Who Will Be Ningthou?
Manipuri folktales always have that odd aura about them. And when rife with the local dialect, names and expressions, they can be charming reads or adaptations for plays. So this tale too has a king, a queen, a princess and three princes. But who will be the next king? Will the future king be as caring and compassionate as the present Ningthou? Only a contest will tell. An eye-opener for four to eight-year-olds, but even an adult would enjoy the black, white and red illustrations.
– April 1999, The New Indian Express

"Who will be the Thungi Ningthou, the future king?" Who among the princes – Sanajaoba, Sanayaima and Sanatonga – will prove himself worthy? When the aging and wise king of Manipur, the Ningthou, decides to choose the heir to the throne, the people are eager and anxious to know the outcome... The delightful book has a pleasant surprise in store regarding the choice of heir. The message comes through clearly. A kind heart is worth a coronet. Compassion for all creatures and sensitivity to the environment are more valuable than mere physical strength and power. The very young can be very wise and caring too as the Princess Sanantombi, all of five, shows... Words in the Manipuri dialect have been used in the story to render the feel of the place and the people.
– April 1999, The Hindu

Long ago, in the land of Kangleipak in Manipur, lived a Ningthou and Leima, a king and queen, who loved their meeyam, their subjects. (This is Mailtailon – a dialect spoken in Manipur.) This story by Indira Mukherjee was made into a book by Tulika Publishers with beautiful illustrations by A V Ilango, the well-known artist... With a consistency that matches their commitment, the publishers have managed to integrate fun with the values of reading, observing, feeling and thinking.
– April 1999,The Economic Times

...excellently narrated by Indira Mukherjee retaining the oral character of the tale.
– April 1999,The Economic Times

All About Nothing
Narrated in the form of a folktale, the book is reminiscent of the oral tradition of storytelling... Another interesting feature of the book is the presence of 'Wordbirds'. Though in English, the story uses many Sanskrit/Hindi words. The Wordbirds explain unfamiliar words and ideas, helping the reader develop a multi-lingual vocabulary. The illustrations also are notable for their authenticity... This along with simple storytelling techniques make the book interesting. Though ideal for six to ten year olds, the book has an appeal that is bound to cut across all age barriers.
– March 2000, The New Indian Express

A well written book that easily captures the imagination of a child with its simple words and small text.
– November 1996, The Book Review

All About Nothing is a creditable attempt to introduce children to this momentous discovery (of zero)... A fictional retelling, it tries to touch upon not only the mathematical but also the philosophical concept of nothing or shunya... At the same time, it is a beautifully designed book and we are told that birch bark or bhojpatra has been used as backdrop to give children a feel of the period.
– June 2000, Indian Review of Books

Kali and the Rat Snake
The sensitivity of the narration and the beauty of the illustrations make this book a really valuable gift for a child, especially the urban privileged child or one has little idea of the lives
of the likes of Kali in Tamil Nadu or elsewhere. The illustrations are especially vivid and lively and contribute a lot to making the book a good read.
– November 2000, Indian Review of Books

While on the surface Zai Whitaker's Kali and the Rat Snake might well be about little Kali's initiation into school, at a deeper level it tackles questions of identity and belonging. Simply and effectively... Zai Whitaker grew up in a house with a big garden that had bullfrogs and other wild creatures roaming about in it. Perhaps that's why she writes so warmly and familiarly of the rat snakes in the story?... The author's language is simple and effective.
She tells her story directly without frills, and makes her point without adopting the high moral tone. The story is accompanied by delightful and vivid watercolours by Srividya Natarajan, that depict Kali's world wonderfully.
– September 2000, Pitara.com

Kali and the Rat Snake, authored by Zai Whitaker, is pleasant and light reading, ideal for kids up six years. Written in the simplest of language the story gives an insight into the troubled emotions of a small child who is not accepted into the friends circle... The story is beautifully illustrated by Srividya Natarajan.
– July 2000, The New Indian Express

In a half hour session that included  a reading, the audience, a mixed age group, was able to relate to the ideas in the story. "I wrote this book," said the author and teacher Zai Whitaker, "to make you think."... The simple storyline is woven around Kali who dislikes school because he has no friends. Being an Irula,  a community of hunter-gatherers and snake-catchers, he senses he is different. Whitaker has examined the issue of identity while illustrator Srividya Natarajan's captivating watercolours have breathed life into the pages.
– November 2000, The Hindu

In Kali and the Rat Snake we not only learn some words in Tamil, we're also introduced to the unique life of the snake-catching tribes in Tamil Nadu. It is a wonderful book, with illustrations that keep you quite engrossed... Author Zai Whitaker obviously loves snakes and it shines through in all the pages of the story – forcing both you and me (who usually crawl under a blanket at the mere mention of the word) to feel a little foolish and to begin to love reptiles ourselves!
– August 2000, The Deccan Herald