“After we became independent we wrote a national book called the Constitution of India, which contains all the ideas and rules that keep our country working. This is the most important book in our country. It starts with the Preamble, which is introduction. The Preamble is the soul of the Constitution.” This is how the book “We the Children of India by Leila Seth” introduces children to the idea of our Constitution.
Sounds interesting? Read on to know more about the book!
Name: WE, THE CHILDREN OF INDIA
Author: Leila Seth
Publisher: Penguin Random House India
Type: Hardcover – 40 Pages
Genre: Children – 7+ years
Summary:
This book is about Preamble to the Constitution of India, written for children. It introduces young readers to the following:
- Pre-Independence life.
- Why the Constitution of India is required, post Independence.
- What the Preamble says and what it means.
- How it came to be written and the people involved in it.
- Ideas about how the Government and Judiciary system works.
My Take on the Book:
Ever had a discussion about Constitution with your young children? Well, I got the opportunity when I was preparing my 6 year old for the Republic day speech!!
I realized that it is not an easy task to explain the child about this topic. I was bombarded with so many questions and I couldn’t answer all of them to her satisfaction. Since then, I was on the lookout for a children book about Constitution. Lo! found this one – We the Children of India by Leila Seth.
Book starts with the explanation of pre-independence life, how people like Mahatma Gandhiji joined the fight and contributed for Indian Independence. Then it introduces children to our National symbols and Constitution.
Leila Seth explains Constitution and its Preamble in simplest of terms to make it meaningful to the children. Not just that, she also tells her readers what are their duties towards the Nation, in a child friendly manner and urges them to take care of the places they live in. She beautifully ends the book saying – then we can all say with pride “Sare jahan se acchha Hindustan hamara”.
Also, to help children remember the spirit of the Preamble, author has written a small poem in the very last page.
She also gives brief intro about People who were involved in the making of Constitution. Book explains about how our Government is formed, how law and order is maintained in the country.
Bindia Thapar has done a great job with the illustrations. It complements the narrative and attracts child’s attention. Book is also supported by some important photographs from India International Centre Library and Nehru Memorial Museum located in New Delhi.
It feels like a perfect book to start with, if you want to instill patriotism while raising the child.
Recommendation:
We highly recommend this book to :
- All the parents, who wants to educate their children about our Constitution.
- Parents who want to develop patriotism in their children.
- All the young readers, who are keen to know about Indian Constitution and its Preamble.
- Anybody who wants to understand about Indian Constitution.
You might be interested in our other book reviews – The Gopi Diaries by Sudha Murthy and Notes for Healthy Kids by Rujutha Diwekar.
