“Lal writes a tale of people ways superimposed on the antics of the bird world where unexpected dangers lurk.”
NO MAJOR SPOILERS
This is a book about two little sparrows who didn’t want to fly, a boy sparrow Chiddi and a girl Gauri who grew up in nests side by side but didn’t know each other. Rebellion made them run away from a world of bullying siblings and personal trainers determined to give them wing strengthening exercise, not to mention worried parents who expected conformity from their children as all non bird parents do.
Lal writes a tale of people ways superimposed on the antics of the bird world where unexpected dangers lurk. If it isn’t siblings – Gauri’s two ruffian brothers are called Lucha and Lafunga and Chiddi has dominating trio of sisters – it is birdnappers and hungry cats.
Lal’s all too human sparrows learn to survive making use of friendly passing winds and motherly hens. They realize life can be dangerous for birds that don’t learn how to fly and ultimately understand too that home and family are the best things in life apart from friends even though they belong to different species – the latter lessons being ones that human children need to learn.
Bird society is casteist and racist too and tends to be unkind to those who they think are outsiders – as the birdnapped sparrows learn to their dismay. However bird society also has a flight of quirky characters with names like Fl Lt TezPankha Hawa – the dashing personal trainer – and pigeons who preen themselves with talcum powder.
Despite the cover visual, the two little sparrows don’t pick up kick boxing skills which is rather disappointing but they do learn to make the use of any weapons they have at hand which helps deal with the evil Siamese cats Ping Li and Pong La and their equally evil owners. Also how do the little chicks return from the Treatment to their mother being blow dried by another friendly breeze along the way? Children may not wonder but some nosy reviewers might.
Reviewed by:
Anjana Basu
Added 10th April 2018
