Desicritics Author: Blokesablogin

Pathanjali's Yogasutras

Blokesablogin — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:24:18 EDT

I am currently reading the twelfth volume of Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies on Yoga edited by Gerald Larson and Ram Shankar Bhattacharya and published by Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. Given the encyclopedic proportion of the book, I cannot in all truth review this without reading it cover to cover. However, given the two-sound byte lifestyle we live in, it will take me a few months at the very least to read and then review. As to whether I will ever be able to do justice to the treasury of texts carefully catalogued herewith and assimilate it enough to "give my opinion" is unreasonable. I feel honored and blessed that this book came my way.

It so happens that I am watching the commentary on Pathanjali's Yogasutras as given by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on DVD. Quite serendipitous, I must say. The book came for review after I had committed to showing the DVDs. This past week has been an amazing exploration of the epistemology of Pathanjali.

The first sutra begins: Atha yogaanushaasanam. Herein begins an inquiry into disciplined meditation based upon past tradition (translation provided by Larson). Sri Sri begins his commentary defining shaasanam versus anushaasanam. Shaasanam is a set of rules enforced on an individual by society or a body of law. Anushaasanam is a set of self-imposed discipline in this case, it being in the field of Yoga that Sri Sri defines as living with skill.

The choice of words and the brevity of Pathanjali is simply brilliant. It is interesting that so many people have given their commentary on Pathanjali for centuries, interpreting his simple aphorisms with their temporal realities and the text holds well.

Verses 2 through 16 deal with chitta or "Ordinary Awareness". The definition of observation and cognition of this world through perception, inference and testimony is juxtaposed with the experience of sleep and memory to define chitta only for the later verses to teach how you can move beyond it through cultivating dispassion as a cognitive realization.

The next set of verses from 17-51 deals with Samadhi, translated by Larson as Concentration while some commentators define it as a state of consciousness that is achieved where identities are dropped. I do not agree with some of Larson's choice of English words like the word depression for daurmanas. I would have preferred "embittered mind" or "darkened or misfortunate mind".

As a student of literature trained to analyze texts, I am constantly amazed by the sharpness and clarity of Pathanjali. I thank my Indian education system that forced me to learn Samskritam that I am able to read the original text and cross refer it with the translation. Who knew that I would acquire a taste for reading Pathanjali some day when I wanted to read racy novels in English as a child?

I find the study of Yoga and Pathanjali very useful in today's world of consumerism. Knowing the nature of my mind, its attributes, its afflictions and strengths gives me the "inside track" on how to live a life devoid of feverishness and suffused with enthusiasm. A focussed mind makes me more centered and unperturbed by sudden changes in my immediate surroundings while it gives me creative skills to deal with such.

I once thought that I had to go to the Adyar Library and sit in its cool, musty interiors to access some of these texts. This encyclopedia in a sizable 14 point font makes for easy reading and the structure of the articles followed by the actual texts make it easy to navigate. One drawback: I wish the text was printed in Devanagri followed by an English transliteration and translation. It felt unnatural to read the English transliteration without the Devanagri script.

There are several texts, the names of which I have never heard, that are catalogued here. The paandithyam (intellectual brilliance) displayed here by way of articles by several contributors makes me realize even more just how much I don't know. As a child, I loved the quote of Avvai that said "Katradhu kai mann alavu, kallaadadu ulagalavu"- What I have learned is but a fistful of sand, what I haven't, is the rest of the world. That is certainly the case with this Encyclopedia. Certainly a great value for research and general reading. A must for all university and college libraries.

This encyclopedic volume has left me salivating for more. I did some research to discover that the fifth volume in this series deals with the Philosophy of the Grammarians. It includes Panini, Brthhari and others who have fascinated me since I did my classes in Linguistic theory as part of my Masters. My next trip to India will include this volume on my shopping list. It is tragic just how modern books on linguistics, psychology and education have no mention of these all-time greats.

In a Land of a Billion

Blokesablogin — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:05:54 EDT

My husband decided to celebrate my birthday in a most "un-Indian" fashion. The usual visit to the temple followed by an Indian restaurant high-calorie dinner was substituted by a crazy trip down the American River in a yellow raft! We went white water rafting for the first time! Response from family and friends ranged from incredulity to happiness. A few wanted to know what it was like.

This foray into an adventurous life broke new grounds (waters?) in our family traditions. I could well imagine the experience of Lewis and Clark as they went on an expedition to chart a way to reach the Pacific across the continental US.

