In the first of its kind, this series on the different seasons of India is choc-a-block with information, not only on the weather, but happily the festivals, foods and rituals associated with them.

Well researched and well articulated the book gives us a glipmse into how winter is celebrated in various parts of the country. In Karnataka, one sees mounds of groundnuts with people sell roasted groundnuts, boiled groundnuts, salted groundnuts and more. Whilst in Gujarat, Ponkh - freshly harvested green millets are roasted on a charcoal fire; a local delicacy. In Jaisalmer, people throng to the Desert Fair where they ride on camels and watch puppet shows.

We then move to  the northern part of the country, to Simla, where kids bundle up and play in the snow, whilst in Kashmir, people wish each other Nausheen Mubarak and send gifts of snowflakes wrapped in a sheet of paper!

Winter also ushers in Makar Sankranti - a festival in which thousands of kites soar up to the skies. Many different kinds of sweets are prepared, mostly made of sesame seeds and jaggery.

The bright and peppy illustrations capturing all the nuances of the season add to the charm of the book.

Kudos to Pratham books for bringing out this series on the seasons that reflect not only the Indian sub-continent weather patterns, but also all the colour and the flavour associated with them.

A valuable addition to a school library and even on the book shelves of homes.