Sunday book pick: The vast world of mental health and caregiving in children’s novel ‘Rain Holiday’

Shreya Ramachandran’s middle-grade novel Rain Holiday opens with a familiar scene – a gloomy, rainy Mumbai. Even those who have never lived in Mumbai know of its exceptional monsoon – an annual phenomenon that floods the streets and slows down the city. A phenomenon so predictable yet unique that it has become a long-standing image of Mumbai, romanticised by fiction and cinema, alongside the resilient “spirit” of the city and the dreams that never let it sleep.

Mighty big feelings

Eleven-year-old Rekha’s school has declared a rain holiday. It’s too wet for the youngsters to be out. Rekha is thrilled by the prospect of not having to go to school and spending time with her best friend, Latisha, but a rude surprise awaits her – Latisha doesn’t want to see anyone, not even Rekha. She has shut herself in her room and refuses to come out. This is absolutely unlike Latisha. Between the two, Latisha is the popular one. She has other friends besides Rekha, including Raji (whom Rekha dislikes) and Faiz (Rekha wants nothing to do with boys, thank you very much).

Things get worse when Latisha begins skipping school. Rekha is lonely but this is a cause bigger than herself (or her dislikes) – her best friend...

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