Anna’s Extraordinary Experiments With Weather
by Nandita Jayaraj and illustrated by Priya Kuriyan
“Anna’s Extraordinary Experiments With Weather” by Nandita Jayaraj and illustrated by Priya Kuriyan. Published by Pratham. A lovely story of Anna Mani, the meteorologist, who loved books and made significant contributions to the field of weather science.
The book starts when Anna has just turned eight and is celebrating her birthday with her family. Anna is disappointed to find that the gift she has received is useless for her. Whatever will she do with an expensive pair of diamond earrings! If only she had got books instead. But her family thought otherwise. She had finished reading all the books that she could lay her hands on at her home as well as the library. But she wanted more books.
Anna grew up to be a scientist. She found a job in the laboratory of a famous scientist. She started her work excitedly only to find a box filled with diamonds. But this time they were not to be worn but used for experiments! :) Read the story of how feisty Anna read lots of books and went on to research about meteorology.
My eight year old and I recently read the book and enjoyed it. Thanks to books like these, we get to know about not so well known people from different walks of life and their immense contributions to their respective fields. Anna Mani’s story is a perfect example of how one can achieve their dreams through determination, commitment, passion and perseverance. She continuously did research and designed weather gadgets till a stroke confined her to bed in the last few years of her life. Truly an inspirational figure! Thank you Vidya Mani of Funky Rainbow for recommending a wonderful book like this. Yesterday was Anna Mani’s birthday. What better way to remember her than reading about her. Google India too honoured her memory with a doodle yesterday.
Recommended Age
The book is level 3 and apt for children aged 6/7 and above.
Reasons to Read
To introduce children to one of India’s foremost women scientists who worked in the space of meteorology.
Where to buy from?
The publishers Pratham Books here.
An independent bookstore, Funky Rainbow, from where I buy many of my books.
P.S - The book can be read online on storyweaver here.