Lunch-Friends
by Srividhya Venkat and illustrated by Shailaja Jain Chougule
“Lunch-Friends” by Srividhya Venkat and illustrated by Shailaja Jain Chougule. Published by Tota Books. A story of how 5 year old Mihir, who is visiting his Ammama (maternal grandmother), is fascinated by her lunchtime tradition of placing some food for birds and squirrels at her kitchen window.
Mihir enjoyed eating the paruppu sadam (dal rice) with lots of ghee that ammama made. He also looked forward to watch the lunchtime visitors consisting of birds such as crows, sparrows and even a squirrel sometimes as they ate the food that she kept for them. She told him that the tradition was a way of sharing and giving respect to other living beings. He called them his lunch-friends. These friends inhabited a huge mango tree near ammama’s home.
When the mango tree is chopped to make new buildings, the visitors stop coming to Mihir’s dismay. He is anxious and wants to help in his own way. What does he do? Does his plan work? Do the lunch friends come back? Can Ammama follow her lunchtime tradition any longer?
A motivating tale indeed for the little ones. The beautiful bond between the grandmother and the grandson is an added bonus. The beautiful illustrations add to the charm of the story. Apt for children aged 4+. I hadn’t considered picking it up for my son though I had gifted it to one of his friends. Couldn’t resist buying it for us when Vidya recommended it in one of the funky rainbow buzzaars.
Where to buy from?
The publishers Tota Books here.
An independent indie bookstore, Funky Rainbow, from where I buy many of my books.