I wondered what made the average Indian who comes to the US, adventurous as a student but who morphs into this staid, serious, married professional preferring to reduce the risk factors in life. This train of thought led me to the current status of few competitive Indians at the Olympics.

Sports, by definition, demands taking risks. Until the very end, we can never be too sure who will win. Of course, if the film Jannat is to be believed, cricket matches are mostly fixed and the underworld money speaks in above-the-board activities of the sport. Hence the huge financial support for that game in our country. Given the connection between Bollywood, cricket and moolah, it can well be believed.

For the most part, life in India is a matter of survival for many. Necessity forces skills onto her populace. These skills are not for excelling. They are meant for survival. Be it at the work place or school or leisure, skills are mainly honed more for what purpose they would serve for our survival rather than being "moved by passion" to excel in a certain field. Skills with innate talent is only half the way towards achievement.

Hand in hand with skills go strategy. Here is where we miss out on taking a shot at international contests such as the Olympics. As a nation and as an individual we fair very poorly in this. Be it working towards clearing the 10th grade exam to getting into a 'good" job, very few use strategy. Most slog it out. Strategy is where America leads the way. It is systemic and highly developed into an art form.

If you look at the way the athletes are trained in America, it is in strategy as much as in skill. The Chinese excel for the same reason. Strategy ensures that it is reproducible. We had a P T Usha who "almost" missed the bronze in the '84 Olympics. But we never systematically trained people to achieve and improve upon her performance. Of course the highly bureaucratic process of gaining government sponsorship makes up for all the "strategizing" on the athlete's part, leaving very little for the sport.

At a more subtle level, there is much we need to work with our self image. We are very good critics. We are poor "newsmakers". Some of the best opinion pieces and editorials are written in the Indian press. Very little original work comes out of it. In the US, the publishing industry thrives on original work. People care two hoots for "others' opinions". This deep rooted sense of self worth manifests in the sports arena.

The ultimate "winner" is one who knows his skill is matched with strategy. Gone are the days of the "innocent" Olympians who were amateurs. Professionals have entered the arena enforcing higher standards of strategic excellence. It is time to create a strategic plan to get our talent "showcased". The greatest edge India can have over the rest would be the dispassion as demonstrated by Abhinav Bhindra. That attitude coupled with the rest will ensure a gold mine of medals.

Movie Review: Kuselan

Blokesablogin — Sun, 3 Aug 2008 06:26:08 EDT

My two sons are great fans of Rajnikanth, the Tamil Superstar. To tell you the truth, I have a weak spot for his "style" myself! When Shivaji was released some months back, we went around for a week aping his "style"! With equal enthusiasm, we made it a huge family affair with cousins and all to watch Kuselan, the latest offering with Rajni in it.

Thirty minutes into the film is when we realized that he was a "special appearance" and not the actual lead role. What a let down! The first 30 minutes had not even a photo of Rajni! So friends, if you are a die hard Rajni fan, please do not go to the movies trusting him to make his appearance any time soon. Then you can anticipate his "arrival".

The movie tells the touching story of Sudama and Krishna from the Srimad Bhagavatham (Kuchelopakyaanam) in a modern context. It is also a semi-biography that traces the origins of Rajnikanth's humble beginnings before he made it big in the film industry.

Our protagonist is a humble barber who wants a loan without giving a bribe. Obviously, in 21st century India that is as common as India winning an Olympic gold! He lives a simple and contented life with his wife and three children who in return ask nothing much of him.

The rustic village atmosphere is shattered by the arrival of a huge film crew including the super star. People in the village who know that the barber was childhood friends with the super star urge him to meet him and get them favors. Balu (Balakrishnan - do not miss out on the name!), the barber, refuses. Then they believe him to have spun tales out of thin air.

At this juncture I thought the film would be about micro credit financing as this barber could have greatly benefited from such a scheme. I hope those micro credit fellows will not turn corrupt like the rest of the lot. I digress.

The shooting is done and the local school invites the superstar to address them. There, our protagonist stand behind to see his friend speak. The friend narrates the incidents of his life that included the barber and wished that he were there to share in his success.

The barber leaves the crowd silently only to find the super star at his doorstep! The last scene was most touching and I was reminded of the Krishna-Sudama episode. The friends share a piece of peanut brittle (chikki) and the super star positions himself as the guardian for all his friend's children.

