Author : P Anuradha
Illustrator : A V Ilango
Who should get more rotis — Ookamma or Ookaiah? A folktale about a quarrelling old couple is woven into another story about the lives of children in a village, growing up, playing, going to a government school, watching adults squabble, feeling hunger, understanding friendship and, most importantly, sitting under a neem tree and listening to stories from an old grandmother. Originally in Telugu, this came out of a collection of stories around the Dalit experience. Well known artist A.V. Ilango's strong, flowing lines recreate the earthy ambience of rural Andhra.
CBSE recommended 2018: Best of Indian Children's Writing: Contemporary
Good for P3 and up