book review of blue umbrella

The Blue Umbrella by Ruskin Bond | Book Review and Summary

• September 20, 2020
• Children's Literature

The celebrated Indian children’s author Ruskin Bond’s story, The Blue Umbrella , has gained immense popularity since its publication in 1980. It is one of the most-read stories. The narrative revolves around an unassuming young girl whose selflessness and compassion triumph over greed and materialism, making it a tale of extraordinary humanity.

The Blue Umbrella has been included in several of Ruskin Bond’s collections of short stories, including A Gathering of Friends and Children’s Omnibus, among others. Its widespread acclaim led to its adaptation into a Hindi movie bearing the same title in 2005. Furthermore, Amar Chitra Katha publications, a prominent publisher of comic books in India, transformed the story into a graphic novel in 2012 titled The Blue Umbrella – Stories by Ruskin Bond.

Set in the picturesque hills of Garhwal, the fictional narrative explores the fundamental values of selflessness and contentment through the lens of a young girl’s heroic deeds. The Blue Umbrella serves as a poignant reminder to re-examine our priorities. It encourages us to let go of worldly desires for genuine happiness. It is a captivating story that lingers in our minds long after reading, prompting introspection and reflection.

This is the story of a cheerful little girl Binya, who lives with her mother and an elder brother Bijju, in the hills of Garhwal. One day, while herding her cows back home, she comes across some picnickers in the hills. They had a beautiful Blue Umbrella. Binya fell in love with the umbrella at first sight. In exchange for her lucky Leopard claw pendant, she acquires that umbrella.

This umbrella brings unbound happiness in Binya’s life, she carries it everywhere with her, and it becomes the talk of the town. This newfound fame brought with it jealousy and envy from some of the villagers. One old shopkeeper Rambharosa eyed this treasured possession of Binya and decided to own it by any means. He offers to buy the beautiful umbrella, which Binya refuses flatly, making him sad over his position. In the middle of the monsoon, he employs a boy Rajaram from the neighboring town, as a helper in his shop. Rajaram was a shrewd boy. After learning of Rambharosa’s fancy for the umbrella, he strikes a deal with him of getting him the umbrella to prove his worth. He then steals Binya’s blue umbrella and blames it on him (Rambharosa) to save his own skin after being caught by Bijju after a great fight. Everybody in the village believes him without any second thought, as they are all well aware of Rambharosa’s obsession with that umbrella. This brought an ill name to Rambharosa, and the villagers stopped buying from his shop. Seeing the poor shopkeeper’s plight, Binya empathized and decided to gift the umbrella to him. The little girl put Rambharosa’s happiness above her own and was ready to part with her most loved possession. In return, Rambharosa also showed kindness by first trying to return the umbrella and then gifting Binya the lucky bear claw pendant, hence proving that kindness will always attract kindness. Rambharosa told everyone that Binya had gifted him this umbrella. Villagers started to buy from his shop again.

But had she loved the umbrella too much? Had it mattered more to her than people matter?

Themes and Motifs

The Blue Umbrella explores the themes of kindness and forgiveness in a world full of selfishness and envy. The little hero of the story, Binya, embodies these virtues as she expresses her compassion towards the person who tried to snatch her priciest possession. Displaying a magnanimous gesture, she forgives the old shopkeeper and gifts him the umbrella without any hesitation. The story also touches upon the perils of jealousy and envy, which can lead people to do hurtful things. The change of heart in Rambharose towards the end is a potent reminder that small acts of kindness can leave a significant impact on people.

The motif of the story is the beautiful Blue Umbrella that symbolizes beauty, richness, and something unattainable due to its exclusiveness. Binya’s possession of the umbrella sets her apart from the other village people making her a target of envy and jealousy. This Blue Umbrella kept occurring time and time again in the story, from making Binya the talk of the town to making her realize the true meaning of happiness in the end.

What is the moral of the story The Blue Umbrella

The story teaches us the ultimate lessons of humility, kindness and humanity. As the story progresses, this seemingly children’s story turns into a mature tale with the deep message. The little girl’s kindness and humility made her a bigger and happier person, and turns a shrewd Rambharosa into a friendly and pleasant person. It also shows the dangers of materialism and how selfishness can damage one’s reputation leading to loneliness. The story’s moral can be summed up in one expression by Binya in the story, “But an umbrella isn’t everything”.

But an umbrella isn't everything.

Literary Significance

The Blue Umbrella is a beautifully written story that showcases Ruskin Bond’s mastery of the craft. Bond’s prose is simple yet evocative, painting a vivid picture of life in the Himalayas. The story is also notable for its use of symbolism and imagery, particularly the blue umbrella motif.

Happiness is living your childhood… and every time I read this book, it takes me back to my childhood when I lived in Nainital, Uttarakhand. I, along with my friends used to climb on the Pine-clad hills every Sunday. Oh my, what days!

