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Journalism of Courage
Amos Lee is now 12 years old and in the last year of his primary school. But theres a lot on his mind that keeps him occupied before he moves to high school. This is the year he grapples with acne problems and a Tween Idol contest is announced in school. Amos badly wants to win,but for that he will have to edge out Alvin,one of his best friends,and his archenemy Michael,who are also in contention. Meanwhile,his sister has put together a band with Michaels sister and their gigs are a great success. In the run-up to the contest,Amos is also selected to write for the schools online magazine. His columns,on the slightly gross subject of excrement,are a runaway hit and wins him many fans,just what he needs to stay ahead in the competition. But,of course,it isnt all smooth sailing. This is also the year Amos and his mom discover the power of the social media. While Mrs Lee takes to blogging with a vengeance and Amos to tweeting,they both slack off on their duties at home and in school respectively. The results are far from satisfactory,but its really about how Amos learns to face up to consequences and realises the value of dedication.
Kanchil is a smug little mouse deer,drunk on the knowledge that he can outrun all other animals in the rainforest,including Harimau the wicked tiger and Gajah the elephant. He announces a great race,challenging the animals to beat him. None of them takes up his offer till Pelan,the tiny snail,comes forward and accepts Kanchils challenge. Amidst great laughter,and with Gajah and Harimau officiating the race,the two take off on the prescribed route,certain that Kanchil will outrun the slow Pelan. But to Kanchils great dismay,he finds Pelan already at the finishing line,not once,but twice,shattering his pride. The Great Race,which recalls the hare and the tortoise story,is a Southeast Asian folk tale,told with endearing simplicity,but what makes the book really stand out are the illustrations by Chitara. Chitara,who belongs to the Waghari tribal community from Gujarat,has used the traditional technique of drawing out the script and then filling it up with the three staple colours of blood-red,black and white. The end result,like most books by Tara,is a stunning collage of text and traditional art,a visual treat both for its target audience and adults.
