Clock in the Jungle
by Ketki Pandit and illustrated by Sneha Uplekar
“Clock in the Jungle” by Ketki Pandit and illustrated by Sneha Uplekar. Published by Talking Cub. A beautiful book showcasing the routine of the wildlife spread across twenty four hours.
The book takes us on a day long tour of a forest in the Western Ghats of India. The region is a biodiversity hotspot and has so many lesser known creatures both big and small. Do the creatures have a clock which tells them what to do at a particular time? Do they sleep in the morning and stay awake all night or vice versa? Do they play the whole day or are they busy at work? When do they eat?
What happens in the jungle by the hour is depicted so well with beautiful illustrations adding to the effect. From the portrayal of a green vine snake basking in the morning sun to the giant squirrel playfully hanging on a branch munching on a mango to the Langurs keeping a watch from high up the branches while the other animals are on siesta time to the owls hooting away to glory at night. And, yes, of course, how can the glorious Tiger be missed out! What do the animals and birds do when it is Tiger o’clock? The book is definitely a must read. The last page has an activity to go back and spot the events listed.
I enjoyed reading the book with my seven year old. He put his newly acquired time reading skills to use and had a fascinating time getting to know about lots of new creatures like the Slender Loris, Purple Frog, Otter, Indian Pitta, Nightjar and Giant Squirrel. The book is apt for children aged 6+.
Where to buy from?
The publishers Talking Cub here.
An independent indie bookstore, Funky Rainbow, from where I buy many of my books.