|
Young World
From around the world
SELINE AUGUSTINE
|
These stories hope to transcend insular national boundaries and understand different cultures, races and religions.
|
Nathalie fed the piggy bank coins and bills she got as pocket money, birthday presents and other holiday gifts from lazy relatives who did not have enough time or imagination to select a gift. She kept adding and did not spend even a coin. But just before Christmas her mom announced one day that she would have to spend the money before month-end. Nat knew about the Euro, the teacher and the television had made sure of that. The thought of spending the money was something like death, she felt. Finally she decides to treat her family and friends to some splendid food - Greek olives, French wines, Portuguese anchovies, Norwegian smoked salmon and Belgian chocolate. This story from France by Susie Morgenstern is among the 19 that are featured in the book Stories from Across the Globe.
The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) aims to promote international understanding through children's books. Founded in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1953, it has more than 60 nations as its members. The Association of Writers and Illustrators for Children,(AWIC) the Indian wing of IBBY, was started by Shankar Pillai of the Children's Book Trust and is an active forum representing authors, illustrators and others interested in children's literature.
The book Stories from Across the Globe brought out by IBBY, India, and published by Scholastic India, is an effort to transcend insular national boundaries and try to understand different cultures, races, religion and lifestyles. It will help promote an understanding of the ethnic and regional diversities that exist across the globe. In "The Lollipop Man", a story from Cyprus, Jordan is back on the road, after two months of absence, wearing his fluorescent orange jacket and armed with the "stop" sign. The lollipop man who loved children and helped them cross the road safely. The school cleaner spots the crossing guard and chides him for being out of bed for he still looks unwell. Moreover, traffic lights have been installed at the pedestrian crossing. Shortly afterwards the man meets his end on the white lines in the middle of the road. What price progress?
The themes, styles and subjects in the 19 stories, each from a different country, are very different, yet so universal in the emotions and feelings evoked by them. For instance the theme of children being hooked to computer games is beautifully brought out in two stories, one of which from Russia has Gosha, a 11-year-old boy, outwitting Girl Death when she comes to tell him "Your time is up". Death is so sold on the games she grants Gosha fresh leases of life repeatedly. Her parting comment "When I come for you 100 years from now, I'll be sure to win".
R.P. Subramanian's story from India "Horse sense" also dwells on the fascination of the computer.
Stories from Across the Globe, Indian wing of International Board on Books for Young People, published by Scholastic India, Rs 100.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Young World
|
