Book Review: The Great Indian Safari

Caw...caw! All set for your holiday in forests?



In her books on the wildlife that have their home in the jungles and to those who live in our backyard, Arefa Tehsin's writing brings alive the natural ecosystem in all its varied colours. Her latest book for young readers, The Great Indian Safari is an exciting drive through the forests of India, with the Jungle Crow as its narrator. 

If you have booked a wildlife safari, we suggest taking this book (there's a lot in here for adults as well!) as your guide. The jungle crow, known as Charred the Bird, will rap some songs, steer you in the right direction (you know, tourists do behave little wildly in the forests....) and is full of sane advice and nuggets of information that you can ponder on.  

With eye catching illustrations, songs and introduction to animals from tigers, to cobra and gharial and hares, The Great Indian Safari gently prods us to look at the life teeming in the jungle with a sense of wonder, curiosity and empathy. Some of the lessons we learn (without any harping) is to observe and listen keenly; to be awake to each of our senses; to respect the jungles. 

The book is loaded with several facts that you can brush upon to impress your buddies or teachers back in school. For instance, how do you identify a jungle crow from a city crow? The jungle crows are bigger than city crows... and secondly, they are all black while the crows in the city have a grey neck! The peacock's (spot them in Bharatpur sanctuary or if you are in Pune visit Vetal Tekdi) tail feathers is about 6 feet long! Psst...do you know from where the birds have evolved from? The dinosaur! Or that Himalayan brown bears are super sniffers! When they are hungry, their nose leads the way! Interesting, right? All the more reason for you to pick up The Great Indian Safari and learn about the ways of the jungle and its inhabitants

Name: The Great Indian Safari

Author: Arefa Tehsin

Publisher: Puffin

Pages: 96 (e-book)

Price: Rs 327

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