Kayal the Formidable – Book Review

Given the current pandemic situation, all of us parents have this complaint that our child is stuck to the television or the phone. This is true for me too. I am a mother of a daughter and I, too struggle with her a lot to keep her engaged and entertained. I love to read and I wanted to imbibe the same to her. But alas! She still hasn’t been in love with the written words yet. But fingers crossed, I am still waiting for a miracle. I do read her storybooks at night before she goes to bed and I am on the lookout for books that are easy to grasp and interesting.

I have recently been able to get my hands on a book called Kayal the Formidable written by Navilan.  Let me talk about what makes this book a good read for children. First of all, it has all the perfect ingredients for a children’s book. You have a forest, talking animals, and magic! And not just fun, it will also teach your child a thing or two.

 

This is a children’s book that depicts the story of a girl called Kayal, residing in a fictional place called Moomi. Kayal is an imaginary character that was born sometime in 2011 when Navilan (writer) was telling a bedtime story to his then 3-year-old kid. Over the period, the story of Kayal has been told and retold to hundreds of children and is perfected over time. She has grown with children who cherish her and now has become a beautifully illustrated storybook ready to enthrall all the children of the world.

The book aims at bringing our children close to nature. It wants them to understand nature in its truest form and not something that they have conceived, “a concrete jungle and manmade”. Through this book, the writer aims to reconnect the younger generation with nature….the magical wonders of plants, animals, and life all around them.

The story of Kayal is beautifully narrated in a poetic manner. Each line is brilliantly presented in a vivid and vibrant manner, which is catchy and fun to read. And is beautifully complemented by breathtaking illustrations by Muhilan,(illustrator) that your kids will love.

“Waking to shake things up,

She will pour the world and drink it up.

You don’t know Kayal?

Are you really for real?”

Kayal is a quintessence of our childhood. The rustic and carefree childhood that most of us have grown up to, but have now forgotten in this concrete jungle. How we valued what Mother Nature has given us and how we respected and lived in perfect harmony and in tandem with nature.

Check out in Amazon. in

Through this book, we are transported into the world of Kayal and how she goes on with her adventure.
Each and every line beautifully creates an image in our minds, and I too could feel myself swaying along with her. The verses are funny, yet, it is totally relatable. The illustration is simple, yet quirky and is sure to catch your child’s eye. In all and all, the book is sure to captivate its readers and you too would enjoy the adventures of Kayal.  Ask your kids to read it aloud and make sure you tell them stories about your childhood so that they can better understand and appreciate the meaning of the book.

Children of a wide age range(3-10 years) will love the book. Its catchy illustrations will attract younger children while older kids will enjoy the story and appreciate the rhymes. In fact, a child can ‘grow with the book’ and learn to appreciate different aspects as they grow.

Learnings from the book

When you read this book to your kids, your kids will find the world of Kayal and her adventures very interesting. However, they will also learn a few things from it.

• The book will arouse interest in poetry and rhyming.
• It also gives a message of humility and teaches that one needs to be humble despite all the powers they may have.
• The book brings about environmental awareness and connects them to nature.
• Kayal’s story introduces us to the concept of problem-solving and conflict resolution.
• It makes us realize that small actions can have big reactions and that one should be mindful of their actions.
• And lastly, this book aims at teaching you to care for your surroundings, no matter how big or small.

Disclosure: I received a free review copy of the book. The opinion in the book review is completely mine and in no way influenced by the publishers or writers of the book.