I just love Ruskin Bond because he connects me instantly with the best days of my life as most of his stories are set up on those serene hilly areas, and The Blue Umbrella is one such story. I am sure this beautiful novella will definitely touch a chord not only with the young readers but also with all those adults who still have child inside them.

I liked everything about this book! I liked the simple yet engaging story. I liked the setting of the story; the lucid writing style of Ruskin Bond ; the characterization of Binya; the way the story progresses and portrays various emotions like innocence, love, possessiveness, jealousy, empathy and kindness.

I like author’s style of giving a message through a simple tale. I liked The Blue Umbrella .

The Blue Umbrella has captured the hearts of readers worldwide, becoming a beloved classic. Its themes, motif and symbols are timeless and resonate with readers of all ages and backgrounds. The story teaches us valuable lessons about compassion and kindness and serves as a reminder that we should not define people by their material possessions but by their actions and attitudes towards others.

Character Sketch of Binya in the novel - The Blue Umbrella book

Binya is the most important character in the novel The Blue Umbrella by Ruskin Bond. Binya is a lovely hilly girl who lives in a tiny family in the hilly areas of Garhwal. Her father passed away when she was just two years old. To provide food for their family, they have three tiny terraced fields on which they cultivate onions, potatoes, ginger, beans, maize, and mustard. They don’t offer the produce in the marketplace, but they do keep the produce for themselves. They also have two cows named Neelu and Gori, from which they get additional milk to give to the public. The primary goal of their lives is self-sufficiency, not money-making. Binya’s brother Bijju is a student. She doesn’t go to any school but takes care of two cows. Binya loves adventuring in the mountains and valleys. She isn’t afraid of darkness, woods, or climbing trees. She cherishes opportunity, too. Subsequently, at whatever point cows go out with her, she never shouts at them nor controls them to a great extent. She seems to be lost in her own thoughts. One day when she goes over certain picnickers from the city, she understands that city people have distinctive ways of life and satisfaction. They are rich and have great things, similar to a blue umbrella. It is pitiful to note that city people viewed her as a helpless young lady since she wore torn garments. She looks at them in a good way; it implies she doesn’t care about being with individuals. Frequently hilly people don’t favor blending into the group. Additionally, she feels anxious when she is at the marketplace. Binya isn’t eager to sell her tiger claw pendant, even when city people offer her five rupees for it. City folk may not understand the value of this natural item, but to Binya it’s priceless. Instead, she decided to have that blue umbrella for that tiger claw pendant. Binya is not just a compassionate person, she is also very caring and helpful. She is always willing to go out of her way to help others, and she is always quick to lend a hand. She allows the town’s children to hold her umbrella for a brief time. One breezy evening when her umbrella gets snatched up by the breeze into a ravine, she cautiously, with a decent good judgment, follows it and gets it out from the cherry tree. She wasn’t anxious about anything. Her relationship with Ram Bharosa, the shopkeeper and tea shop owner, turns sour when he unfairly attempts to contain her blue umbrella. After that episode, Ram Bharosa’s shop business decays, and Binya feels liable for his misfortune. She reproaches herself for displaying the umbrella over the cutoff, she gifts the blue umbrella to him so that people start revisiting  his shop. Regarding her looks, Binya is reasonable, bold, fair, and durable, with dark hair and eyes. She sports a little braid. However, Binya is an ordinary girl, like most youngsters her age, yet her ethics like empathy, charity, and strength make her stand apart from the group.

Character Sketch of Ram Bharosa in the novel - The Blue Umbrella book

Ram Bharosa is a moderately old businessperson who owns a tea shop on Tehri road. He also sells sodas, curd, and toffees, mostly food items in his shop. A bus stops at his store each day, and passengers sip tea or consume curd. He is the most lavish man in the town. However, he’s also highly greedy too. He often lets people or students take things for granted by praising them. At the moment of reckoning and then charges them an additional fee, and if they cannot pay, they can take a chunk of their most valuable possessions to use themselves or sell in his store.

However, Binya and her brother Bijju aren’t apathetic to his snarky behavior. They’re very cautious of him. Ram Bharosa is greedy for the blue umbrella. He must have it therefore, he offers a price of twelve rupees Binya but with no result. When he notices Binya walking in front of his shop, he attempts to draw her but with any success. He gets sad over his position. In the middle of the monsoon, he employs one of his children named Rajaram from the town adjacent as a right hand in his shop. Rajaram, shrewd, promises to take the umbrella from him for the cost of 3 Rs. This Ram Bharosa concurs hesitatingly. To counter their arrangement, he reads up the latest news as he steals the umbrella.