Apart from a very peppy number by Daler Mehndi, the rest are hard to even remember. The costumes for the songs were amazing but the songs were totally unnecessary and unwarranted in the film. Nayantara as Rajni's co-star was far from any kind of acting except for showing off her bod.

The story of Sudama (Kuchela) was one of many favorites as a child. To see it brought to the silver screen was a delightful experience. Some of our cousins, aunt, and uncle who were visiting us couldn't believe the fan following in America!

Book Review: Ramana Maharishi's Philosophy of Existence and Modern Science

Blokesablogin — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 05:36:18 EDT

I know, it is a long title. It has a sub title too- The Convergence in their Vision of Reality. However, the title should tell you what the book deals with. Speaking of the title, I would have preferred it to have been simply Convergence of Modern Science and Maharishi's Vision or some such.

Coming to the book itself, Dr. Sithambaranthan, a scientist, correlates the principles of quantum physics with the Advaitic philosophy as expressed by Ramana Maharishi. He clearly explains in his Preface why he chose Ramana over other Saints and Mystics of India owing to his recent existence on the planet with his teachings being authentic without distortions or dilutions over time.

The entire text reads lucidly as behooves a scientist, trained in reason and logic. Unfortunately, his great love for the Saint Ramana may just prevent people who place no faith in "Rishis" and 'Gurus" from picking up the book and reading it. And that, I believe, is tragic as this book can appeal to an entirely secular, scientifically minded and trained readership that would otherwise never pick up a book on Indian Advaita.

I wonder aloud just whom the author was trying to reach with his oevre. Ramana devotees will grab it and there will be nothing "new" as they already are well established in the Philosophy of Ramana. Of course, the congruence with quantum mechanics and theories would make for a delightful intellectual exercise for them. It is hoped that all 12th grade students in India at least get to read this wonderful book that puts in perspective all of their 12th grade Physics syllabus into one neat chapter and as an added bonus give them an insight into how they can look at life experiences through the wisdom of the Mystic's vision. What a great way to start their adult life that could be rife with anxiety and worries!

I have always admired Ramana as he spoke very little. When his devotees kept insisting that he give them some "knowledge", he gave the Upadesa Saram (Essence of Teaching), a set of 40 verses in Tamil first and later in Sanskrit. They of course collated several of his talks and compiled them into a few texts.

Dr. Sithambaranathan uses these frugal texts in plenty all across the book juxtaposing them with scientific principles to show the convergence glaringly. His love for Ramana and science is self evident. The passion overflows making us read at a slower pace. The 180 pages of actual text makes for reflective reading. It is certainly not a breezy summer read.

Quantum Physics has proved the dual nature of light and sub atomic particles that can express a particle and wave nature. This throws out all possible use of Newtonian Physics out of the window that relies on absolute space and absolute time in the macro and micro universes. The 4th dimension of Space-time as a continuum rather than individual events has shaken the understanding of phenomena, cause and effect and material reality itself.

This shift from absolutes to possibility or probability of existence jives well with what the mystics have always proclaimed about the nature of the universe, the mind and the physical world as experienced by the sense organs. The dyad of the observer, the observed when collapsed into the substratum (the field, here, the Brahman consciousness) corresponds to the relative "observation" in time and space that need to be overcome to cognize the truth of the field theory.

The "unbroken wholeness" is but an integrated whole made of particular contingent forms based on their relative existence in the space-time continuum. This is simply called Brahman in Advaitic lingo. The vedic verse Poornamadaha Poornamidam... comes to mind.

The author broadens his field of philosophy by using the term "Eastern philosophy or mysticism", I would recommend he boldly proclaim, Vedantic or Advaitic philosophy. There is no need to soft pedal for "wider" consumption or acceptance. The simple truth is, this is the best repository of Human Experience of Reality recorded and passed on in the annals of human history. If certain egoists wish to deny it or denigrate it, "My bad!" My compliments to Motilal Banarsidass Publishers who continue to take up publishing such works that further the preservation of this amazing world view for future generations which is finding confirmation from modern science.

Some chapters are completely filled with Ramana's sayings, that it appears to be an anthology of them. I would rather, the author was light handed in using his quotes. They become recursive and therefore tedious. After all, Ramana was a man of few words!

I would recommend this book if you love Physics or are just plain interested in looking at the world we inhabit from a different dimension. This should make you a believer- in science and therefore spirituality!

