Looking for Laddoo
by Aparna Karthikeyan and illustrated by Tanvi Parulkar
“Looking for Laddoo” by Aparna Karthikeyan and illustrated by Tanvi Parulkar. Published by Karadi Tales. A story of little Karthik and his veterinarian mother who take us through the iconic places in Chennai while helping injured animals and looking for Laddoo who is their lost puppy.
The story starts off at Karthik’s home where he is sitting next to the window and sighing looking at a bowl of water. He is worried about the whereabouts of Laddoo who is their puppy. Kumar Anna is practising his Bharatanatyam adavus (steps). Their mother Shankari calls them as she is ready to step out for the day’s work. She is a veterinary doctor and has to attend to many calls for the day. Kumar has to be dropped for his dance class. Off they go in their van with Karthik hoping that they can find Laddoo somewhere along the way.
As Shankari drives from one point to the next giving us glimpses of different regions and spots of Chennai, Karthik is very distracted. He has eyes only for small creatures, curly tails and white ones with brown spots. He is worried if Laddoo is hurt or hungry. What if Laddoo has been kidnapped by someone? Well, lots of possibilities. Karthik keeps asking people that he meets if they have seen Laddoo. He tells them to call him if they find the pup.
Which places do Karthik and Shankari go to? Who all do they meet? Will Karthik find Laddoo? Will the day end on a happy note for him? Embark on a journey through the lovely city with this book. The illustrations are plain gorgeous and a visual treat to say the least. The landscapes of Chennai come alive with the sketches. And the write up is brilliant too. The book is part of the “City Series” by Karadi Tales. The last page has a story of how the city came to be. And a glossary of some Tamizh words that have been used in the book.
My 7.5 year old enjoyed reading this book. We loved the showcasing of the iconic spots and people of Chennai. He was awestruck by the crowd shown in Pondy Bazaar. He was also interested to know about Shankari’s work. This was the first book he was reading in which there was a veterinary doctor. We had attended the book launch a couple of months ago and loved it. Ever since, the book was high on our wish list and we got it just as the year ended. Now for that trip to Chennai someday thanks to the book!
Recommended Age
The book is apt for children aged 6/7+.
Reasons to Read
For some armchair travel to Chennai and learn about its sights, people and culture as well as history.
To get a feel of the work of a veterinary doctor.
For a beautiful portrayal of mother and son bonding as well as the child’s love and concern for the dog.
Where to buy from?
The publishers Karadi Tales here.
An independent indie bookstore, Funky Rainbow, from where I buy many of my books.