Bani

Herminder Ohri
Taposhi Ghoshal
Bani by Herminder Ohri
© Rajiv Gandhi Foundation – Pratham Books, 2007

First English Edition: 2007

Illustrations: Taposhi Ghoshal

ISBN: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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 Bani
Written by
Herminder Ohri
Illustrated by
Taposhi Ghoshal
 e en d o or.
w i th a gr
s i n a h o u s e
d r ed d oors.
o u r. S h e live w i n do ws an
i ttl e gi r l of f r i gh t ye llow
l ith b
Bani is a h o o l w
g o es t o a sc
Sh e
2
 Bani loves her school.
Along with lessons, she dances, sings and
plays with her friends.
3
 One night, B
ani wa
s real
her eyes to sle ly tired
ep, sh . As she closed
e felt
out of the house, herself
floating away,
down
the hi
ll into a
grove of trees.
4
 Wake up ! Wake up Bani ! Bani woke up with a start.
She saw many strange children with funny faces and hats
standing in front of her.
5
 b eg a n singing.
Th a n i and
e ch B
ildren made a ring around r yo u for nearly a year.”
“W i te d fo
elco a
me ! Welcome ! We have w
“F
or a ed Ba n i.
“Y whole year !” whisper
es !
Yes !” they shouted.
6
 e p.” u ch!”
r sle , “O
yo u lf
t i n er se
c a n floa n g h
“We know you e e p .” n c hi ing.”
r sl i p i n yth
g i n y ou B a n d o ra
“May be si n s ai d . lou
,” n g c
n o t a sleep e y sa
rd ,a
“But I am p ,” th n i. b i
r sle e B a e a
n y o u k ed l i k
“Even fly i e? ” as s, fly
w he r i ng
a n d w
“Fly? How u t like
r a r m so
“Stretch you
7
 Bani stretched
out h
er a
They flew over r ms
the f nd a
ores sh
she saw hundr ta
eds o nd ew
i en ds.
f li g wh as w fr
hts f l ying with her n e
. nB
e

an
i lo
oked down,
8
 llowed the ch
She fo ildren d lig h ts.
o w n towa r ds the
aw a town al
Bani s l m a de .
of giant mushrooms
were green m
There ushroom
w , wh i te, s,
yello p ur ple and
red mushrooms.
a ch m u s h r oo m w
In e a s a h ou
se.
9
 n i flew into one hou
Ba a s l i k e a n
se.
se w y othe
h o u r ho
e s w e r e m u s hroo use
Th he floor mf ,
t t so ft . S o f te r t han an loor
u
b so – y ca s
–
o e chil d r e n sk i p p e d and rpe
s
– Th ran t.
a n i th e m u s h r oo m
in gB tow
o w
s h n.

10
11
 “Come ! Le
t us m s.
All Bani co eat,” h r oo
uld s said t . u s
he children togeth er m
“What funn ee wer o k i ng
y mu e field
s f o d d lo
“Oh ! those shro a n d fiel ds o
d o o.
ar e l oms,” lad
Bani was su addo sa id Bani. a
rpris o m u was
ed t shrooms.” om
There were o h r o
yello see th m us
w, g a t on top of e a ch t o o.
reen fis
and white laddoos and bar

12
 u gh t.
i t. h e tho
a te cious, s r o o ms
o o and doo–li m ush
elv es.
d
lad ite lad he sa w s
o n e u S y them ,
k e o ff
u s . Q l le d. n in gb d o w n
ro o a r d
Bani b o...delici being c ere tu g up an
w a s s o... a m e
g e s w
m p in
It h ern e pa re ju
ear d h
. T es we
Bani h bo o ks
ag
li ke s e p
shaped s on the us.”
h e fi gure d w ith
T e rea
co m
“Bani

13
 Bani went to the book mushrooms. The figures told her stories of
kings, queens, fairies and brave warriors.
She listened while eating mushroom chips.
Soon she was very thirsty.
The children took her to a stream of sparkling water.
It was lemonade. The next stream was orange juice and another
mango juice. Bani drank a little from all the streams.
It was nice and cold.

14
There was wonderful music coming from the music
mushrooms. Bani found herself dancing with a little boy
in a pointed hat and pointed shoes.
“What is your name?” asked Bani.
“I am Pointy,” said he. Even his face was pointed.
Then Bani danced with a little girl who wore a
heart-shaped hat and shoes to match her heart-shaped face.
“I am Little Heart,” she sang.
15
 B an i i th a l l the children. “I am
sang and danced w No time ! Take a si tired,” said Ba
“Can ti m e! p of n i,
we rest?” “No e tter. lemonade
B an i e f e lt b .”
took a sip and sh
“Let ta in s,” they said.
us fly to the moun made of cake, ice c
They ta ins ream
flew past mou n and cand
y.
16
 th e y ca m e t o th e v un tain.
T he n ery last moun s a toy mo
ta i n . I t wa
ad never seen so many toy h
Ba n i h s ! The children played wit
y coloured magic balls tha
brightl t bounced here
er e m a k i n g th e children ju
and th mp.
rs w h i z z e d up to them a
Toy ca nd took them for rides.
17
 There were magic jigsaw puzzles
that spoke, “Put us together !”
Coloured blocks shouted, “Build us
up and you can knock us down.”
Bani had a great time. Now it was
time to go home. They all flew
over the forest to Bani’s home.

18
“Bye Bye Bani ! Come again !”
The children flew back to mushroom town.

19
 Bani got into her bed and fell fast asleep.
n th e m o r n i n g sh e th e h a d s uc h a lovely dream,
I ought sh
till she opened her hand and saw a ..............
What do you think Bani saw in her hand?
h y d o n’t yo u m a ke y n l i ttl e sto r y ... about Bani.
W o ur ow
20
 My name is Harnarayan and I really enjoy sports. I like people who invent
new things. Comics are my favourite books.
Thank you for buying this book. My friends and I will get to read many
more books in our library because you bought this book.

hhh
Herminder Ohri has been a professor of Zoology. She has always had an interest in
painting and writing. Her grandsons have turned her into a popular author of children’s
books.

hhh
Taposhi Ghoshal graduated from the College of Art, New Delhi in 1989. She has
illustrated several books for children as a freelance illustrator and designer. Presently she
is working for many NGOs and leading publishing houses.
 Bani can float in her sleep and reach the most amazing
amusing places. Would you like to float along?

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Age Group : 7-10 years

Bani (English)
MRP: Rs. 25.00