Going to School

The Young World (for children) section of today's The Hindu has an article about a very attractive-looking book, Going to School in India. It caught my eye because the illustrations were so colourful: photographs, collages, and children's drawings.

(from the article:) The book... acknowledges the fact that children in little known parts of India brave a lot to be in school; the fact they walk several kilometres in fair and foul weather, pedal bicycles on mud tracks or ride a horse or mule buggy. They go on a hand rickshaw, a tractor, a camel cart. They walk along mountain paths, cross swirling rivers on a dangling rope bridge, bicycle for an hour across dry, shadeless land, glide in a boat, to reach classrooms. Many have no books or shoes. And these classrooms can be anywhere — and anything. It could be a mountain field, a desert tent or a lamp-lit temple. It could be a moving bus...

According to the article, "when you buy this book... the royalties will help create a giant, travelling puppet show for a district in Bihar where children don't go to school."

There's a good-looking website too: Going to School in India. The website provides this link for purchasing the book.