The word was spread throughout the town that Ram Bharosa tried to get the umbrella by influencing people with untrustworthy methods. The people stopped coming to his store since, in the hills, trustworthiness is possibly the most rewarded virtue, and he was annoyed by it. The kids teased him by saying, “the trustworthy thief. After witnessing Ram Bharosa’s desperate situation, Binya chooses to help him. So, one day, she gives him an umbrella and some leaves. This aids in improving his appearance in the community. To repay this blessing, Ram Bharosa gets made an ornament from a bear’s claw and presented it to her. This is considered to be more blessed than the panther or the tiger. We eventually discover that Binya’s compassion and kindness help Ram Bharosa recover his independent business of the shops. After that, based on the picture of the child Binya, Ram Bharosa returns to his path of reliability.

Character Sketch of Bijju in the novel - The Blue Umbrella book

Blue Umbrella by Ruskin Bond is a well-known book focusing on Binya and her elder brother Bijju. The novel revolves around Binya and her adorable blue umbrella, but we also see interesting characters like Bijju and Ram Bharosa. This write-up will look at Bijju as the book’s third main character. Bijju’s real name was Vijay Kumar; however, in the lower regions of the Himalayas, it is customary to refer to people using their nicknames. For Binyadevi, it is Binya, while for Vijay Kumar, it is Bijju.

Bijju is a 12-year-old boy and wears a claw of a leopard on his neck, just like his younger sister Binya aged ten years. age. But we can find excellent harmony and love between sister siblings, but they differ in their attitudes. Binya is kind to cattle Neelu and Gori and Gori, whereas Bijju is quite a hot kid. So, whenever it’s dull, he herds the cows in a hurry to get home. In addition, Binya and Bijju share the same viands. This is evident when Bijju gives his blueberries to Binya. Additionally, they often go to the shop of Ram Bharosa for food items or to buy toffees that they can eat.

Another thing about Bijju is that he comes to school each day, which proves he’s a capable and diligent student. As with Binya or other children who are hilly, Bijju also is a courageous child. He’s not afraid of darkness, haze, snakes, or wild animals and is completely intolerant of honey bees. In the past, he had separated one colony of bees and the honey bees on all over his body. Since then, he’s been resistant to the honeybees. Due to their obligation to society, he on the land during monsoons to sow rice. If there is no school in the dry season, he gives milk to a few people in the town.

Binya and Bijju are not legitimate, and Bijju is aware of this fact somewhere. He isn’t doing anything to upset his mother and Binya. He does not shy away from dealing with his mother and younger sister. At the moment that Rajaram is the child Ram Bharosa employs, he takes and attempts to escape with the blue umbrella belonging to Binya, it’s Bijju who pursues him and can retrieve the umbrella. Although the story is centered on Binya and her beautiful blue umbrella, Bijju is a significant person who assists the overall story.

Binya’s Blue Umbrella Questions & Answers

Most frequent questions and answers.

Binya received the blue umbrella when she gifted her charm – a leopard’s claw pendant to Mem-Saheb in exchange for an umbrella.

Ram Bharosa was the trusty shopkeeper in the village. Binya and Bijju would come to him to purchase toffees.

Ram Bharosa was astonished by Binya’s blue umbrella.

Ram Bharosa offers Binya twelve rupees for her umbrella, but she does not accept the proposal.

Everybody on the road looked at Binya and was amazed at her beautiful blue umbrella.

As Binya was resting, a breeze rose gently across the forest, whispering. Then, shortly after, it joined random gusts that swept across the top of the mountain range. The trees shrugged, the wind swayed her cheeks, and the umbrella flew out of the way.

Binya had to be cautious to avoid triggering a landslide because once the stones began to tumble down, the slide would carry more stones and stop at the lowest point.

Binya received the blue umbrella as a reward in exchange for her pendant.

Binya could keep the umbrella open regardless of the circumstances, even though it wasn’t supposed to be. However, when she was at her house, she would keep it to the side of the room with the umbrella not unfolded. Everyone loved the umbrella, and they would always try to get to know Binya so that she could allow them to hold her beautiful umbrella for a time.

Binya performed the most challenging task. Crawling up the tree’s trunk to catch it was the most challenging task. Binya was sitting under the shade of the pine tree, and the umbrella was still in its open and lying on her. While she was sleeping, an erupting wind came up and was followed by other gusts of random wind that swept over the tops of the mountain.

The book beautifully illustrates that there is no need for an object to be content. If we are in love with something, the love fades away at some point. However, the love between people doesn’t fade away so quickly. Binya gives up her umbrella to enjoy the joy that Ram Bharosa got because of it. The result makes him a more comfortable and pleasant person.

It is vital to show the value of kindness throughout our lives. Students will be able to see how selfishness and materialism can be detrimental to society and demonstrate the benefits of friendship and generosity via Binya and Ram Bharosa.

The most challenging task was slogging across the tree trunk, which stood at an angle from the high cliff, to get the umbrella out.

Binya receives a gorgeous blue umbrella from a group of foreigners in exchange for a pendant made of leopard claws. Eventually, Binya willingly gives the umbrella to Ram Bharosa, and he, in turn, presents her with an adorable bear claw pendant.

