Ju's Story

For Ju, old is gold. Her mother brings her hand-me-downs from the homes in which she works and Ju welcomes them like new friends. She especially loves the well-used textbooks and the treasures sometimes hidden among their pages: pressed flowers, poems, even a dead butterfly ... Then one day [u discovers a sealed envelope in the maths book. It has a stamp but no address.

JU'S STORY is part of 'Different Tales', a project undertaken by Anveshi Research Centre for Women's Studies, Hyderabad, to present stories about life-worlds seldom reflected in children's books. In the hands of a sensitive writer like Paul Zacharia, the story of a simple discovery becomes a moving experience. Asma Menon's strong, painterly illustrations suggest a sense of empowerment.

PAUL ZACHARIA is a well-known Malayalam writer and columnist. He has published over 40 works of fiction and non-fiction and received several awards, including the Sahitya Akademi award in 2004. He lives in Thiruvananthapuram. This is his first picture book in English for children.

ASMA MENON is a Chennai-based artist who enjoys facilitating workshops for children. She has previously illustrated two children's books, and poetry in Tamil and Malayalam. She has also helped create a website for artists in Chennai.