The Hoopoe on the Lawn

From the master storyteller comes a wonderful new tale about friendship, eccentric relatives, ghosts, nature, and the enduring magic of childhood. Ruskin is eleven years old and visiting his granny’s home in Dehra during his winter holidays. Follow along as he takes you through the many things he experiences during his time there—a mischievous ghost hiding in an old peepul tree, delicious baked treats enclosed within a magic box, a man with a tin box containing odd knick-knacks, uncomfortable yet exciting tonga rides, surprising run-ins with Quit India protestors, the warm company of old Miss Kellner, pretty weeds that he calls ‘Purple Hearts’, and much else besides. Punctuating all these happenings is the hoopoe, a little bird with an attractive hairdo, which appears in granny’s garden at 3 p.m. every day, much to Ruskin’s delight. In The Hoopoe on the Lawn, Ruskin Bond weaves together a story of the joys of unexpected friendships, the beauty of nature, and the simple pleasures of being young.