In Mallika Ravikumar’s new book, The Case of the Missing Turtles (Talking Cub), three young detectives — Mirchi, Meera, and Malhar — set out on an adventure, along with their dog Munna, when a frantic Shimplya, their neighbourhood friend, approaches them. His father, Surmai Jadhav, has been arrested by the police; he doesn’t know why. While they investigate the matter, they come to learn about a group of people who have been running a big poaching racket in their town, Maulsari. Will the M4 gang be able to find and save Jadhav? Could the poachers have something to do with his arrest? What do the wildlife laws of the country say?

Ravikumar reveals that the seed of her book was planted when she spent some time in Chennai, understanding the Students’ Sea Turtle Conservation Network, her brother-in-law Arun Venkataramanan’s turtle conservation project at Marina Bay. It exposed her to the urgent need of saving the turtle population in the country. On the project walks, during the nesting season, she recollects handling the turtles with him: watching baby turtles emerge from the hatched eggs, and then, releasing them into the water. “Turtle is an animal that is endearing to children, too, and I thought it would connect well with them,” she remarks.