The Grand Chapati Contest
by Asha Nehemiah and illustrated by Chetan Sharma
“The Grand Chapati Contest” by Asha Nehemiah and illustrated by Chetan Sharma. Published by Duckbill. A fun filled story of a king who is very particular about the chapatis that he eats.
There lived a king who was happy most of the times. The only exception being when his chapatis weren’t made perfectly. He liked them soft, round and fluffed up to the right amount. It was therefore a difficult situation that everyone in the royal palace found themselves in when the chief chapati cook left to become a holy man. Nobody would dare to try and make chapatis for the king. And the queen couldn’t be bothered to come to the kitchen. She had other important things to attend to.
However, the queen came up with an idea. She announced a contest to decide who would be the best chapati maker. The winner would get a job in the royal kitchen. Sounds good so far. What happened next? Did they find another expert chapati maker at the grand Chapati contest? Would the king become happy once more? Would he get the chapatis that he preferred? Read the absorbing tale to find out.
My eight year old has enjoyed reading this book for over a year now. The book is a befitting tribute to the humble yet quintessential chapati. Making round and fluffy chapatis is no easy task as most of us know! We have loved quite a few books by Asha and this one also got added to that list. The illustrations by Chetan are delightful as always and add their charm to the story. The book is part of the “hook book” series by Duckbill and well suited for children who are beginning to read on their own. The fairly large sized text along with pictures are very helpful in making the gradual transition to chapter books with lesser pictures.
Recommended Age
The book is apt for children aged 5/6+.
Reasons to Read
For a light and fun filled read to make children appreciate the skill of making the chapatis.
Where to buy from?
An independent bookstore, Funky Rainbow, from where I buy many of my books.