Science & Environment
Scientists A to Z BUY NOW
Once this book is closed
A challenge here is posed
To push beyond the boundaries
Observe and test surroundings
To care for bigger pictures
The letters and the figures
And if you always chase what’s true
The next great scientist may be you!
A is for Archimedes, B is for Bose, C is for Curie, and off we go… on an alphabetical journey from the past to the present, coming face-to-face with the wonders of scientific discovery and invention. In John Reilly’s lively verse, set to the rhythm of familiar rhymes, we meet 26 scientists who have changed our world. With jaunty illustrations by Anna-Maria Jung and intriguing biographical tidbits, the book sweeps across topics as diverse as genes, space travel, electricity and more.
Jagadish And The Talking Plant: Pioneering Scientist J.C. Bose BUY NOW
In the early 20th century, after making pathbreaking innovations in wireless communication, pioneering scientist Jagadish Chandra Bose (J.C. Bose) turned to the world of plants. Merging the boundaries of biology and physics, he became a forerunner of biophysics, inventing ingenious instruments to study plant intelligence. His research remains radical even today, more than 150 years after his birth. In this first-of-its-kind comic book, the maverick scientist’s journey is imagined through the eyes of Mimosa Pudica — the ‘touch-me-not’ plant he used extensively in his research. Extracts from a well-known speech and an entry from Bose’s own journal offer a direct glimpse into a fascinating mind. A crisp timeline gives an overview of his life, while humorous asides and quick facts pack in a punch.
“Since a great deal of Sir Bose’s life dealt with the physiology of plants, the author, Swati Shome and illustrator Anushree Bhat, have taken the interesting route of making Jagadish have a running conversation with a “Mimosa Pudica” – a touch-me-not plant. They also have a couple of birds show up from time to time during the narration in order to provide comic relief. These characters stay with Jagadish as he proceeds through childhood and adolescence into a promising career in the West in the Physical Sciences. When, after completing his education, the young Jagadish comes back to India and accepts a position at Presidency College in Kolkata, the author attempts to explain scientific concepts to the reader as simply as possible. This lightness in the narrative is one of the strong points of this book.” – Goodbooks.in
Riddle of the Ridley BUY NOW
The ‘arribada’ or arrival of thousands of olive ridley sea turtles for mass nesting on some beaches of Orissa is one of nature’s amazing spectacles. Yet thousands of these gentle reptiles die every year due to callous fishing practices and human apathy. Through unique photographs, ridley facts, and a narrative born out of firsthand experience, award-winning wildlife film-maker Shekar Dattatri makes an impassioned plea to keep the beaches safe and free for the olive ridley.
Andamans Boy BUY NOW
Tired of life in Mumbai with his Chacha and Chachi, Arif runs away – far, far away. He hops onto a train going to Chennai. From there he smuggles himself onto a boat going to . . . the Andaman islands! Rich with adventure and humour, full of the wonders of nature, the book is also filled with details about the unique, misunderstood world of the Jarawa, a tribe in the Andamans whose very survival is being threatened, especially by the forces of so-called development. Nature drawings by Indraneil Das are beautifully offset by soft pencil sketches of the adventure by Ashok Rajagopalan.
Author Zai Whitaker talks about a Skype session with a school in Mumbai!
The Enchanted Saarang BUY NOW
This unique collection of stories about Kashmir invites readers into the everyday lives of ordinary people. Their homes nestle amid jagged rocks and flowering valleys that inspire fear, love, and closeness with and respect for nature. It is a world filled with giving spirits, powerful snakes, cunning horse thieves, greedy treasure-seekers, magical bowls and enchanted saarangs – drawn from mythology, folklore and lived experiences. Told through finely crafted prose and dramatic illustrations of the landscape, flora and fauna, the stories bring alive a world less known but as real as the turbulence that defines the region today – as fragile as it is beautiful.
The simple yet engaging style of writing has a charm of its own. Proiti Roy’s illustrations are lovely, detailed and appropriate… Educative and thought-provoking, the stories show how closely the fates of people and their animals are intertwined. – Vishesh Unni
Water Stories BUY NOW
Well-known writers draw upon the oral traditions of Ivory Coast, China, India, Greece, Australia, North America, Spain, Nigeria, Botswana and places beyond names to reflect upon an intrinsic connection, while the pictures are inspired by the rich, visual representations of water across cultures.
Together with interesting facts and a timeline from earliest times, this book makes a creative plea to readers of all ages to treat water, and, by extension, all life, with respect. Contributors: Amruta Patil, Deepa Balsavar, Mariam Karim-Ahlawat, Niveditha Subramaniam, Radhika Chadha, Sandhya Rao, Sowmya Rajendran, Suniti Namjoshi, Zai Whitaker.
Each of the nine storytellers represented here has a very distinctive voice but the one thing they all have in common is that they grip the reader right from the first sentence. And among the stories themselves, there’s something for everyone: magic, retribution, monsters, dragons, giants, deities, misunderstandings, humor, pride… Helping to bring the stories together as a collection are Nirupama Sekhar’s colourful illustrations. Her style shifts to allow each story some individuality but certain motifs are carried through the whole book… All in all, this is an excellent anthology that is likely to become a firm favourite in homes and schools alike. – PaperTigers.Org