Binya can’t stand the free sight of her umbrella that is colored with depths of skies. Binya gifts the blue umbrella to Ram Bharosa so people can again begin going to his shop.

Ram Bharosa is a selfish and greedy person in the novel.

Vijay Kumar is the actual name of Bijju. Bijju was his nickname.

Video - The Blue Umbrella English Summary

Video - the blue umbrella hindi summary.

I hope you enjoyed reading this review! Don’t miss your chance to explore the 63 most extraordinary narratives by Ruskin Bond .

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Book review: the blue umbrella by ruskin bond.

nice post really awesome!!!

It's wonderful to read

It was a good story! I loved that, thanks for the book review.

Kindly tell the word limit

thats great

It is very good story in all of my life and It is very useful for children and fantastic book My brother and sister like The story

Thanks for reading

This is a book review or not

I don’t know???🤣🤣🤣😂

Well , i do think so

It is a very useful story to children and fantastic book

Good story...my son loved it

I need the review

goood story ............. i love reading even though no one reads in my family and as iam a poor girl we dont have enough money to buy then also i love 2 read\

it became very helpful for my school assignment thank u..

Work made easy by your review

This book review is so much helpful and awesome!!!

amazing story.......

Ur summary was very informative and helpful and contained all aspects of the story. Hats off to you for doing such a wonderful job......

The story is short and simple but elegantly touches the core aspect of humanity - kindness. Through Binya Ruskin instils a sense of kindness among children. It is an amazing read for all.

Thanks for reading Sangita..

I read this long ago and had to write a review . I found themes of healing and forgiveness ,how the life of a community can change with the introduction of a simple object and the ability of children to see through the game of adults and transcend it . remember reading it again and again .

Can you send me the review??

great story i loved it

nice story....thanks RUSKIN BOND for one more wonderful novella..Used for my holiday homework

Please,don't miss watching this movie. Pankaj kapur was awesome! Just the perfect movie to watch. Vishal bhardwaj should get all credit.

Great Great . Thanks for the review. Your website is website is very useful. 😄

Cool man hats off

Thanks for the review

Very well written... Gud job 👍

I want the book publication

This is helpful for my diwali homework

Read it just yesterday.it is amazing

I want a book review..... Please🙏🙏 😚

Ruskin Bond casts the kind of simplicity in his stories that has an impactful impressions over one's life..

Easy to learn and understand

When did anil visit old lady ?

I have a book of it

Wow, liked it.

This book is a must to read i also have the book even though i am not so fond of reading books😄

Super story .This is a good story for children

superb story yrrr 🥺❤

thanks its help me my holiday homework now i no need to buy this book

It was very helpfull for summer vacation homeworj

Interesting story. Thanks for this Book Review. You've simple yet wonderful Book Blog

what is character description

This is a wonderful story by Ruskin Bond , it had helped me in my English Holiday Assignment and thanks for the one who had posted this

Fantastic story and its summary :)

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Good Review

It is a great story

a beautiful short story by Ruskin Bond

Nice story ❤️🔥👌

Thanks! This helped my homework 👍😌

thanks homework

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Stories from my diary!!

The Blue Umbrella by Ruskin Bond | Book review | Spoiler-free

Hey folks! Welcome back to the reader’s corner. In this blog post, I am reviewing a book, maybe another short story. The month of June was a kind of a whirlwind for me. Because I have been doing different pieces of stuff, that is off my calendar. Maybe I think this is how it goes nowadays. But I liked that! So, getting on the review, the title of the book is,

THE BLUE UMBRELLA

Sounds interesting? Let’s dive in.

About ‘The Blue Umbrella’

The book THE BLUE UMBRELLA is written by Ruskin Bond in 1980. It is an Indian fiction novel. It clubbed with other short stories of Ruskin Bond called Children’s Omnibus. Later it was adapted into a film under the same name. The author has written hundreds of novels, short stories, and poems that are very beautiful. His works are mainly for children.

Description of the book

A young girl, Binya, lives in a village called Garhwal with her mother and brother. She wears a leopard nail as a lucky charm. When she sees a beautiful silk blue umbrella, she immediately likes it and wants that to be hers. So, she trades her lucky charm for the blue umbrella with the owner. But then comes the problem everyone in the village desires for that beautiful blue umbrella, especially the small tea shop owner, Ram Bharosa, who sells many sweets, Coca-Cola, etc. He is also greatly respected by the villagers. What happens when the desire for materials turns to the worst events is the rest of the story.

Firstly, this is my very first proper read of Ruskin Bond’s story. Because previously, I read a part of another story for my English class even then I liked that story very much. So, I loved this story. The place, the story is situated in the mountains and, the people’s life there; is beautifully described. The characters are very few but served the purpose. The language is children-friendly.