Film Review: Kung Fu Panda

Blokesablogin — Sat, 7 Jun 2008 12:13:02 EDT

Kung Fu Panda is the cutest, truly hilarious film I have watched in a while. Po, the Panda is destined to be a noodle soup vendor while his inner calling nudges him into becoming a kung fu master. He is obese, "cannot see his toes, let alone touch them", and is totally out of breath climbing a few stairs.

He reveres the Big Five, tigress, monkey, snake, crane and mantis, as the be all and end all of Kung Fu. However, in a surprise turn of events, when it is time to nominate the new Dragon Warrior, our roly-poly Panda gets to be "It"!

Therein begins the gaffes, the laughs, the wit and the wisdom. The ancient turtle master blesses the Panda and attains samadhi. The next Guru, Master Shifu, needs a "solid" reminder about the essence of what he teaches. Of course, our friend, Po, becomes the instrument to teach the Master while he undergoes training himself.

Master Shifu recognizes the powerful attraction of food where the Panda is concerned and literally gets him to jump hoops with the "dumpling" at the end of the stick (chopsticks!LOL!). Getting Po trained are some of the most hilarious and endearing sequences in the film. Each one of us can connect with the myriad human emotions of self-doubt, ability, self-worth, fear of failure and hope of success and so on. The ultimate secret is in the dragon scroll- not to be missed!

The ultimate showdown between the highly talented and trained Tai Lung, our villain and our slumbering panda reminds me of some funny fight sequences from Hindi and Tamil movies where the bad guys get tickled and accidentally get hit etc.

A wonderful summer entertainer for the entire family. I am not a great Kung Fu fan, but the narrative and color of the animation balanced with some lovely fluid fighting scenes makes it a visual treat. All said and done, there is certainly a magic about sitting in a dark cinema hall, with the smell of popcorn wafting in the cool, closed air and watching the film unfold on a huge screen and sharing laughs with perfect strangers.

The B-C-O of American Politics - Through Children's Eyes

Blokesablogin — Sat, 7 Jun 2008 11:57:30 EDT

Ever since Super Tuesday loomed, here in California, my otherwise politically ignorant elementary students wanted to know if I would vote for Obama and if not, why. For the interim, I was able to ward off such questions explaining that I do not have the vote as I am not an American citizen. That worried them further- if I was not an illegal immigrant! I had to explain the concept of the Permanent Resident status aka the Green Card.

The way Obama has captured the imagination of the children is unparalleled in the 14 years I have been working with students. I have been through 3 presidential elections prior to this and I have certainly not seen this phenomenon before. Strangely, most of the children in the middle school grades preferred Clinton. They felt she was a better leader and just didn't TALK as much! I thought this was certainly an interesting point of view, worth analysis.

The children were unanimous on their opinion of their current president, Mr. B, who shall not be named! They openly wondered why it was okay for him to fight when they got to sit in the principal's office for barely raised fists! No wonder the kids are not allowed to vote. I think every democracy in the world will be better off if the age of voters was limited to 18! There certainly will be more honesty in the system!

The cable channels got a lot of viewership, playing out the ultimate reality show on TV starring C and O. Clinton could have certainly charged some royalty and got some of her debt written off! Oh well, that makes for another essay! Obama became an overnight star with him smooth deliveries and poise.

We are now heading toward Reality Show Part 2 starring Mac Cain and Obama. May the best man win! The political commentators and pundits will continue their incessant, running commentaries while I rest, grateful I do not have cable! I can take a break until November.

As I type this BCO story, I find that the word "Obama" gets a red line underneath it, as the text editor does not identify this word. It is time to update the text editor.

Pope Benedict XVI Visits America

Blokesablogin — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:26:53 EDT

The Dish Network finally hooked us in with a real cheap offer. That would explain how I got caught watching CNN (for news) on a Sunday morning, with a live telecast of the Pope's visit to the United States.

Evidently it has been an exciting week for all Christendom (according to CNN) with the new pope hopping over the Big Blue to speak at the United Nations, releasing sex-abused Catholics from their sad memories, praying at Ground Zero, and the grand finale being a mass "mass" at Yankees Stadium, NY.

My husband was wondering why I was wasting my time watching this live telecast about a man who believed in conversions. My son asked if he was a good man or not. I said that he was a good man but ignorant. That shut them up a bit for me to continue with my television viewing.

Seeing a 60,000 strong crowd, committed to their faith was an inspiring sight. The rich ritualistic aspects of the Catholic church has always held a greater visual appeal than the informal Protestant kind to me. The crowd swelling into song in a call and response fashion is another thing I like about their music. The stray thought of how church liturgical music has come to define western music could not be ignored.

