Adventures of the Humongoose Family
by Zai Whitaker and illustrated by Niloufer Wadia
“Adventures of the Humongoose Family” by Zai Whitaker and illustrated by Niloufer Wadia. Published by Tulika. A one of its kind story of a family of mongooses who are sure to amuse everyone with their sense of humour and adventure.
Keeri and Gundu Humongoose were mongooses with a difference. They took decisions which was not common amongst mongooses which are typically do-first-think-later animals. They wanted a change and decided to move out of the jungle. Also, the woodcutters had begun chopping trees in the jungle which wasn’t a good sign at all. There was a drought too making it difficult for them to find food. Enough reasons to go on that adventure into the unknown isn’t it?
Their reactions on seeing humans for the first time (at least after they have grown up) and how they find the landscape around them so different as compared to the jungle have been described so well by Zai. She feels that this might well be the only mongoose biography in the whole world. The way the Humongoose family grows with the arrival of two children and tries to fit into the world of humans is what the story is about.
The story is sprinkled with facts and traits about mongooses. Some environmental concerns have also been subtly stitched into the narrative. The illustrations are so quirky and portray the emotions of the mongooses so well. Zai’s sense of humour and her experience of having mongooses as pets have resulted in creating such an engrossing book.
My 7.5 year old and I enjoyed reading this chapter book. He was chuckling away as we progressed through the adventures of the family. He had recently seen a mongoose on a trip and was trying to picture it as one of the characters. This was our second book after “Salim Mamoo and Me” written by Zai Whitaker who hails from a family of naturalists, the most prominent among them being Dr. Salim Ali. She herself works at the Madras Crocodile Bank which she helped set up. Thank you Vidya Mani of Funky Rainbow for recommending this gem of a book!
Recommended Age
The book is apt for children aged 7+.
Reasons to Read
For some clever word play and witty humour.
Simply because it might be the only biography of a mongoose family! :)
Where to buy from?
The publishers Tulika Books here.
An independent indie bookstore, Funky Rainbow, from where I buy many of my books.