Meet Reuben, the young friend of animals
‘Reuben’s Adventures on Uncle Ram’s Farm’, written by Ram Halady, fits into the slot of Books for Early Readers.
Five-year-old Reuben from Milwaukee, United States, visits his uncle’s farm in Bangalore with his parents. There are adventures awaiting him. And, all these adventures involve animals.
The first book is a collection of six stories. Each story depicts the life of the small boy who befriends a motley group of animals. There is Lakshmi, the elephant, who rescues the village headman’s car that has got stuck in the mud; and there is Pasha, a crow, who is a gifted storyteller. For a handful of peanuts, Pasha, invisible to adults, tells Reuben some amazing stories. Then, there’s Ali, the crocodile, who is a target of children’s stones will make every child feel sorry for throwing stones at animals.
The story I enjoyed the most was about Spots, the python, who has a bad case of stomach pain. Spots has been overeating and now his tummy really hurts. Reuben and his cousin Andrew’s method of curing the python’s stomach pain is hilarious. The writer, Ram Halady has highlighted the bond between children and nature very evocatively.
The second book takes the theme of animal-human friendship further. In this book we meet Reuben’s cousin, Andrew, and his pet fish Speedy, who races Mimmy the leader of the fish in the lake. The race between Speedy and Mimmy is the highlight of the book. It makes one crave a pet like Speedy!
Another story that kids will enjoy is the story of how Reuben and Andrew stop a train, because the bolts that hold the track have come loose. A dog, a crocodile, an elephant and a cow help the two brave kids in their task.
I am sure most young readers will fall in love with these stories and want a brave and loyal friend like Reuben. The illustrations, by Suhita Mitra, add to the appeal of the stories.
RACHNA CHHABRIA
Book: Reuben’s Adventures on Uncle Ram’s Farm
Publisher: Lead Start Publishing House
Price: Rs 195 each
