#575 - A Children’s History of India in 100 Objects
by Devika Cariapa and illustrated by Priyanka Tampi
“A Children’s History of India in 100 Objects” by Devika Cariapa and illustrated by Priyanka Tampi. Published by Penguin. An insightful book which showcases Indian history in an unusual and interesting manner through a series of diverse objects.
History is not just about important dates and events. Lots of objects which have been unearthed or are around us have their own stories. Each of them give us a beautiful glimpse into their origins and what role they would have played. They not just tell the stories of great rulers and conquerors but also give insights into the way communities were built in those times. A mind boggling set of 100 objects from prehistoric to current times have been chosen to tell their stories in this book. They have all played a role be it small or big in shaping our present.
The objects have been presented in a roughly chronological order. Most of them have been conceived and made by humans. While some of them are movable artefacts, others are immovable features. They range from Stone Age hand axes to Harappan bricks to birch bark manuscript to coins, statues, pottery, murals, toys, paintings, weapons, tools and inscriptions to the legendary Kohinoor diamond to Amul butter and so on. Intriguing! Isn’t it? The fact that the author is an archaeologist and wants to make the world of archeology accessible for children makes it even more interesting. The objects are from all across India and a map view has been given at the beginning of the book. Read the book to learn more about these objects and get to know their stories as well as how they have influenced our present.
The book is a brilliant means of taking one on an engrossing journey through India’s history in an interesting manner. I read it with my ten and a half year old son over the last few months soaking in the facts and appreciating these objects. While some parts of history are well known, quite a bit was new for us. The narration style is quite appealing and the illustrations are charming bringing the objects to life as they tell their stories. The titles given for the objects made us curious to know more about them. The map view of the objects is something that we loved going through each time we chose an object. We did not read the book sequentially. My son chose numbers and we read the objects corresponding to them after checking out their location on the map. Reading the book has been an enriching experience for us. This is a book that we will keep referring back to during our travels. This is a treasure trove for everyone to savour irrespective of whether one likes history or not. I hope books like this will foster love and curiosity for history in children and adults alike. Overall the book is a “MUST READ” for everyone.
Recommended Age
The book is apt for children aged 11 and above.
Disclaimer - We received this book from the publisher, Penguin India, for review. Thank you to Mansi, from Penguin, for sending across the book!