Darkless

by Tanu Shree Singh and illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat

“Darkless” by Tanu Shree Singh and illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat. Published by Penguin. Originally conceived as “Ani’s Light” by Pickle Yolk Books. A beautiful heartwarming story of little Ani who is braving the darkness in his life.

Ani is a little boy who finds everything dark around him. Be it on a night when the moon is shining and little specks of light are dancing on the ceiling. Even on a bright and sunny morning when the sun peeped in. The sight of an icecream truck also couldn’t cheer him. His nani (maternal grandmother), Dobby (pet dog) and friends are all by his side. But he keeps away from them.

Nothing seemed the same anymore. Everything had lost its colour for him. A halo of darkness surrounded him always. He wanted to be by himself. Will he ever be able to get out of this darkness? Why had he become like this? What could he do to get rid of the dark halo? What was weighing on his mind? What was the comfort that he was seeking? Who could help him? Read the lovely book to know more.

I read this book with my son who just turned eight last week. This book had been on our list for long. He loved the storyline and kept guessing what might be Ani’s problem or fear. All sorts of reasons came to his mind. Could Ani be blind or had he lost someone? I will not give away the plot. He put two and two together to figure out the actual cause. Both of us could feel Ani’s apprehensions as we have faced something similar to what he did. As to the illustrations, well, we just loved the choice of colours and the effects that they create. The title itself was quite intriguing but it made perfect sense at the end. A complex topic addressed beautifully making it a MUST READ.

Recommended Age

The book is apt for anyone aged 6 and above.

Reasons to Read

The book is a good way to open up a conversation with a child about difficult situations in life when things seem bleak.

Where to buy from?

An independent indie bookstore, Funky Rainbow, from where I buy many of my books.