Gripping and heartwarming!
The Little Rainmaker by Roopal Kewalya (Published by Penguin Random House in 2018)
It is the year 2028 and it hasn’t rained for nearly ten years. People drink a chemical version of water, called as H2O.
Ten year old Anoushqa has never seen the rains. She loves listening to her grandpa’s stories about the rain and a colourful arc in the sky called a ‘rainbow’. Sometimes, she even wondered if the rain is even real or just a part of grandpa’s imagination!
A few days after Anoushqa’s tenth birthday, her grandpa is on his death bed and the poor man’s last wish is to see the rain for the last time. As a loving granddaughter, Anoushqa wants to fulfil his last wish. But how? Can she really battle the sceptics and do the impossible?
The little Rainmaker is a story of love, hope, power and determination of a little girl. It makes a joyous read, rekindles our faith in the power of children – our favourite superheroes! The ending is moving and heart-warming.
The protagonist, Anoushqa’s greatest superpower is that she believes that she can – her immense faith and unshakable determination is worthy of appreciation. She is a change maker, intelligent, passionate, enterprising, resourceful, imaginative and determined.
The other important characters in the book include Samaira, Anouskqa’s best friend who helps her raise funds for the rainmaking miracle. Anoushqa takes the help of Gargi, the scientist and the magician, both of who promise her that they would deliver rainfall.
The book aims at making its readers mindful of environmental preservation. The characters in the book, the world at large, suffer the consequences of vandalizing the environment. This book would surely make the readers conscious and revaluate their relationship with the environment and the ecosystem and urge them to make personalized efforts in setting things right.
Roopal Kewalya, the author, is a screenwriter and also a story teller and a performer for children. This is her first book.
I enjoyed reading this book as it reminded me of the good times I had with my own grandpa who sadly passed away a few years ago. It was a heart-warming story that made me feel hopeful of a better future. I would recommend this book to those who love a combination of good science fiction and fantasy. This book would take one to a completely different and a new world of the future. The ending is both happy as well as sad.
Title: The little Rainmaker
Author: Roopal Kewalya
Genre: Science Fiction
Price: Rs. 250
Rating: 4/5
Age Group: 8+
– Book Review by Sreemayi Ramesh, Grade 5, Ekya JP Nagar