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by Timeout Mumbai
Amazing India – A State-By-State Guide
By Anita and Amit Vachharajani, Scholastic, Ages 8+. Rs 250.
This is no ordinary geography atlas. Kids can read about subjects as wide-ranging as wazwan, the 36-course meal in Jammu and Kashmir, “scraptures” in Chandigarh and filmstar Rajnikanth in Tamil Nadu. Amazing India celebrates the diversity of our 28 states and seven union territories not just with facts and figures, but through cultural anecdotes, legends and trivia. Most of the factoids are accompanied by striking illustrations, and will have children spouting sentences starting with “did you know...” for weeks after.

and by the Deccan Herald
By Anita and Amit Vachharajani, Scholastic, Pp 72.
This book does a good job of condensing the essence of the natural, cultural and historical wonders of our homeland into simple, brief capsules. Each state has two pages of devoted fact files, and brief notes on history, natural beauty and cultural heritage. These tantalising snippets of information will encourage young readers to read more books, watch films and actually travel to learn more about the places and facts that they find most interesting. Did you know that a "Chaitya is a large prayer hall made of rock and teak wood, with an apse or a half-dome-shaped gap at one end? Karla and Bhaja caves, in Maharashtra, have large and elaborate chaityas." Read this book to learn the difference between the terms Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic.

Learn about wetlands, biosphere reserves, the Bhavai folk theatre of Gujarat, the rare and endangered red panda of Sikkim, and more. There are pages for young readers to stick their own personal photographs and notes about interesting places they have visited. The colourful illustrations on each page are instructive and lively. Handy and easy to read and remember, books such as these can also be a great guide for impromptu quizzes and other activities.