One of the best ways to inspire children to reach and perform at their optimum best, is to narrate stories of individuals who are recognised as achievers. No wonder, biographies and autobiographies that are written for children and young adults are quite popular! Wonder Kids- 100 Children who grew up to be champions of change is an impactful read. Written by Anu Kumar, and published by Hachette India, the book has short and compact stories that provide a window to view the childhood of icons from different walks of lives. The essence that one takes away is that greatness and spectacular achievements often have roots in childhood.
A great mix of personalities both alive and dead, men and women, Indian and foreign, young and old find their way onto these pages. Arranged in alphabetical order according to the names of the famous personalities, each chapter briefly narrates the life story of the individual. A short introduction provides a snippet of what he or she has accomplished. The chapter then illustrates their story. I love the way the focus of the narrative is always on the role of childhood events and the childhood experiences of that personality.
I think this element really works wonders for the young readers. For example, when they read how Bill Gates, at thirteen, made his first acquaintance with computers, they would be able to see his success in context. After all, the seeds of that success were sown at that tender age!
The inclusion of key figures who may be less known but still have made remarkable achievements is another factor that works for this book. The story of Janaki Ammal, one of the first women scientists in India for instance, is very inspirational as is the story of computer visionary Ada Lovelace.
The illustrations by Mohit Suneja work in tandem with the text. In each chapter a speech bubble highlights a key fact or quote from the personality, adding to the fun of reading it.
There are some popular current icons such as Sachin Tendulkar, JK Rowling, Mark Zuckerberg, Malala or icons from the past such as Rabindranath Tagore and Anne Frank. Some of the personalities go way back in history, such as Akbar and Mozart! There is a good balance between the male and female personalities chosen, and I think that makes the book quite well-rounded.
Wonder Kids- 100 Children who grew up to be champions of change by Anu Kumar is a book one must buy to dip into from time to time, to read, and then reread. It will resonate with children from age 9 up, as well as with young adults. In addition to the inspirational angle, I think this book is a captivating way to introduce information about different people from varied walks of life, with the point of view of enhancing general knowledge.
In short…
- Compact sketches of present and past icons from varied fields.
- Focus on their childhood experiences and events, which makes it resonate with children and young adults.
- A book one can dip into from time to time, read and reread.
- Makes for a good gift for the 9-14 age group.
- Would appeal to reluctant readers as well.
