3 Review(s)

This anthology of short stories and poems show a window into the creative world of India's best young writers and poets. These are the winning entries in the 2019 season of India's largest writing contest for children, conducted by KidEngage, a parenting platform for holistic child development.The stories and poems cover a wide range of themes - from the stark tales of struggle against climate change to a fantasy world in a dystopian future, from the 'coming-of-age' lessons being learned, to comical absurdity. Most of them already write with such an assurance that unless told, one wouldn't be able to guess the age of the writers in some cases. The winners hail from all over India, and yet, one can discern they are all of the same global village. In some of the stories and poems, especially the ones that deal with a fantasy theme, one can see the child-like freshness and also the impact of the stories and movies they may have seen, with their universal themes. There are 19 short stories and 11 poems in this anthology, and each entry is followed by a brief about the writer and her/his inspiration for writing, the books they love and their other interests. This is a must-have book in every school's library. It is also a great gift for a child who loves to read and write. By buying this book, you will be encouraging hundreds of young writers and poets in India. KidEngage is committed to bring out these anthologies every year from now on.