This is one of the most delightful books that introduces the complex multilayered history of Delhi through a colourful journey in the city by a bunch of animals—mingling facts with oral historical anecdotes against lively illustration makes it engrossing for children. The 12 chapter book opens with the iconic phrase Dilli Chalo and the author positions the ironical contrast of Solomon’s gaze of Delhi as ‘the hallowed place that the light of heavens shines down upon…’ to the Delhi of today of ‘cars, houses, shops, bathrooms, museums—(that we call the) civilized world…’. Even as the writer describes various cities of Delhi from Siri, Ferozabad, Shahjahanabad, Lutyen’s Delhi there are constant reminders of the contemporary world. Reference to the corrupt politician whose hands do not touch and therefore fails to make his wish come true while circling the iron pillar in the Qutub Minar Complex, to the reference of the historic Siri wall being collapsed into a mall, or one of the character of the book—the tiger wearing Gucci sunglasses walking around Delhi. The admirable aspect of the book is the manner in which the author negotiates tricky aspects of politicized cultural issues. For example, while referring to the Qutub complex which was built on the site of Hindu and Jain temples Mayurdas the peacock says, ‘See nothing has been wasted….the temple pillars have been used to build the mosque’s portico…’ or to explain to children the complex idea of who is a Sufi , however Ghosh does it with style, through her character Pandit OooLala the Owl telling the rapt audience of animals friends, ‘And I think the best answer is the one that Nizamuddin himself came up with: “one who has knowledge, reason, love, and is deserving to become a caliph of the Sufi Sheikhs…”’ The imagination of the child is sure to be fired when referring to the ghosts of the Siri Fort and blending in myths and facts with his own familiar world of internet. The book has references on and off to that world of cyber cafes, IT and a punch reference to the peacock as wiki peacock. There is a definite cartoon-like presentation of sharp two dimensional vision that runs throughout the book. Satire underlines much of the narrative, whether it is networking of savvy bureaucrats in the Lodi gardens or the scene in the India gate lawns.   Apart from ...