It was on a whim that we bought this book at the Kolkata Book Fair, 2024, for our boy. We just read the blurb at the back and saw that they are mysteries and hence purchased. It was on his reco that I started reading it and it did deliver.
This book is a collection of 3 novels - A Summer Adventure, The Hidden Treasure and The Only Witness. The main 4 characters are Minu(Meenakshi), Dinu(Dinesh), Polly(Aruna, so called bcoz she talks too much) and Ravi(Ravindra). The first 3 are siblings and Ravi their unfriendly turned friendly cousin...(anybody getting F5 vibes ahem ahem!)
The first book takes place in the small town in the hills where the siblings live. They help catch thieves who had been terrorising their small town.
The second book takes place in their father's ancestral village where they help find their ancestral hidden treasure.
The third book takes place in Bombay, where Ravi lives. In this they help catch bank robbers and rescue a friend who is kidnapped.
In all the adventures, they are joined by a plethora of other friends and adults who aid them in solving the mysteries. It can be a friendly tonga driver or taxi driver or a retired colonnel or their own kaka(father's older brother).
All the books are quite engaging with lucid language, easy enough for kids to understand. The suspense is well built up before it reaches the climax, although I found the 2nd book a bit stretchy ("Well, I didn't", says my son). What I most liked about the books was that all the daredevil stunts are left to the adults. The children are instructed to listen to them and they do so. They do the snooping around and gathering information bits but the main action of catching the bad men is done by adults or the police. It gives the message to the young readers that you need to stay safe and within limits.
I would highly recommend Sashi Deshpande's books for the young readers. I will surely look out for her other books too.
My boy's review- I found the books very interesting and kid-friendly.
