Rebel With a Cause: How Ismat Chughtai Rewrote the Rules for Girls by Mamta Nainy (Puffin, Penguin Random House) is a part of the magic maker series of books. Meant for the 5 plus age group, this illustrated autobiography tells the story of the fierce girl, acclaimed writer Ismat Chughtai, who questioned patriarchy.
Chunni, as Ismat was affectionately called, was the ninth child in a family of ten children. Amongst the hustle bustle of joint family, very often unspoken norms are passed down without question. But in this house, right in the heart of Uttar Pradesh, little Chunni let her curiosity direct her rather than norms of society. She found the power of WHY, questioning everything around her, including subtle and not so subtle acts of gender discrimination.
The vivid and beautiful Illustrations by Barkha Lohia and the gentle pace of the story paint a picture of the childhood of one of India’s most beloved and talented Urdu writers. The reader gets a glimpse of how Ismat Chughtai found that voice, and how that little spark was nurtured.
The book introduces Ismat as a young girl, thus making it possible for the children who read the book to resonate with a child-figure who went on to write great works of literature.
Ismat Chughtai’s work has given voice to millions of girls and women by telling tales of their dreams, hopes and ambitions, at a time they were stifled by society. Rebel With a Cause: How Ismat Chughtai Rewrote the Rules for Girls by Mamta Nainy reminds us that the seeds of independence of thought are sown, and nurtured young.
