New Ruskin Bond Books : The Little Princess & The Railway Gang

Loneliness & belonging are the feelings that get complex with age. For kids, loneliness is not having anyone to play with, and for us adults, it sort of means not having anyone to talk to. Belonging for kids is a feeling of being a part of the group, or feeling safe like at home. But for adults, it's pretty much complicated. As we age, the feeling of belonging tends to incline towards finding purpose.

Ruskin Bond's new releases from Dreamland Publication The little Princess & The Railway gang talks about loneliness & belonging respectively.

"The Little Princess" is an enchanting story of a kid who lives with his mum and stepfather. He feels lonely all the time, and books are his only companions. One day, he finds a friend, a little princess who is very nice to him. But their friendship is for a brief time, yet the boy never forgets her. This dreamlike anecdote made me nostalgic, and ponder at the same time. Ruskin Bond really knows how to write about loneliness splendidly.

"The Railway Gang" is about a stray dog on the Dehradun platform. His name is Chhotu. One day, by chance, he gets on the train. Before he could realise, it starts moving, and Chhotu finds himself in Haridwar at the next stop. It feels unfamiliar and far away from home. Chhotu looks at the people around, big dogs and the crowd and decides to hide in bushes. He already starts missing his station and the gang of his friends, the other dogs. How will he reach home?

This story was so much fun and nice to read. It's good for kids to learn values like compassion. The book explores the theme of belonging remarkably and unexpectedly.

Overall, both these books were a treat to read and a great break between my heavy reads. The best part about these books was the gorgeous illustrations. I definitely recommend it to you and especially to your kids.

Your favorite Ruskin Bond Book(s)? Or do you recommend any kid's books to me?