Kid's Korner: The red, Red Car by Manjula Naraynan (Book Review)

Title: The red Red Car
Author: Manjula Naraynan
Publisher: Author House

My synopsis: I had the opportunity to share this book with my son over the holidays. We had read The green Green Pear which he liked a lot - and since he loves cars anyway, I kind of thought this one would be a winner.

The red Red Car is having anger problems and his anger is making him break all the laws, like running red lights and driving faster than the speed limit. When he enters the Grand Prix his anger is still very much a part of him and as it grows he just gets hotter and hotter. He catches fire and loses consciousness. When he wakes up he realizes that his anger not only hurt others, but hurt himself as well and he sets out to take control of it.

My thoughts: This book came at a good time as lately my son has been acting out his anger by hitting (usually his much older sisters) or throwing his toys. He was able to see first hand how his anger could hurt others when he threw some hot pads off the table because he wanted to be the one to put them there. Not knowing he had done this, I returned to the table with a very hot bowl and my hands got very hot through the hot pads I was using while someone retrieved the ones he had thrown. We were able to tie that incident into the book very well.

This was a fun book to read with lots of bright colorful pictures and a good lesson as well!

~This book was provided for review by Bostick Communications and Manjula Naraynan.~

The red Red Car
Publisher/Publication Date: AuthorHouse, Oct 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4490-3366-8
32 pages

Kid's Corner: The green Green Pear (Book Review)

Title: The green Green Pear
Author: Manjula Naraynan
Publisher: Author Solutions


About the book: In her new children's book, The green Green Pear, debut author Manjula Naraynan follows the adventures of a little pear who feels down, dissatisfied, and wishes that he were "anything but a green Green pear!" He compares his color, shape and ability with that of other fruits, shapes and animals respectively, and views himself in a negative light.

Fed up with being green, The green Green Pear sets off on a journey to try to change who he is, color and all. Throughout his voyage he finds nothing seems to help him. Even the kindness of a passing shooting star, who grants him everything he wishes for, doesn't seem to cheer him up. The green Green pear, in his journey to find love, grows to understand that the key to his happiness rests in his love and acceptance of who he is, and that with this foundation of love he could grow up to be anything he wants to be.

Beautifully illustrated by the author and ideal for children aged 3 and up, The green Green Pear gives children a tool to start thinking independently and to recognize the goodness in themselves and in others while developing their sense of self. (Bostick Communications)

About the author: Manjula Naraynan is a writer and illustrator living in Chennai, Southern India. She has a degree in corporate secretaryship from the University of Madras. The green Green Pear will be followed by two more titles in her Color Trilogy for children.

My thoughts: This was a cute book and I loved the illustrations in it! As my son generally only likes books about trucks, race cars, fire engines, I didn't think that he would like this one at all. I was wrong - he not only liked it, but a week later when I asked him what it was about -he said "Changing," which was a very good word for a 4 year old to use to sum up this book. Besides the good message it sends about being happy with who you are, it also introduces shapes, colors, fruits and animals and their sounds, so it is also very interactive.

The green Green Pear
Publisher/Publication Date: AuthorSolutions, June 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4389-6957-2
32 pages
3+ years