When it comes to mythology and festivals of India, the first series that comes to mind is The entire Amma, Tell Me About series by Bhakti Mathur. Everyone just adores Bhakti Mathurs books. Meet the first book in the new series MUMMY TELLS ME…
Title: Mummy Tells Me It’s Ok Not to Know
Author: Bhakti Mathur
Illustrator: Maulshree Somani
Publisher: Anjana Publishing Limited
Type: Paperback
Length: 28 pages
Age Recommendation: 3-7 years
A Delightful Little Gem!
Swagata has shared a detailed review with inside pages, here in the kbc fb group. To quote her:
“We returned from Kolkata feeling a little under the weather with the post-Pujo blues, and this book turned out to be the perfect remedy! What a splendid little book, tackling a surprisingly difficult subject with such beautiful humour and sensitivity. Hats off to the creators!
I’ve always enjoyed Bhakti Mathur’s mythology books, but with this one, I believe she has truly struck gold!
The story follows a rather distressed little boy, Kai, who is worried about what to say when his teachers ask him what he wants to be when he grows up. As Kai imagines himself in various professions, he invariably gravitates towards the mischievous possibilities each one offers. For instance, when he wants to become a taxi driver, it isn’t because he wants to help people get to their destinations, but because he wants to HONK, HONK, HONK all day long!
My daughter, now four, burst into peals of laughter every time Kai came up with a mischievous twist to an otherwise perfectly reasonable career choice, only for his mother to gently point out a potential flaw in his grand plan!
It was an absolute laugh riot, all the while driving home a wonderfully important message: children don’t need to have their futures figured out. They only need to remain curious, open-minded, and willing to explore, so that when something truly excites them, they are ready to embrace it.
Now, my daughter, at the ripe old age of four, considers herself a proper grown-up lady and insists that we treat her accordingly. She already “knows” what she wants to become: a dentist! 
So she found Kai’s flights of fancy delightfully childish, and I suspect that was one of the reasons she enjoyed the book so much. After all, unlike poor Kai, she has her life sorted already!
Another reason, undoubtedly, is the gorgeous illustrations. Maulshree Somani’s depiction of Kai and his mother is wonderfully relatable, and the humour comes alive so naturally through their expressions and interactions. The illustrations don’t merely accompany the story; they add a whole new dimension to its comedy.
At present, the book is enjoying at least two readings a day in our household: one by me and another by her dad. And I suspect neither of us is getting out of this arrangement anytime soon!
So, a big thank you to Asha and the KBC team for such a wonderful Bijoya gift, and a special thank you to Bhakti Mathur for delivering nothing short of a blockbuster! That too, with a premise that is hardly mainstream in children’s literature. Who would have thought that not knowing what you want to be could make for such a thoroughly entertaining story? 
“
Career Day Chaos: One Little Speech, Too Many Big Dreams
Abha too has shared her review here in the kbc fb group: In her words:
“Has your little one ever come home worried about a school assignment that seems like no big deal to you? That’s exactly where this story begins. Kai has to give a speaking assignment on what he wants to be when he grows up, and he has no idea. Like his mummy, you might wonder what the fuss is about, but for a little school-going child, it’s a big question!
What follows is a delightful journey of Kai and his mummy figuring it out together. Kai has a long list to explore like being a chef. He has his own menu in mind: pizza and cake at every meal! Mummy steps in with a gentle “no veggies means a tummy ache,” and an “ouch” that is Kai’s cue for his next idea: doctor. Not to treat patients, of course, but to poke them with injections! When mummy says everyone will run away and vanish, Kai becomes an inventor who creates a potion to turn invisible. Each of mummy’s reactions sparks the next idea, and that’s what makes the story flow so beautifully.
Reading it, I could clearly see Bhakti Mathur’s signature style: rhyming sentences that hook little readers, pages packed with learning, and moments every child can relate to. Maulshree Somani’s vibrant illustrations bring every profession to life and capture so many emotions, from confusion to mischief for Kai, and from care to despair to relief for Mummy.
My soccer-and-pizza-loving little girl asked for repeat reads of the pages where Kai becomes a chef and an astronaut. Why an astronaut? You’ll have to read it to find out! The bigger question is what Kai finally settles on, and whether mummy agrees with his decision.
After multiple readings, we now chant the repetitions together, and it has added a whole new dimension to our storytime. It also started some wonderful conversations. We talked about how exploring is as much fun as making decisions, and that it’s okay not to know everything. My daughter asked what I was doing at the age of 4, and we talked about when I knew what I wanted to be. I shared that I decided to become an engineer in middle school, later chose a different path, and now I’m thinking of changing my professional pursuit again! I’m not sure how much she processed, but I’ve learned that a book can be a great conversation starter that makes us come back to same topics multiple times.
What parents can take away:
- It’s perfectly okay for little ones not to know what they want to be. Exploring is where the fun begins.
- Listen to your child’s ideas, even the mischievous ones!
- Gentle, playful reactions can inspire new thinking instead of shutting imagination down.
- Share your own journey. Your child will love hearing that it’s okay to change your mind, even as a grown-up.
With so many professions and a mischievous take on each, every child will find a page or two to love. Highly recommended for your little one’s bookshelf!”
Are you a fan of the Amma, Tell Me About series? Did you enjoy the reviews and the vibrant illustrations of this first book in the MUMMY TELLS ME series? Do you want to know what Kai decides to do? Be sure to order your copy from Amazon (kbc affiliate link),
CLICK & BUY NOW!Disclaimer: Ruchelle, Prashita, Sritama, Swagata and Abha won this book as a prize in the #kbcMummyTellsMe Contest powered by Anjana Publishing Limited and kbc.
