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 h

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