Poile Sengupta’s work straddles five decades and all genres of writing. She is a playwright, poet, novelist and short fiction writer, both for children and adults. The sheer volume of her work for children is mindboggling—nearly two dozen books, and two dozen anthology entries. She has acted in the films The Outhouse and Shaitan. She was a member of the jury for the 2010 and 2012 Trinity Guildhall International Children’s Playwriting Competitions, and for five years on the Governing Council of the National School of Drama, New Delhi.
<p>Neel, an ordinary fourteen-year-old schoolboy lives in Bengaluru with his ordinary three-generation family. But his humdrum life is overtaken by extraordinary events.</p><p>Starting with some puzzling thefts in his colony, Neel recounts a series of events that unfold over three months from January to March. Neel endeavours to crack the case, even as he is pursued by his romantically inclined classmate, leading to comic and endearing encounters. As Neel explores the highs and lows of growing up, and friendships, his unremarkable world shatters when he confronts the harsh reality of communal hatred, both at school and beyond.</p><p>This is a story of growing up and of growing apart …</p>
