Book Review : The Scarecrows on Parade

This is a sweet little picture book, perfect for early readers. The language is simple, the sentences short, and the story engaging. Gauri and her mother are making and putting up scarecrows in the field, to keep their crop safe from birds. Gauri, the little girl, wants to dress up the scarecrows in her own fine clothes, but her mother explains that scarecrows are meant to be scary, and therefore, have to be dressed in tattered clothes. The mother is a refreshing character, happily willing to play with her child, make silly faces and giggle. She seems as willing to gambol as she is to protect and comfort.

Vyas’ illustrations really work for this story – the cartoonish character of the faces is offset by the softness and enormous detailing in the illustrations. The colours are warm and earthy, complimenting the landscape perfectly.

The rest of the story follows Gauri’s vision of the scarecrows coming to life; a la Enid Blyton or Toy Story.

Padamsee has told a neat story. Nothing fancy or elaborate, but this is a tale that lends itself to plenty of imagination.

Read the entire article.

Buy the book