I think the book is written for the children because it ended with a moral. But the moral is soo valuable even for adults. Although adults know what is right and wrong, sometimes they forget them. So, these short stories help them to remember them. And the main thing is the story is so small yet it is to the point without dragging.

The story deals with the materialistic life and how it can affect the life of the people. I just made a note in my mind to pass on this beautiful story to anyone who would love to listen or read. This story tells the simple truth of life. So dear readers, here I am done with my review and suggest you all read this adorable story of THE BLUE UMBRELLA that made nice things to the people in the story. Kindly share your thoughts about our review in the comments.

Happy Reading!

In case if you are looking to buy this book, let me make it easier. Here is the Amazon link for this book. Click, own a copy, and enjoy reading. Link – The Blue Umbrella by Ruskin Bond.

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5 thoughts on “ The Blue Umbrella by Ruskin Bond | Book review | Spoiler-free ”

This book is a true masterpiece, capturing the beauty and innocence of childhood in a way that is both heartwarming and touching. Highly recommend!

Thanks for the information of the book it is very helpful

You’re welcome!

Thank you, your sweet words made my day!

Good work! your review always motivates me to read books,, keep doing.

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The Blue Umbrella

Ruskin Bond | 4.38 | 6,966 ratings and reviews

Ranked #64 in Indian Author

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Book Review: The Blue Umbrella by Ruskin Bond

Great review subhamda

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Rain, My Love!

The Blue Umbrella – Ruskin Bond

During my childhood, when I had no clue about novels, I heard a name that some of the teachers would say at the school library – Ruskin Bond. Though I knew nothing about the man until a few years ago, the name fascinated me. And the more fascinated was I when I realized that he is an Anglo-Indian author, living in the Mussoorie. Since I started reading novels and stories, I wanted to read Ruskin Bond, but couldn’t. I have, at last, read the famous novella he wrote in 1974, The Blue Umbrella .

Plot Summary of The Blue Umbrella

The Blue Umbrella is a story about a young girl named Binya from the mountains of Himachal, who falls in love with a blue-coloured umbrella. She gets the umbrella in exchange for her leopard claw necklace from a tourist. Binya roams all over the town flaunting her new umbrella, the most beautiful one in the village.

Everyone, right from the school teacher’s wife to the pujari of the temple envies her for having it. Especially, Ram Bharose, a tea stall owner who desperately wants it. He tries to trick Binya, and her elder brother, Bijju, to acquire it but doesn’t succeed. In the end, Ruskin Bond delivers a great message, which is what makes The Blue Umbrella a fantastic children’s book.

Simplistic Beauty in The Blue Umbrella

Though it is a children’s novella, even adults can take a leaf or two from The Blue Umbrella. Ruskin Bond makes the readers realize how simple, beautiful, and subtle life can be. In the exhausting and mundane city life, we often suppress the calling from within to get back to the roots. The monotonous and materialistic life in the 21st century has robbed us of the simple joys of the world.

Ruskin Bond, even though in 1974, reminds us of the feeling of playing in the mud during the rains. The feeling of eating freshly roasted corn, soaking in the cool breeze, and the fragrance of soil gives you a solid kick of nostalgia in your gut. What’s strange is that everything about The Blue Umbrella is simple, nothing’s extraordinary. Yet, Ruskin Bond strikes a chord in your heart like no one else does!

One of the main messages that the author delivers in of greed and its consequences. First, it is depicted through the young lady, owner of the blue umbrella, and then through Ram Bharose and Rajaram. The subtlety with which he delivers the message is what differentiates him from others.

Entrance into the World of Ruskin Bond

I have always wanted to read Ruskin Bond, and without a doubt, The Blue Umbrella is just the beginning. In fact, I have a strong feeling that this was the perfect book to start exploring the author. Ruskin Bond uses simple and palatable language as it is a children’s book. The Blue Umbrella can easily be one of the best beginner’s books.

Though the book is short – just over eighty pages – It still delivers a fulfilling experience. Ruskin Bond gives details where it matters and skips unnecessary stuff quite effortlessly.  All in all, The Blue Umbrella is a must-read for anyone looking for quick, simple, yet fulfilling stories.

Rating – 5/5

Looking for some more serious and heavy stuff? Check my review of the Animal Farm .

Noman Shaikh is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Bombay Reads. He grew up in Mumbai, a city he loves more than any other, and currently works as a content consultant. His expertise lies in creating high-quality academic and marketing content in the form of blogs, articles, op-eds, etc. Noman has worked with reputed brands, including Economic Times (through Spiral Media), Coinbase (through MattsenKumar), AdEngage, Della Group, GBIM Technologies,  VAP Group, etc. For his published portfolio, click here . Contact Noman on noman@bombayreads for engagement.

3 thoughts on “The Blue Umbrella – Ruskin Bond”

Hello. remarkable job. I did not imagine this. This is a remarkable story. Thanks!

You’re welcome.

Really Enjoyed!

