Nikesh Shukla Books

The council of good friends is just that – a group of best friends who help each other out in difficult situations.

This book features multicultural characters as the main characters and I really enjoyed it. Vinay is looking forward to finally having his own bedroom when his mum drops the bombshell that his cousin will be arriving from abroad to stay. After the initial shock, Vinay thinks it might even be alright but Nikesh is not friendly. He is standoffish from the beginning and claims the top bunk immediately. If that’s not bad enough he pranks Vinay with cold water and ties him up in the middle of the night. Vinay has a meeting with his friends, Musa, Inua, and Nish, and they decide to fight ‘fire with fire’ as it were.

When things don’t go according to plan, a good old fashioned heart-to-heart does the trick. The author really hits the nail on the head when he shows us that just asking someone ‘how are you?’ and really listening can help.This is an amusing, entertaining story about cousins and friendships. Most children will be able to relate to the joys (and sometimes pains) of having cousins! Nikesh Shukla has written an appealing story with distinctive, mischievous characters, with never a quiet moment. I really liked the different cultures and backgrounds of the group of friends. Also, the funny, black-and-white illustrations by Rochelle Falconer really bring the story to life.