THE SONG OF A SCARECROW

"What happens when a scarecrow decides to leave his field for one day?"

The New Indian Express
(School Magazine, August 30, 2006)

An imaginative book, it describes the story of a scarecrow who wanted to leave his field one day to look at the world outside. The scarecrow starts by cribbing about having to stay in the field all day and being bored doing so.

The scarecrow on his way meets a cow, a fish that refuse to accompany which doesn't stop him from having fun outside the field. He further sets out to enjoy the beauty of the world beyond his cornfield that he guards everyday. The illustrations capture the scarecrow's new found freedom where he runs along the green grasses, chasing butterflies and watching birds and following the blue skies.

During the dusk, the scarecrow misses being at his cornfield and guarding it, he returns only to be disappointed to find the corns were eaten and the plants pulled out from the roots. The scarecrow who was rejoicing was now sad that he left his field to be damaged. True, that time heals, the field is back to bearing healthy corn and also standing happy there is a very happy scarecrow. From then the scarecrow sings a lullaby for the baby corns in the mornings, when it rains, when the sky is decorated with the beautiful rainbow, when it is the autumn season and when the night sky is filled with shining stars.

The book however comes with the hidden moral that there should be a balance between responsibility and freedom. The author's debut attempt in writing a book has won him the Chitra Katha Award in the year 2002. An imaginative and thought provoking book with interesting illustrations.

- Nanditha Suresh

Writer and illustrator

Suddhasattwa Basu

Publishers: Katha
Also available in Hindi
Age Group: 5-8 years
32 pages size 10 x 8
ISBN 81-87649-56-9 [HB]
ISBN 81-89020-08-0 [PB]
Price: Rs 120 [HB]
Rs 95 [PB]