Engaging young minds
 

Mahadena Miththaniyai Yahaliyan Pas Dennai - Kiri Amma Soya Yama
Ape Kodiyata Mama Aadarai
I Love Our Flag
Author: Samanmalie Padmakumara
Padmakumara Books

If you are looking for a means to keep your tiny tots engaged or a gift to present to a neighboruing child who is above three years, consider three enchanting story books, two in Sinhala and one in English, Mahadena Miththaniyai Yahaliyan Pas Dennai, Ape Kodiyata Mama Aadarai and I Love Our Flag by Samanmalie Padmakumara.

Mahadena Miththaniyai Yahaliyan Pas Dennai is a modern reawakening of the age old fables popularly known as the Mahadena Mutthai Golayo Rotthai which many of us had heard in our childhood. Padmakumara’s book adds a new twist to the concept of the popular children’s story series by focusing on the wives of the evergreen Mahadena Muttha and his students. Significantly the female versions of the characters too embody the males’ characteristics. For example Kotu Kithayya’s wife Kotu Kithachchi too is a thin as a needle. She is presented to us as someone who sends her pastime sewing. Similarly Rabbada Ayya’s spouse, Rabbada Akka, enjoys chewing betel leaves and cracks the areca nuts with the betel nut cutter.

Significantly while Mahadena Muttha is known for creating more turmoil than solving problems in the easiest and wisest manner, Mahadena Miththaniya is portrayed as the exact opposite of her husband. She not only earns the respect of the villagers but goes against the popular belief that a woman’s power of thinking is no further than the end of a spoon. This is the exact ideology that Padmakumara brings out and proves false through Mahadena Miththaniya’s ideas and actions. The first story of the series is titled Kiri Amma Soya Yama and ends with a note that more stories are to follow the series.

Ape Kodiyata Mama Aadarai comes together with its English translation as I Love Our Flag. The book is aimed at rising nationalism among children through one of the main emblems of the country, its national flag. With dialogue style and significant imagery the author manages to instill in children’s mind which each of the symbols in the Sri Lankan national flag represents.

This is not only trains the child to see Sri Lanka as a courageous and kind-hearted nation encompassing diverse ethnic groups but also imprints the importance of each symbol in his or her mind, the information which will come in handy for his or her education in later years. The books are packed with colourful illustrations on glossy paper making it a joy to leaf through the pages. Kumudu Tharaka Peries and Sanka Dassanayake should be credited for their sketches which adorn the pages of the books.

Padmakumara had written a number of children’s books such as Len Kuduwae ammai Patiyai, Apata Hora Siduwunu Dae, Kathandara Kiya Demu, Mage Gedara Vada Pirila, Muthu Haduna, Hiru Paya Bala sitiya and others. Mahadena Muththiyai Yahaliyan Pas Dennai, Ape Kodiyata Mama Aadarai and ‘I Love Our Flag’ are rare, special treats that simply must be savoured and shared.

- Ruwini Jayawardana

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