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The Blue Umbrella

The beautiful yet frail but strong umbrella, so pretty, that everyone is envious of a little girl in the village near Tehri, had to be the protagonist in this story. The plot revolves around the world of this little girl named Binya in a small village but with a big heart.

Must Read: Complete List of the Best Books by Ruskin Bond

The book is about temptations, desire and happiness which sometimes turn to greed and become treacherous. It is about seeking happiness in small spheres of life and letting the genius revealed in moments of adversities.

The simple yet powerful writing style of the author is commendable and his imagination has a heartwarming approach. This collection of words is expressive of exuberance in the life of people living in hilly areas and is close to the heart of the author as his native place.

Different people with different attitudes account to a sense of belonging towards what is right and what is wrong especially when it comes to little kids.

Here, in this story, in a child’s perspective, it is a wonderful journey of the umbrella, rather a risk worthy umbrella, from one hand to another embodying perplexing approach to how to deal with this beauty.

Not only children would enjoy his story but adults will also find it joyous in its subtleties. It is a must read for the young children in order to help them develop empathy and compassion towards other people.

It is a highly recommended book on the list. And for adults, it is a means of teaching themselves that power with empathy is the only way to success instead of power with arrogance.

• Writing Style

The Book touches the various strings of humanity and makes us learn to spread happiness wherever possible. The words written will melt you in emotions!

My Thoughts

I started this book being curious enough to explore the world of kids stories and their impact and I found it pretty much influencing. The soft critical perspective would be that the author has flamboyantly exaggerated the place and the characters. Other than that, everything is so soft and intriguing.

I love the fact that as a reader, the book is enormously gripping and you cannot put this down without completing it and ending with the awestruck feels.

The passion towards the umbrella is the metaphorical contrast to the little luxuries we seek in life. Take hold of the book as soon as possible otherwise, you’ll be honestly reading spoilers!

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THE BLUE UMBRELLA

by Emily Ann Davison ; illustrated by Momoko Abe ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 14, 2023

An accessible approach to inclusion, sharing, and community building.

An umbrella offers shelter and fun on a rainy day.

A mysterious blue umbrella arrives, addressed to a child who presents as Asian, with black hair and tan skin. The child takes it out on a walk with Mom. Unexpected rain falls, and though the umbrella seems far too small, the protagonist manages to share it with Mom. Soon they invite parkgoers to take shelter. Picnicking families, soccer players, a dog owner, a punk rocker, and others—diverse in terms of skin tone, hair texture, and age—laugh, talk, and stay dry together under the umbrella, which somehow expands to shelter all. When the sun comes out, the people leave feeling changed, having shared a moment of wonder, and go on to create a community garden (“a place for everyone”). The digital artwork done in a pastel palette plays with perspective and point of view. While Abe uses simple shapes, there’s a specificity to each person that makes the individual unique and interesting. The appealing illustrations will make readers want to join in the party and become part of this vibrant, welcoming community. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Pub Date: March 14, 2023

ISBN: 978-0-593-56957-3

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Random House Studio

Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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BOOK REVIEW

by Emily Ann Davison ; illustrated by Deborah Allwright

ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

More by Tish Rabe

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

BUDDY'S NEW BUDDY

From the growing with buddy series , vol. 3.

by Christina Geist ; illustrated by Tim Bowers ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 12, 2022

Making friends isn’t always this easy and convenient.

How do you make a new friend when an old one moves away?

Buddy (from Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can’t Go to School , 2019, etc.) is feeling lonely. His best friend just moved across town. To make matters worse, there is a field trip coming up, and Buddy needs a bus partner. His sister, Lady, has some helpful advice for making a new pal: “You just need to find something you have in common.” Buddy loves the game Robo Chargers and karate. Surely there is someone else who does, too! Unfortunately, there isn’t. However, when a new student arrives (one day later) and asks everyone to call her Sunny instead of Alison, Buddy gets excited. No one uses his given name, either; they just call him Buddy. He secretly whispers his “real, official name” to Sunny at lunch—an indication that a true friendship is being formed. The rest of the story plods merrily along, all pieces falling exactly into place (she even likes Robo Chargers!), accompanied by Bowers’ digital art, a mix of spot art and full-bleed illustrations. Friendship-building can be an emotionally charged event in a child’s life—young readers will certainly see themselves in Buddy’s plight—but, alas, there is not much storytelling magic to be found. Buddy and his family are White, Sunny and Mr. Teacher are Black, and Buddy’s other classmates are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Pub Date: July 12, 2022

ISBN: 978-0-593-30709-0

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022

More by Christina Geist

by Christina Geist ; illustrated by Tim Bowers

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Tuesday 28 April 2015

Book review: the blue umbrella by ruskin bond..

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The Blue Umbrella Paperback – January 1, 2019

Purchase options and add-ons.

