My Daddy and The Well
by Jerry Pinto and illustrated by Lavanya Naidu
“My Daddy and The Well” by Jerry Pinto and illustrated by Lavanya Naidu. Published by Duckbill. A lovely book about a little boy who goes on a trip to his father’s childhood village.
The story is narrated by a little boy. His father grew up in the little village of Moira in Goa. He used to play football in the fields there. There was no electricity at that time in Goa and they had to sleep early and wake up early too. The bananas of Moira were big and red. The plants had to be watered every morning. It was his duty to water the plants using the well. How he did that was quite an adventure!
Over the years, the pumps were introduced to draw water from the well. Times changed and the children grew up. Most of the youngsters left Moira and went to bigger cities in search of work. The bananas of Moira were gone. There was no one to take care of them any longer. All that was left was memories. The boy was a father now and he had shared his childhood experiences and memories with his little son. They returned to the village after many years.
Though the bananas are gone, the well was still there and so was the little boy inside daddy. What happened next? Was the trip only about seeing the place? Did they try and create some memories to last for a lifetime? Did the little boy of once upon a time who was now a daddy come alive? Did the little boy of now enjoy this trip to Moira with his daddy? Read the charming story to find out.
My almost eight year old has enjoyed reading the book since a year. He was amused by daddy’s antics. He was happy that daddy shared his childhood experiences with his little boy. This was our first book set in Goa. The book is part of “hook book” series and well suited for children beginning to read on their own. The illustrations lend life to the story.
Recommended Age
The book is apt for children aged 5/6+.
Reasons to Read
The story showcases the beautiful bond between a father and his child.
The story portrays the feeling of nostalgia and a trip down the memory lane very nicely. The context works well for children who are usually curious to know about the childhood experiences and incidents of their parents.
Where to buy from?
An independent indie bookstore, Funky Rainbow, from where I buy many of my books.