Addressing Emotional Intelligence: Three Hole Books

Yes, hole books which have a hole the size of my index finger on the top right hand corner. To make them easier to hang on a washing line? To  crook your finger into while you read? Or may be the hole is a window through which the story looks out into the world?

Duckbill’s Hole Books series has some interesting and insightful titles for 6 to 9-year-old readers. The three reviewed here are set in contemporary urban India. What I especially like about them is that they touch upon emotions that most children (and adults) experience, such as loneliness that comes from not fitting in with the cool kids, frustration when people make fun of our weaknesses or anxiety about being bullied. This makes the books a good entry point into conversations about these difficult issues (in the classroom or at home). They also foreground loyalty and friendship – including friendship with animals.

Nina, the heroine of Shabnam Minwalla’s The Shy Supergirl, doesn’t fly across the sky, scale impossible heights or practice martial arts but she has the power to know what other people are feeling. She reminds me of some little girls I have known: the supposedly shy girl who doesn’t eagerly hold out her hand when the gossipy aunty from next door offers a box of sweets, the serious girl who sits quietly while adults are talking and watches unblinkingly as if she knows exactly what they’re thinking (she does), the quiet girl who rarely shares her opinions but when she does, the accuracy with which she describes people just blows you away.

Nina doesn’t share her knowledge with everyone, correctly guessing that they are unlikely to take her seriously but luckily she has one friend she can trust not to laugh at her observations. A simple whodunit, The Shy Supergirl suggests that sometimes the wisdom to sense another’s emotions is enough to create a fairer world. I only wish that the author had been more sensitive in drawing the character of the security guard, an occupation that is the subject of many middle-class prejudices and suspicions.

Teachers’ Tip: This is a good story for building self-esteem by talking about what makes each student in the class special. Ask students what superpowers they would choose and why and then guide the discussion to ‘superpowers’ that they already possess.  If students struggle to identify a special quality about themselves have them ask a trusted friend for an opinion.

Natasha Sharma’s hero in Bonkers, Armaan finally has his wish: the pet puppy he’s always coveted.  The only trouble is that Bonkers, the dog his parents have gifted him, is completely crazy. He chews everything he can get his jaws on, tears about the house like his tail is on fire and – disgustingly – drinks water out of the loo.

As if Armaan doesn’t have enough on his hands with Bonkers’ Teething Trouble and Toilet Training, the demented mutt also decides to take on the worst TT of all:  The Terrible Terrifying neighbourhood bully.  The plot is a little thin. (I’d have loved to know what the bully TT’s real name was and what made him so ready tyrannise everyone else.) But the book’s humour quotient is likely to send young readers into fits of giggles.

Teachers’ Tip:  While this is a good book for talking about life with pets or getting kids to do a creative writing project around animals, try focusing on a more complex issue:  responsible pet ownership. After all, Armaan did ask for a dog. Turns out that Bonkers is more than he had bargained for. How could the family have prepared themselves for the arrival of a puppy in their midst? What could Armaan do to train Bonkers better?  Invite an animal rights activist or even your neighbourhood dog lover to address these questions.

Shruti Rao’s Susie Will Not Speak is my personal favourite of the three. Susie has a lisp and she’s self-conscious about it, having been laughed at by other children and even an inconsiderate adult or two. Her friend Jahan thinks the lisp is not as bad as Susie’s making it out to be but he’s sensitive enough to see things from her point of view.

The conversations between them are a treat given that one has to lisp one’s way through Susie’s speech and her sarcastic response to Jahan’s suggestion that she shorten her name to Sue, ‘Try saying that with a lisp, Brilliant One,’ is bound to have young readers in splits once they give it a go. A heart-warming tale about embracing our weaknesses, Susie Will Not Speak reminds us that our best friends are those who sometimes tell us what we least want to hear.

Teachers’ Tip: This book probably has the most potential in teaching empathy, self-acceptance and loyalty. Encourage students to write about instances of friendship or loyalty from their own lives. Discuss in groups Susie’s reaction to being laughed at and how we feel when people exploit our vulnerabilities. Jahan’s argument that everyone has a weakness which they need to make the best of can also be a great point of discussion.

Which are your favourite stories for discussing empathy, kindness and loyalty?