The arrangements made to give Holy communion to all those 60,000 plus people present was impressive to say the least. The entire program was bilingual in English and Spanish, spotlighting the Latino immigration that has resurrected the Catholic church in the United States of America. It will not be too long when papal visits become multilingual, including languages like Chinese and Hindi. Not too long ago, when the search for the pope was under way, the Archbishop from Mumbai was considered to be a strong contender for the post.

Evidently, the pope had a meeting with people from other religious denominations. That group included Muslims, Hindus, Jains and Buddhists. I hope that those groups educated the pope on why conversions are not a good idea in a pluralistic world united through a global economy.

Book Review: The Food Revolution

Blokesablogin — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:21:42 EDT

Any kid in America will identify with the Baskin-Robbins brand of ice creams. Nirula's in Delhi morphed their idea of "31" flavors to be Nirula's 21! The son of the original Robbins happens to be one John Robbins who became famous in the early '90s with his first bestseller "Diet for a New America". More than a decade later, his offering, "The Food Revolution" brings to the fore the violence and apathy of factory farms, the "junk" we ingest in the name of "food" and Genetically modified foods and the effect our current food choices have on global warming.

The Food Revolution: How YOUR DIET can help save your life and our world is a must read for all of us who have no idea about how our food is "manufactured" these days. Gone are the days of village belles totting sheaves of crops, attracting unwarranted attention. Today's agribusiness has an ugly underbelly, rife with chemical industries making huge profits by selling poisonous pesticides and herbicides along with their "matching seeds" to struggling farmers in poor countries with poorer access to resources such as land and water.

I never thought much about being a vegetarian. That was how I was brought up and I could never stand the "smells" of meat to want to even try it. I still remember the butcher's shop we had to cross before we got to my grandparents' in Pallavaram. It had a hug log for a chopping board and some skinned animal- goat, I think, hanging from the ceiling. That sight always made me feel very sad for some odd reason. As much as I wanted to avert my eyes from the sight, I would sneak a peek to see the pinkish carcass hang in death.

Robbins throws an entirely researched spin to being a vegetarian, not just vegetarian, but vegan. With the amount of land and water used to grow one pound of meat versus one pound of vegetables, he shows clearly that a vegetarian diet is healthier for not just us, but also to our planet- a living and breathing entity. He begins with clearly researched findings on the benefit of a vegetarian diet to reduce the risk of diseases such as cancer and heart disease. He more than proves his point with issues of obesity, clogged arteries and metastasis.

He wonders aloud how in nature no other mammal feeds its young the milk of another mammal, except for humans. Reading that made me freeze in my chair- I come from such a "divine dairy" culture with no less than Krishna giving me the license to enjoy milk, curd and butter. After reading his descriptions of how cows are separated from their calves and injected with rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Harmone) I am now wondering what will be a good alternative for curds.

The factory farm descriptions are sure to make even the most hard core meat eater rethink his diet. The overcrowding of pens, sheds, barns, coops, homes, to turn a "mean" profit, make the "food" animals behave and grow abnormally. It is very common for many of these animals to be suffering from cancer, respiratory illnesses, obesity, immobility, pain, abnormal anatomy and physiology. The irresponsibility exhibited by large "food" producers in the name of bottomlines impacts our health, our land's health, pollute waterways and opens Pandora's Box of we-know-not-what.

There is a beautiful story of a pig farmer who had worked all his life growing hogs and after connecting with the author, decides to get into organic farming and growing broccoli. There are several incidents sprinkled around to make the book entertaining without losing its main focus.

The myth about hunger is busted. There is more than ample evidence to show that most of the crops grown go to feed cattle to later be cut down for food. The terrible public policies and strong lobbies of powerful agribusiness corporations ensure that the rich get supplied with food while the poor can just die.

All in all, this book combines the fields of medicine, public health, economy, ecology and politics to make the read interesting.

Book Review: Being

Blokesablogin — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 02:32:44 EDT

Cathy is an old friend of mine. She is our school librarian. While our cultural identities differ, our taste in reading is totally in tune. When she recommended this book, I started to read. What was supposedly teen fiction turned out to be more than that.

Being by Kevin Brooks reads like a thriller, science fiction novel and spiritual book simultaneously. The protagonist, Robert, goes to hospital for a stomach ache and the endoscope sees something else. Who or WHAT is Robert? Is he human or is IT machine? Or is he someone else/ something else?

