BOOK 7 #

Title – ‘Guthli has Wings’

Publisher, Year - Tulika,2019

Grade- 4th and above

Genre- Picture Book

Theme- Gender

Author - Kanak Shashi

Brief Biography

Kanak Shashi is a famous Illustrator, who has designed and illustrated children's books for various organisations and publishers like NCERT, Eklavya, TARSHI, Muskaan, UNICEF, Room to Read, Oxfam India etc. Most of her illustrations are around the theme of gender itself.

‘Guthli has wings’ is the first book that she has authored. It was published as a part of Pride month by Tulika publications. The book depicts a gender sensitive theme through it illustrations and narrative.

Synopsis

‘Guthli has Wings’ deals with a gender sensitive theme. The main character ‘Guthli’ is a child who likes to wear frocks. But Guthli’s parents don’t understand Guthli's wishes.

Has it ever happened that someone stopped you from doing something ? or that they told you to stop beacuse you were a girl or a boy? And they said it’s not what a boy or a girl does?

 

Reading - Writing Strategies

The book deals with the experience of a Trans child. And as an educator ,it can be challenging for us to approach this theme. So it’s better to educate yourself first and examine your own prejudices. As you will have to answer the questions children can possibly ask.

Pre- reading

• Ask the students, what are certain things only boys are allowed to do? What are certain things only girls are allowed to do?
• Why are their certain norms for boys and girls? Like pink is believed to be a colour for girls and blue for boys? why do you think it is so? can a girl not like blue as a color and vice versa for boys?
  
• Who do you think decides what we can or cannot do as a boy or a girl?
• Has it ever happened that you wanted to do something, but an adult or your own parents said that you couldn’t because you are a boy or a girl?
• How did that make you feel? Did you ask them why they were saying something like that?

During reading

• Ask the students about what would they feel, if they were in Guthli’s place?
• Why were the adults saying no to Guthli for wearing a frock? Why can’t a boy wear a frock?

 Post reading

• How do you think Guthli felt after her ( Guthli's pronoun.) mother accepted her wishes?
• How would it make you feel if you were in Guthli’s place?
• A creative writing activity question could be – write about the things you would do , if there were no longer a division between things boys could do or girls could do.

Reflection

‘Guthli has Wings’ is a story about a Trans child and her experience. This theme itself is considered a Taboo within our society and  people completely avoid talking about it. Most of the time, adults do not know the way they could begin to approach this entire topic in the first place. The narrative  of ‘Guthli has Wings’ , provide us with an opportunity to start a conversation around the experiences of Trans children.

it also gives us a space to raise questions around gender norms and stereotypes that exist in our society. because we all go through gender based discrimination in one form or another , everyday. 'Guthli with wings' gives us a good example of how stories can be used to approach topics that are difficult to talk about and even address , especially with children.

Source-

https://www.tulikabooks.com/general-picture-books/guthli-has-wings-english.html