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Monday, February 02, 2015

Book Review : ‘Ranji's Wonderful Bat and Other Stories' by Ruskin Bond



Ruskin Bond’s ‘Ranji’s Wonderful Bat and Other Stories’ is a wonderful book, especially for cricket fans, young and old. I must say, that it makes good sense to read it up, around now, right before the Cricket World Cup begins. With wonderful illustrations by Archana Sreenivasan, Bond creates a world, all his own.

His book of 15 stories start off with the famous Ranji and his misadventures with a cricket bat. What would he do, when his bat does not allow him to play out his best shots, in ‘Ranji’s Wonderful Bat’? His tomboyish friend, Koki joins him both at the start, and then in the next one, ‘Koki Plays the Game’. Of course, you want some cricket on the wild side with ‘Cricket for the Crocodile’.

If you are too tired of cricket, do not miss the swimming lessons in ‘The Fight’ you have Ranji give Daljit a few lessons on the dipping game. Rusty’s infamous uncle, Ken takes on a job as a children’s tutor at the condition, that he plays tennis with the Maharaja of Jetpur, in Uncle Ken on the Job’. 

But do not rush away, you might lose your wicket, as Uncle Ken imitating the
Ruskin Bond
famous Bruce Hallam as he  makes another appearance, in ‘Uncle Ken at the Wicket’. A few camping adventures also make an appearance in ‘Boy Scouts Forever!’ as do mountaineering and trekking in ‘Four Boys on a Glacier’. 

The best thing about reading these stories, are that they would definitely remind us of the fun and adventure, we had. And if you are a kid, then it’s all the better, because they would give us funny ideas. 

Written in his trademark inimitable style, these stories for children do not remain so. They are for all of us to read and enjoy… Maybe we can get back to playing or trekking or even swimming with an all new excitement.


Author: Ruskin Bond
Genre: Fiction
ISBN : 9780143333128
Publisher: Puffin Books
Price: Rs 199 /-

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