Review of The Jungle Radio: Bird Songs of India by Devangana Dash- Your Child’s Next Favourite Book?

Title: The Jungle Radio: Bird Songs of India

Author: Devangana Dash

Publisher: Puffin Books by Penguin Random House India

Publication Date: 15 April 2019

Genre: Children’s Literature

Pages: 40

Purchase Link: Amazon

Puffin Books is celebrating summer vacations with its #PuffinReadingList #PuffinSummerReads program, as part of which I will read and review their pick of wonderful children’s books. I will recommend the best of the lot on my blog, so you can keep your children mentally engaged with these beautiful books throughout the summer.

Today I’m reviewing Devangana Dash’s “The Jungle Radio: Bird Songs of India”. Read on to know my verdict.

THE PLOT:

In this beautiful book, the reader is taken on a journey through India’s jungles with curious little Gul and a plethora of colourful birds. We are introduced to some varieties of birds that we are familiar with, and many that we are not.

THE COMMENTARY:

This book is a treat for the eyes. Its stunning visuals and appealing colour scheme will get a reader of any age, immediately hooked.

The book’s usage of onomatopoeic sounds is a great point in its favour. Children will love singing along/ enacting bird songs, even if they are not fond of traditional books.

The story is basic, with the writing being more subjective than creative, but this draws more attention to the real power of the book- its images and its sounds.

An illustrative list of bird names, bird sanctuaries in India, helpful websites where one can look up bird sounds, as well as tips for taking your children birding; are included in the book and add to its charm.

It is clear that Dash consulted many birders and has keenly observed nature herself. However, my father-in-law, an avid birder and the person who most often reads books to my son, pointed out that some of the bird sounds in the book did not correspond to the actual sounds of those birds. Perhaps, birds in Delhi make sounds that are different from their counterparts in other States of India?!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Devangana Dash is a New-Delhi based designer, illustrator and book-maker. When she’s not designing books for a living, she reads, draws a little more and collects books for her dream library.

This is Devangana’s debut picture book and she has previously worked with clients like Childs Right and You, WWF India, the Wildlife Trust of India and the Centre of Environment Education.  She has also illustrated “Ayesha and the Firefish” (published by Puffin Books in 2016). She can be found on http://www.devanganadash.com and on Instagram @devanganadash.

THE VERDICT:

Since I received the book a few days ago, my 3-year-old son has not been able to put it down. As a bird and animal lover, he has always been fond of picture books centred around nature. This one appeals to him for its gorgeous visuals as well as the fact that his Mummy and Dadu make funny sounds when they read it to him!

Slightly older children will enjoy this book as they can read along and make sounds on their own, and the younger ones would love to see the pictures and have it read to them. The information at the end, ensures they learn something about Indian birds and birding as well. I highly recommend this book to everyone who has a young child!

Rating: 4.5/5

Buy the book on Amazon here

*The book was sent to me but this is not a sponsored post. Review is completely honest and my own. The post contains an affiliate link. When you purchase a copy of the book through my link, I earn a small fee at no extra cost to you.

**Copyright in all pictures belongs to nooranandchawla.