• Print length 88 pages
• Language English
• Publisher RUPA PUBLICATIONS INDIA PVT LTD
• Publication date January 1, 2019
• Dimensions 8 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• ISBN-10 9788171673407
• ISBN-13 978-8171673407
• Lexile measure 840L
• See all details

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Product details.

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ 8171673406
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ RUPA PUBLICATIONS INDIA PVT LTD (January 1, 2019)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 88 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9788171673407
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-8171673407
• Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 840L
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.11 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• #37,531 in Teen & Young Adult Literature & Fiction
• #49,308 in Literary Fiction (Books)

About the author

Ruskin bond.

Ruskin Bond is the author of several bestselling novels and collections of short stories, essays and poems. These include The Room on the Roof (winner of the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize), A Flight of Pigeons, The Night Train at Deoli, Time Stops at Shamli, Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra (winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award), Angry River, The Blue Umbrella, Rain in the Mountains, Roads to Mussoorie, A Little Night Music, Tigers for Dinner, Tales of Fosterganj, and A Gathering of Friends.

Ruskin Bond was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1999, a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Delhi government in 2012 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014.

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The Blue Umbrella 

Back to: Ruskin Bond Short Stories Summary

In this article, we will discuss the summary of The Blue Umbrella by Ruskin Bond.

Table of Contents

Setting of Blue Umbrella

Set in a Garhwal village of Himachal Pradesh, the story revolves around a little girl, Binya. She belongs to a poor family and lives with her brother, Bijju, and their mother.

The story starts with Binya, returning with her cattle from the fields, witnessing some Japanese tourists from the city enjoying a picnic in the valley. She is attracted to their activities and especially smitten by a blue umbrella.

Seeing her innocent fascination with the umbrella, they decide to interact with Binya. She has a leopard-claw pendant around her neck and the tourists decide to barter the pendant for the umbrella.

A Range of Reactions

Binya carries the umbrella home. She is so fond of its beauty that she rarely closes it and keeps it with her all the time. The beauty of the blue umbrella soon becomes every villager’s favorite conversation topic. Everyone wants to hold it and Binya obliges with their request.

On the flipside, the beautiful umbrella also becomes an obsession for a few like Ram Bharosa, a small grocery shop owner. He covers the umbrella and tries to buy it from Binya to no avail. It causes a little heartburn to Ram Bharosa but Binya’s decision is final.

Unfortunate Event

Soon the monsoon arrives and the rains bring the village school to a close. Ram Bharosa employs a young boy named Ramrajan in his shop. Trying to impress his employer, Ramrajan tries to steal the umbrella while Binya goes to collect porcupines from the forest.

However, he is caught by Bijju, her brother and fearing the worst, he takes Ram Bharosa’s name and due to his well-known obsession with the umbrella, everybody believes the lie. The whole village stops visiting his shop and he falls into great misery.

A Kind Gesture

Seeing the plight of Ram Bharosa, Binya feels sympathy for him and decides to donate the umbrella to him. In return, he presents Binya a bear-claw pendant, considered even luckier than her leopard-claw pendant.

Even the story is short and simple but it gives value lessons about human goodness and kindness. Binya is an example of innocence and compassion and stands out as a great role model for children and adults alike.

The Blue Umbrella tells tales of extraordinary heroism by ordinary people of Garhwal hills. It highlights that a simple story told in an earnest style can create a grand emotional effect on the readers. Read further on this PDF .

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The Blue Umbrella Book Review

Bhumika Goel / December 2019

It was a Saturday noon when I and my son sat together after lunch. We were discussing the past week’s events at his school. Meanwhile, he insisted on reading a book as it’s been a long time, we read anything. And here is our review of the blue umbrella by Ruskin Bond.

Introduction

The blue umbrella is a children’s novella written by the legendary author Ruskin Bond. The fiction story is set in the hill village of Garhwal. The story revolves around the heroic acts of ordinary characters.  A short entertaining story about the ordinary life of people in hills. It’s a reader’s delight to read, how a simple urban stylish blue umbrella makes its owner popular and envied among others in the village.

A little girl Binya, loves herding her cows in the Himalayas. While roaming in the hills, she saw a beautiful blue umbrella. The umbrella belonged to some tourists. Binya was desperate to get the beautiful umbrella. She exchanged her lucky charm pendant for an umbrella. Her proud ownership of the attractive umbrella caused her to earn the jealousy of some villagers. Especially of the shopkeeper Ram Bharosa who wanted to own the best umbrella in the village by hook or crook.

The story is engaging and interesting. No, I am not going to reveal if the shopkeeper was able to get the umbrella or not. Read the book and find about it yourself. Let kids enjoy reading fiction.

Binya is the main character of the story. She is a simple mountain girl with fair skin. She loved going out with cows. She is brave and kind.

The other characters are Vijay (Binya’s brother), Ram Bharosa (the shopkeeper), tourists and a little boy.

All the characters have their own quality of being shrewd, kind, clever, and brave.