Enter Eddie, a big time identity thief and forgeror who helps Robert in his quest for himself. We also encounter some mysterious guys with guns and cellphones who are intent on capturing our protagonist. Who they are is yet another question. Or are they figments of Robert's imagination?

The novel is in two layers. One is a sequential narrative of events that unfold. In another, the line between reality and mental wanderings are smudged. While I shall leave the readers to discover the answers along with the unfolding of events, I would like to share here, the confusion, the 16-year old Robert goes through when confronted with these facts. He is thrown into turmoil when he begins to wonder if he was an alien or a cleverly made super intelligent being. Yet, he feels so human.

Working with teens, I get glimpses of this issue facing them with regards to how to define themselves. Some of them seek it in relationships, some in drugs and alcohol, yet others in music, sports or amidst friends. Some of them actually believe they were not born to their parents and some consider themselves aliens!

I was surprised to see some adult content with regards to violence, sex and drugs. Most of the young adult books that I have read tend to stay clean. They have deep meanings and address vital issues in society as seen through the hologram of a teen's idealistic mind.

What hits you while reading this book is how the protagonist is "hounded" by these guys in professional "killer" wear. The power of the youth is apparently taken away from him and given to the adults. This is so true with most situations teens find themselves in. Just to be himself, he has to play hide-and-go-seek. And before he can do that, he needs to first figure out who or what he is!

Do not expect a clearcut answer to all the issues raised in this book. It leaves the reader to resolve the proposed thesis. I interpreted the loose end as more an experince of the protagonist wherein he is defined in that moment by what role he chooses for himself. For instance, when he feels the emotions of a human, he feels human and he IS that and when he feels more an automaton, sans emotions, then he is more machine.

This is truly taking fiction to the next level. The complex idea of existence is presented in a very simplistic narrative making it even more amazing. The intensity of emotions experienced by the main characters with little being expressed, paints a true picture of how teens think and "express" themselves. Take some time and discover young adult books. They are worth your time.

Book Review: Chicken Boy

Blokesablogin — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 02:24:18 EDT

The California Young Reader Medal is a coveted prize for many a children's book authors. The nominations for this year include Chicken Boy by Frances O'Roark Dowell. In the next few days, I shall review most of these titles that are up for votes. The ballots should be in by April 1st.

Tobin comes from as dysfunctional a family as you can get. As the book unfolds, you recognize that every person in Tobin's family is dreadfully missing their pivotal point, the kids' mother. She has been dead five years before the commencement of our story. Her absence makes for a poignant leit-motif throughout the narrative. The family has just "disintegrated", with the father over-working to keep away from his thoughts of his beloved wife. The kids, each finding their own escape routes. One simply stares glass-eyed into the television screen while another collects pieces of cars to "put-together", that never get put-together. Yet another spends more time with his girlfriend than at home and our friend Tobias, the 7th grader, chooses to just be disinterested in life.

A crazy grandma' adds color to language and situations. She mourns her daughter in her own convoluted way, by waging war with her grief-stricken son-in-law. She goes to such an extreme, that she "tells" on him by sending the social services after him and getting Tobin into foster care. After all, the kids are hungry half the time as there is no food in the house. The house is such a mess, nobody knows what to make of the different smells and gunk on dishes and counters anymore. "Starry" molds twinkle in jars.

Tobin, in the meantime, gets to make a new friend and begins to unfurl under the warmth of unconditional acceptance. He gets introduced to keeping chickens under the pretext of a science project. Henry Otis is the anchor for an otherwise floating flotsam that is Tobin. Henry and his brother Harrison, help open up Tobis to experience the world from which he hides under the cover of disinterest.

The clucking chickens create a "chatty" backdrop for this transformation. Tobis begins to feel this "buzzing feeling" inside every time he opens himself to the simple pleasures of a compliment, a chicken welcoming him, his grandma patting his hair. From a silent spectator of life that least interests him, he morphs into this chatty kid who collects quite a group of admirers by the time we are done with the story. He comes into his own and is "king"!

Despite the grimness associated with a dysfunctional family and foster care, the novel has a light-hearted approach that finds humor in every little thing from the crazy grandma' way of driving her truck and getting arrested, in the very beginning of the story to Tobin's refusal to dress in gym clothes. Miss Blue, one of the chickens certainly draws chuckles from us with her idiosyncrasies. The mutt who is love with the chickens makes for more gawfs!

Watch out for all the other titles and do register your votes at the California Young Reader Medal website.