Uttarayan - Rise against the wind (A colourful Canvas of the sky)

Name of the Book: Dev and Ollie Kite Crazy!

Author: Shweta Aggarwal

Illustrator: Somnath Chatterjee

Festivals are a celebration of life, which brings happiness amongst the people.  India is a country of unique festivals, and this book Dev and Ollie is  based on one such festival on kites called Uttarayan, celebrated in some parts of India, but its magnitude can be seen most in the state of Gujarat

Uttarayan - Rise against the wind (A colourful Canvas of the sky)

Storyline 

Dev, a curious little boy, gets a kite as a birthday gift. He wants to fly it immediately but doesn't know how. Since it was time to bed, his grandpa said that he would teach him tomorrow. 

Upset, little Dev goes to sleep. Suddenly, his toy owl Ollie comes to life, and Dev sits in its back and flies. Thud, they have finally landed between a club of kites, and that too in Gujarat's kite festival. 

Dev not only enjoys the festival but also gets a chance to show his kindness. What happens next? What experiences does Dev get from the festival? That's the rest of the story.

My Thoughts: 

It is always a great pleasure to read about Indian festivals. The story not only teaches about the festival but also has some other valuable information relating to the state. A simple storyline mixed with celebration and adventure makes it an interesting read for the kids. Beautiful and expressive illustrations are a great backbone to the story.

Loved the way the story has been woven, it covers everything celebration, kindness, and friendship. The book is recommended for kids 3 plus as I think the illustrations and their expressions are enough for the kids to understand the story. With some useful information at the end, this book will bring a Kai po Che moment to the author for sure.