Every Bird Has A Tale by Ashrafi Antia. Published in 2024 by Notion Press Media Pvt Ltd, #7, Red Cross Road, Egmore, Madras 600008. Pp: 89. Price: Rs 760.
Birds are one of the more glamorous creations of nature, and Ashrafi Antia has reiterated this through the many stories in her book, Every Bird Has A Tale, published by Notion Press. The stories are interspersed with verses that tell the tales of some of the birds in rhyme, like that of the watchful parrot, the skillful weaver bird, the lucky duck and the assertive kite, all written in lighter vein.
Every story keeps the reader hooked. Whether it is about Mayur, the proud peacock who sheds his pride as well as his feathers, or the clever crow who devised a way of cracking hard-shelled walnuts, or Buddy, the bluebird who arrived at Jenny’s home on Easter day, or the lyrebird who frightened away the burglars from Ms Robinson’s home, and many more. Each story is woven around one or more actual facts.
Top: Ashrafi Antia; above and r: Paashmina Bativala and her illustrations
Antia enjoys teaching and narrating stories to children and considers animal stories her forte. The tales within this book, without being preachy, subtly impart some life lessons as well, like the laws of coexistence in nature through the actions of the honeyguide bird and the fact that "it is important to be beautiful on the inside rather than on the outside” as depicted by the painted stork.
The stories cover birds across geographical barriers, bringing readers interesting facts about avians that they may have never seen or known.
The lively illustrations by Paashmina Bativala enhance the book’s value, bringing the tales to life. However, some of the illustrations appear to have been elongated lengthwise, perhaps to appear as full-page images. There are a few photographs too, breaking the uniformity of the hand-painted graphics.
The language is lucid and impeccable, making it a pleasure to read. Indeed, Every Bird Has A Tale endeavors through its stories to sensitize and spread awareness, making it interesting reading for both young and old. K. B.