Imagine the bafflement running through the mind of a child, who is just beginning to read, when he is told to remember "e for elephant". Why, the name of the letter is pronounced as the e in geese, but when used to name the gigantic mammal, it sounds like the e in egg. They don't say English is a funny language for no reason.

Mumbai-based Nafisa Moochhala has dealt with these and many other language-related conundrums in her 47-year-long career as a child psychologist and educator. Recently, she decided to document her experience in the form of a step-by-step guide to aid parents and teachers inculcate a love for reading in kids by making their first encounter with the written word an easy and enjoyable one. The result is her first in a series of three books, titled Learning to Read is Fun.