Binya's Blue Umbrella (School & Library Binding)

by Ruskin Bond (Author), Vera Rosenberry (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-5-A gentle story set in the Himalayas. While out walking one day, Binya, 10, spots a blue silk umbrella owned by a wealthy townswoman; she is drawn to it, almost against her will. Its owner, similarly, spots the leopard's claw necklace that the girl is wearing. They trade possessions, and Binya soon becomes the envy of the other villagers, who have rarely seen, much less owned, such an object. The rest of the book describes some of the heroine's adventures with her umbrella and the attempts of a shopkeeper to steal it. With the exception of Binya and the shopkeeper, few of the characters are well drawn. Rather, they are typical figures used to exemplify the values and culture of the inhabitants of the village. The occasional black-and-white drawings are expressive and enhance the text. Bond uses simple language, but occasionally the omniscient narrator's voice seems jarringly intrusive and somewhat moralistic. Such lapses aside, the book affords a nice portrait of rural Indian life.
Linda Greengrass, Bank Street College Library, New York City
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 2^-5. The moment Binya sees the beautiful blue umbrella, she knows she must make it her own. So important is this goal that she trades her lucky tiger claw necklace for it. The blue umbrella accompanies her everywhere, protecting her from storms and snakes and causing her to be the target of envy and admiration from the villagers, especially old Ram Bharosa, the tea shop proprietor. So envious is Ram Bharosa that he plots to steal the umbrella. This low-key tale of rural India offers an authentic picture of the modern-day country and its people that is rarely seen in fiction for early readers. The black-and-white illustrations and the story itself offer a glimpse of childhood in the Himalayas and remind us of the priceless sense of security a much-loved prized possession brings. Frances Bradburn

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• School & Library Binding: 72 pages
• Publisher: Boyds Mills Press; 1st edition (February 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563971356
• ISBN-13: 978-1563971358
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,263,962 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An immensly interesting book with a touch of perfection., November 29, 2000

A Kid's Review

This book is exciting and thrilling to read.Written by 'The Original Bond', it has that fresh, mountain-air charm that so refreshingly characterise Bond's dreamy stories. The tale revolves around the bangle tinkling, lithe, agile Binya and her relationship with a skimpy, sky- blue umbrella scarved with a 'Lady's touch' which forms the most important vertex of the triangle, also involving Ram Bharosa, the stingy grouch. The umbrella then leads to an entire range of chain reactions, ranging from a physical scuffle, envy and finally,metamorphosis.Also her attachment to her brother,Bijju, shows a burst of sisterly love. The final irony seems to lie in the fact that at the end, the umbrella is abandoned to the pursuit of a better relationship. Bond, nevertheless, laughs his way to triumph, knowing that his audience love the book inspite of its paradox. Leading from tiger claws to victories and downfalls, this book is 'unputdownable'. Tripping lightly through the Mussourie landscape, the tale twists and turns as subtly as a stream, submerging all going through this book and seeping them with wonder at the charm, naivety and most of all, the simplicity of Binya's world.