Rachna Shetty in The Sunday
Mid-Day
Child's play
Two books for children teach different lessons
of life and history
For a while, the initial few pages would take your mind
back to The Velveteen Rabbit. The book starts out with
a lingering feel of the children's classic, and magical
journey of its own.
Jerry Pinto's first book for children is an entertaining
one for adults and young teenagers.
the main protagonist of this story is a bear: Thurston
Gustavus Buckridge III, an inherited treasure for young
Felicia. The bear shares his space rather happily with
other quirky-named toys, including a mouse named Thunderbox
Permusin Peterkar.
The twist in the tale happens when Felicia father finds
out that the bear is an antique treasure worth a lot
of money and vows to sell him off. The usual adventures
follow with a happy ending.
The book charms one over when it comes to the character
of the bear and Felicia. The latter, a precocious little
kid who spends most of her time dreaming of a different
name for everyone is etched well enough to be believable.
The bear meanwhile is the wise, all-perceiving toy,
a voice the writer uses well to put some basic themes
across even as the stuffed toy goes about admonishing
himself for lecturing you.
It's quirky, cute and immensely charming.
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