His friends have accepted him as he is. He gets to play football in school. Will he be able to do that in Rourkela?
When they shift to Rourkela, the twins start liking the place and the people. Kartik is made fun of by a bully in school. He is treated like a freak. Most of the teachers show him sympathy and want to take extra care of him. This is not what he likes. He doesn’t want to be ridiculed or pitied upon. To make matters worse, the football coach does not allow him to play as he is worried that the sport will be too rough for someone like him. Can Kartik give up his dreams of playing football? Will he be able to make the coach change his mind? Read the charming book to find out how Kartik has to fight against all odds if he has to pursue his dreams.
The story is engrossing with a generous dose of fun, friendship and football of course. My nine year old was instantly hooked to the plot and supporting Kartik throughout the story. Initially he just couldn’t understand why Kartik didn’t want to complain to his teachers about the bullying. But later he understood how Kartik had chosen to handle it the way he did. He wished that Kartik would be accepted in the school team and cheered for him as we read the book. The themes of inclusion, bullying, empathy, living in a community, adjusting to changes, determination and perseverance shine through this beautifully narrated story. And fans of football have plenty to get excited about. Kartik’s passion for football is quite infectious. The support that he receives from his sister and new friends is so endearing. At the end, my son wished that the story should have been longer. He loved the writing style and wanted to read more books by the author.
Recommended Age
The book is apt for children aged 10 and above.