Page 113 - Education World November 2022

reader towards an exciting free from jargon, the text ever, too many activities Infosys awards. It's good
finish. The author knits to- becomes challenging in and boxes are distracting. for young readers to learn
gether the personalities of parts. It assumes that the The editor and author about these honours be-
these scientists with their reader has a certain level of have made a spirited at- stowed in India.
backgrounds and culture knowledge and familiarity tempt to make the book People who research
to create stories with rich with scientific terminology light and engaging by children’s literature are
human interest. At times, and concepts, which may inserting humour through increasingly opining that
her prose becomes lyrical not be the case. To be fair, Batty Cat Cracks and Hor- more non-fiction should
and evocative, which is annotations are plentiful, rible Haiku. But these two be included in children’s
unusual in non-fiction. but the challenge remains. elements don’t match the reading lists, as it is as en-
For instance, “math- Additional and interest- level of the scientific con- gaging as fiction. “Children
ematics was an old haveli ing information related to tent, being more apt for a want non-fiction books,
to Manindra. He would the topic in his/her hand younger reader. Foxy Facts adults may be their barri-
be sitting in a room full is boxed and liberally on the other hand fit in. ers,” says Heather Simp-
of people and his brain scattered throughout the One of the challenges of son, chief program officer
would fling open the door book. While this intent is writing about contempo- of Room to Read.
to an unused room, filled good, it impedes the flow rary scientists is that their Non-fiction engages
with images of equations, of the narrative. Perhaps, work may be questioned children with the real
numbers, symbols and the information could have tomorrow. To the author’s world which is exciting
signs. A fresh idea or equa- come at the end of each credit, she has taken the for them. For this reason,
tion would beckon him as story. Activities that help challenge. Several scien- more books such as They
he stepped into the room, children to understand tists who feature in the made w hat? should be
following its trail.” complex scientific concepts book have been recipients written for children.
Although the author has and engage with them cre- of awards like the Shanti NEERA JAIN (The Book
tried to keep the narration atively also abound. How- Swaroop Bhatnagar and R eview )

NOVEMBER 2022 EDUCATIONWORLD 113