When eggheads unite: A 10-year-old rediscovers his love for reading with an interactive book

A 10-year-old advanced reader, who is re-discovering his love for books, gets lured by an interactive story starring the ghost of a famous detective

For a tween occupied with LEGO, football, daydreaming and of course, studies, a relationship with books can need extra nurturing. Raghav Ramachandran has always liked reading, but his fondness for finding secret worlds amid pages was taking a brief break until recently. Raghav confidently shares, “I am building on my habit of reading again, and exploring new titles.” His mother, Diya Ramachandran, was a little worried about her child not warming up to the Harry Potter series. “I tried introducing him to it in the lockdown, but he just wouldn’t read. He likes the kind of humour David Walliams offers.” His mother feels this affinity can be attributed to his initial cultural association with England, where he was born. By now, we know the young reviewer as someone hard to please. Will Pika Nani’s The Egghead Detective Agency, a curious mystery novel for children, interest him?

An illlustration by Jemma Jose from the book

Raghav finds himself attracted to the book as mysteries excite him. Two little investigators, Ant and Tam, are searching for serious answers — Is an old forest in danger? Are kidnappers after their pet chicken? Where did the cupcakes go? “I was intrigued by the many twists in the book. Those hurdles made it a fun read,” he says. The fact that the book comes with Solve It Yourself puzzles helped the tween engage with the fictional characters. “I was part of the mystery-solving process. The introduction of the ghost of a famous detective who’s friendly to the kids is a unique feature.” Although the book comes with an animated cover, Raghav prefers Jemma Jose’s illustrations from inside the book.

We learn the book was delivered to the Juhu boy in its pristine condition, but his mother notes, “The cover doesn’t stand out as such. Also, while the puzzles are a plus for my child, many children might just want to relax while reading.” The reader might have liked reading the title but wasn’t particularly glued to it — informs his mother — because of its unchallenging writing style. “But that’s in context to the kind of reading he has done in the past,” Diya reasons.

The Egghead Detective Agency
Age group: 8 to 11 years
Type: Book with puzzles
Price: Rs 299
Rating: 3/4
At: penguin.co.in

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!