Official Review: The Missing Laddoos by Jassie S.

GKCfan · Post by **GKCfan** » 20 Feb 2016, 04:52

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Missing Laddoos" by Jassie S..]

3 out of 4 stars

Share This Review

Official Review: The Missing Laddoos, by Jassie S.

The Missing Laddoos is a very short children’s story about a young girl named Seema and her excitement over an upcoming holiday and the chance to eat some of the sweet treats that she so deeply craves. Though the title gives the impression that this is a mystery, in reality it is more of an educational tale about learning proper behavior and the importance of good friendships and family ties.

The Missing Laddoos is either set in India or elsewhere with a sizable Indian community. One issue that might cause problems for some young readers is the occasional vocabulary word that might be completely unknown to kids who do not have a background in Indian culture. Some of the words are made clear in the context of the story– a laddoo is clearly defined as a small, round baked treat. One of the closest American equivalents would be a donut hole, though a laddoo would have a different flavor and consistency. The cultural significance of the laddoo is also not made as clear as it could be– most American children would draw a loose comparison between laddoos and Diwali with gingerbread men and Christmas.

Other than being described as a festival of light, Diwali and its religious context is not explained. Some words are defined with a synonym in parentheses, such as “halwai (bakery)” and “thalli (platter).” Jalebi (a fried sweet dough) is not defined, though it’s clear from the context that it’s a kind of food.

There is one plot point in the story that raises more questions than is answered. Semma’s brother Sharad is an inventor, who has created a robot who can be trained to make laddoos. However, with a such a potentially incredible invention, it is unclear as to why Sharad hasn’t yet become rich and famous.

The characters are not particularly well-developed, aside from Seema’s love of laddoos and her learning a lesson about sharing and getting along better with family members. Some family members are briefly mentioned but not seen again. The brevity of the story explains in part why more time isn’t spent on characterization. I’m not exactly sure, but based upon some comments in the author’s introductory notes, this may be part of a series, so if this short tale is one of many in a family saga, then the criticism about the characterization is void.

This is a rather sweet story about sweets and learning interpersonal skills.

I give this book three out of four stars.

******
The Missing Laddoos
View: on Bookshelves | on Barnes and Noble | on Smashwords

Like GKCfan's review? Post a comment saying so!

Rachaelamb1 · Post by **Rachaelamb1** » 28 Feb 2016, 10:45

This sounds cute. I like the idea of children learning more about other cultures.

kimmyschemy06 · Post by **kimmyschemy06** » 15 Apr 2016, 01:39

I agree with you about the occasional Indian vocabulary words that may cause problem for those who do not have a background on Indian culture. However, they may be useful and informative to those who are trying to learn Indian words. Good job on the review.