Statistics

Illustrator: Pratik Kemani
Format: Paperback
Length: 82 pages
Genre: Children’s fiction, Illustrated book
Publisher: BecomeShakespeare
Date of Publication: 13th November, 2021
Rating: 4/5 stars
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review
I occasionally review books for Kids Galaxy Magazine, an online magazine by the Nanha Gyan Foundation. The editor of the magazine contacted me and wanted to know if I could review Once Upon my Mind. When they told me that a 7-year-old boy has written short stories and then got it published, I was very interested to see what it would entail and immediately agreed to give the book a read.
The Blurb
“The book Once Upon In My Mind is a collection of 10 short fictional stories written by Ridhhaan when he was 7 years old. The book is beautifully illustrated to encourage young minds to engage in reading. All the characters in the book are inspired by fairy tales and real-life. Each story beautifully concludes with morals and gives us life lessons. The book is ideal for young kids from 3 years and upwards to read and stimulate their imagination.“
The Book
The book is a collection of 10 short stories from the imagination of Ridhhaan Jaiin, a 7-year-old little boy. The book begins with forewords from his teachers, who describe him as a vivacious and highly intelligent child who is a natural-born storyteller. This becomes evident as you begin to read the stories in earnest.
All of the stories have a catchy title and end with a different moral that can be incorporated into our daily lives. The book is filled with beautiful illustrations by Pratik Kemani and is printed in a big enough font to be comfortable for children to read.
The book is reminiscent of old-timey Panchatantra Tales and Jataka Tales in the fact that we have animals that talk, kings that are mean, and men that are greedy. Some of the stories like the one about the princess’ shoes have unexpected twists in them, while others like the one about the fairy have a very strong sense of right and wrong. All of the stories ensure the victory of good over evil. The stories are told in a child’s banter and there is no evidence of manipulation by adults. This made the book refreshing to read and also added to the authenticity of the author.
All of the stories are short enough to hold the attention of first-time readers. The situations are relatable and the descriptions bring scenes to life, especially in young imaginative minds that the book is targeted at. I can easily see it being included in bedtime story routines for a lot of families or used as independent reading practice at schools.
The Author
Ridhhaan Jaiin is an emotional, sensitive and a fun-loving kid. He imagines amazing things and uses his creativity to write fictional stories. He started writing when he was 6 years old. He observes his surroundings to create his imaginary world, believes in happy endings, morals and adding value to life which reflects in each of his stories. Ridhhaan is full of energy, loves to play all sports, is fond of music, enjoys art and very interactive with any age group. Ridhhaan is also an amazing storyteller and we highly recommend to join him in one of his storytelling sessions.
TL;DR: An ideal book for children filled with morals and beautiful illustrations
What are some of the books that were part of your bedtime routine?
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