#594 - Shero to the Rescue
by Ashish Kothari and illustrated by Anusha Menon
“Shero to the Rescue” by Ashish Kothari and illustrated by Anusha Menon. Published by Kalpavriksh. An insightful story of a little hedgehog who needs to rise to the occasion when there is a threat to her habitat in the region of Kachchh in the state of Gujarat in Western India.
Shero is a little hedgehog living with her parents in an underground burrow in the grasslands of Kachchh. One day she spotted some men along with a strange looking creature walking around the field looking through it. Despite her parents telling her that they might have been visitors, Shero doesn’t let the matter rest. Her inquisitive nature makes her go around asking the other inhabitants of the grassland if they had noticed the people and knew what was afoot.
Shero along with Gho the monitor lizard, Saslu the hare and Bagla the cattle egret decided that the only way they could get to the bottom of the matter was to check with the people who shared their fields and homes with them. These were the people of the Maldhari community. For this, they would need the help of Kalo Pado, the big black Buffalo who lived with the Maldharis and was a friend of Bagla. Pado took all the creatures to his owner Sulemankaka who knew what was going on. He told them all that there was a proposal to build a factory on the grasslands which would end up using salt and stones mined from the desert nearby. The animals were shocked. This was a threat to their habitat and existence. They had to act quickly before things progressed on this front. Read the heartwarming story to find out what Shero and her friends can do to save their beloved grassland and it’s nearby ecosystems such as the wetlands and the desert.
The diverse landscapes and creatures found in the region of Kachchh have been portrayed wonderfully in the book. Through a simple and relatable story, the powerful message of conservation of the delicate environmental balance has come out very effectively. My almost eleven year son and I enjoyed reading the book and getting to know more about this beautiful region as well as its inhabitants. The characters of Shero and her friends living in harmony and getting together for a common cause was so endearing. The beautiful illustrations made the story come alive. We now hope to visit this beautiful region someday and get to see some of these amazing creatures in their natural habitat.
Recommended Age
The book is apt for children aged 7/8 and above.
Where to buy from?
The publishers Kalpavriksh here.
P.S - An animated version of the story has been made which we enjoyed watching after reading the book.