I stumbled upon this delightful book thanks to Kahaani Box. I have always enjoyed Lavanya Karthik's writing and adore Priya Kurien's style of illustration. There was no need to read the blurb. I knew this will be a good read and it sure was a very entertaining read.
As always when I finish a book and I have enjoyed reading it, I have to find ways to scream out loud and tell anyone who would listen to me about the book.
I was meeting my young reading companions later in the day at the Young Readers' Club. But I was a little apprehensive to talk about this book there. Most of them are advanced readers. There have been instances when some one would have commented on a book as "baby book". In other words they want to emphasize that their reading levels are higher and the book is way too simple.
Perhaps, they are told that being older, they are capable of reading higher level books and shouldn't go back to reading books written for emerging readers for example. While that seems about right, it is some what unfortunate that beautiful books such as this one would get missed. This is a book for everyone to read and laugh, child or adult.
Given that history, I had to think of an interesting way to talk to them about it. That's how I became Cyrus the Whyrus. :))
Becoming "Cyrus The Whyrus" meant speaking like a little boy and asking "Why?" in response to whatever anyone tells me.
I told them that I have come as Cyrus, the little boy in the cover. A young reading companion said, "Welcome Cyrus to our Young Readers' Club. Tell us about yourself."
I asked, "Why?"
He responded, "Because we would like to know more about you and your story in this book."
I asked, "Why?"
The whole group giggled. The reading companion who so gracefully welcomed me, giggled and gave up. Was he irritated just like the other characters in the book when Cyrus kept asking them "Why?"? It was hard to tell until he said, "Does Cyrus keep asking questions that start with "Why?"
That's when, the story of Cyrus the Whyrus reached our little reading club. The children were amused when I tried to talk like a little boy asking "Why" to anything anyone would tell me.
"Do your math homework."
"Why?"
They giggled.
"Cyrus had a teacher whose name was Baatcheet Miss."
They giggled even more.
As I shared more funny parts from the book, it was an absolute joy to see them laugh.
Did anyone say this is a baby book? No. They loved the concept so much that they want to read the book as I might have missed some funny parts and that won't do.
Of course I missed some funny parts so that they would look for this book, read it and laugh out loud just the way I did. I hope they do and you too, dear reader! I have done my bit to share some joy:)
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