A Book for Puchku
Author: Deepanjana Pal is a writer and journalist who writes for both adults and children. Her work often focuses on everyday experiences and simple moments, which she turns into engaging stories for young readers.
Source: https://storyweaver.org.in/en/users/15710-deepanjana-pal
Illustrator: Rajiv Eipe is an illustrator known for his distinctive and expressive visual style. His illustrations often add humour and depth to children’s stories through detailed and playful imagery.
Source: https://storyweaver.org.in/en/users/309-rajiv-eipe
Publisher: Pratham Books
Year: 2017
Reading Level: Level 3
Genre: Picture book; realistic fiction
Synopsis
The story follows Puchku, a young girl who loves reading and spends all her time with books, at home, in school and even during everyday activities. She explains how letters become words and words become stories that can take you into different worlds. One day, she runs out of books she can reach and struggles to access more from the tall shelves. With the help of her friends, she tries to solve this problem, but things go wrong. In the end, a librarian helps her, showing that support and access are important for continuing her love for reading.
Theme / Skill
- Reading for pleasure;
- Imagination;
- Curiosity;
- Problem solving
Pre-reading
- Ask children if they like reading and where they usually read (home, school, etc.).
- Show the cover and ask what they think the girl is doing in a library.
- Ask students what happens when they finish all their books.
During reading
- Pause at the part where Puchku explains how letters become words and ask children if they have noticed this while reading.
- Ask why Puchku prefers books over watching cartoons.
- Discuss the problem when she cannot reach the books and ask what they would do in her place.
Post-reading
- Children talk about their favourite books and why they like them.
- Ask students to think of ways to make books more accessible for everyone.
- Activity: students draw or write about a story they would like to read next.
Reflection
I liked how the story presents reading as something enjoyable and not forced. The part where Puchku explains how letters turn into words and then into stories is simple but effective and the “whoosh” idea makes reading feel exciting for children. The character is also easy to relate to, especially for children who already enjoy books. The humour and illustrations make the story engaging and help in promoting a positive attitude towards reading. Like when they try to climb and everything falls apart.
It works well as a classroom text because it can gently encourage children to think about reading in a more positive and imaginative way.
References
Pal, D. (2017). A Book for Puchku. Pratham Books.
I like how the story highlights accessibility while also encouraging an interest in reading. It’s especially important for children, as developing a habit of reading helps build their vocabulary in a natural way.
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