From Deepa's Desk

This is a story of four people hailing from different walks of life.  There is Mrityunjay whose destiny foretells a lonely life. There is Suman, the only girl born in a family of four boys.  There is Ratna, unwelcome in her own home for having born as a girl.  There is Trishna loved and pampered by all in her family.  Although hailing from different places, these four cross paths in life, united in struggle, grief and a willingness to prove themselves to the world.  The author has woven a fantastic narrative around the four main characters. The plot is gripping and keeps you hooked on to the story. The characters have unique identities of their own and stand out brilliantly. Their struggles are those of millions of people and feel extremely relatable.  The story discusses many societal evils - be it lamenting over the birth of a girl child, keeping her education as optional, preparing her for marriage right from a young age and using her as a pawn for one's...

My Collection of Stories for children written by Poornima Sivaraman is a delightful collection of short, simple and lovely stories that impart life-lessons in quite a charming way.  There are 15 stories that deal with diverse topics such as acceptance of children, the importance of lending them a helpful ear, teaching them core values and setting a good example for them not just through advice but through actions and behaviour. Although the title says that the stories are for children, I believe that adults need to read them as well to get insights into parenting and dealing effectively with children.  The language is simple and extremely easy to understand. What I liked the most was the element of simplicity and innocence in the stories. In a chaotic world, these simple yet heartwarming stories come as a breath of fresh air, instilling positivity and hope among the readers.  While I liked all the stories, if I had to cite favorites, those would be the stories Lessons Of ...