There is also a character who does the wrong action of stealing. And kids, you should not do such actions ever in life.

My Favorite

I liked the simple writing style of the author. The beautiful village life of Binya roaming in the hillside. Her acts of bravery, kindness and her fondness for the umbrella. The kids tackling the daily chores and helping their mother. The dramatic scenarios and beautification of Garhwal hills are all well-crafted. Children will learn to be kind, and empathetic with this fiction work.

Recommendation

A good read for youngsters in the age group 8 to 10. Though it is only a one time read, yet a good option to engage your kids. The sketch illustrations are not very appealing to children.

Bibliography:

Author: Ruskin Bond

Publication: Rupa

Cover Art: Prasun Mazumdar

Read children’s book reviews by Ekidstation. We love reading and sharing our reviews. This is not a paid review.

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Things To Do

Entertainment, entertainment | what to do around chicago: james taylor, blues fest and the puerto rican people’s day parade.

Fiestas Patronales Puertorriqueñas: Chicago’s 46th annual Puerto Rican People’s Day Parade kicks off at 2 p.m. Saturday at Division Street and Campbell Avenue, but the party has already started in Humboldt Park. Expect live music, a carnival, vendors, arts, dominoes, a pageant and plenty of food and drink. 4 p.m.-10 p.m. June 7 and noon-10 p.m. June 8-9 in Humboldt Park, 2800 W. Division St.; festival tickets $12.50-$68.50 at puertoricanfest.com

Andersonville Midsommarfest: Andersonville nods to its Swedish heritage with a street festival featuring dozens of vendors and merchants, kids’ activities and five stages of entertainment. The Swedish American Museum, which has a fantastic children’s area, will offer free admission throughout the weekend as well as Swedish cuisine and activities.  5 p.m.-10 p.m., June 7, noon-10 p.m. June 8-9 on Clark Street, between Foster Avenue and Gregory; tickets suggested donation $10, more information at andersonville.org

“The Enigmatist”: Puzzle-solvers take note: Magician and New York Times crossword creator David Kwong offers a glimpse into his way of thinking in his 95-minute mind-bender of show , inspired in part by a bit of Chicago-area history. Through June 30 Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave.; tickets $59-$110 at chicagoshakes.com

“Stokely”: Snag tickets to Nambi E. Kelley’s biographical play about the life of civil rights activist Stokely Carmichael. The play, which a Tribune review deemed “superbly directed” by Tasia A. Jones, spends most of its 90 minutes exploring Carmichael’s childhood and youth. Through June 16 at the Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave.; tickets $56-$88 at courttheatre.org

“Ravel Boléro”: Stéphane Denève will conduct Maurice Ravel’s “Boléro” and Claude Debussy’s “Ibéria” at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet will perform Camille Saint-Saens’s “Egyptian” concerto (Piano Concerto No. 5). The program also features Lili Boulanger’s “D’un matin de printemps.” 7:30 p.m. June 6-11 at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; tickets $35-$350 at cso.org

James Taylor and His All-Star Band: Nothing says summertime like listening to James Taylor under the stars. This year at Ravinia, the cicadas will be backing him up. 7:30 p.m. (gates at 5 p.m.) June 8-9 at Ravinia, 201 Ravinia Park Road, Highland Park; tickets $77-$230 at tour.jamestaylor.com

“Shout OUT! A Tribute to Gays in Gospel Music”: Lucy Smith and the Lucy Smith Quintet will perform the music of Little Richard (Richard Penniman), Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Rev. James Cleveland, Clara Mae Ward and Billy Preston in a concert honoring LGBTQ+ contributions to gospel music. Cheryl Corley, who wrote and narrates the show, will explore the historical role these musicians played in the Civil Rights Movement as well as their relationship to the church. 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m. June 9 at Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th St.; tickets $15 at lucysmithjazz.com

Katherine Blanford: Comedian Katherine Blanford brings her confessional brand of stand-up to Chicago for a three-night stand. Known for her “human golden retriever presence,” Blanford’s comedy centers around her Kentucky roots and her awkward adolescence. 7 p.m. June 6 and 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. June 7-8 at Zanies Chicago, 1548 N. Wells St.; tickets (ages 21+) $30 at katherineblanford.com

Godzilla vs. Music Box: Wish Godzilla a happy 70th birthday as the Music Box Theatre joins with the Japanese Arts Foundation to host a film fest celebrating the beloved kaiju. It kicks off June 7 with a double feature of “Shin Godzilla” and last year’s excellent (and poignant) “Godzilla Minus One”—the first Godzilla film to win an Oscar. The festival includes something for everyone: a 24-hour screening, kid-friendly flicks (one hosted by Svengoolie), film historians and, of course, plenty of epic monster battles. June 7-13 at Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave.; tickets $12-$35 at musicboxtheatre.com

Have something to do around Chicago? Tell us. Email events to [email protected] .

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