Captain Ramakrishna Naidu was furious. He clutched his son’s report card as he stormed into the house, parking his motorcycle hastily behind it. His wife, Shyamala, was absorbed in a film magazine while their two boys, Shyamu a.k.a, Shyama Prasad and Kittu a.k.a Krishna Prasad, chased each other around the room. Kittu, wearing his Superman cape, was after Shyamu, who sported a Batman mask. Though comic book friends, in the Naidu household, they were sworn enemies. “I’m going to make you pay for your crimes, Batman!” Kittu shouted. “Ha, no way, Superman! I name you Zeroman!” Shyamu teased, slipping out of his brother’s grasp. “How dare they fail him!” Captain Naidu growled, shaking the report card. “What happened?” Shyamala asked, lowering her magazine. “The boys’ report cards have arrived.” “And?” “They failed Kittu! His teacher called me and said he’ll have to repeat Lower Kindergarten!” “Repeat? What do they mean… The Report card

Kittu was thrilled. Vacation time had finally arrivedhis first real break after a grueling year of school. Kittu, or Krishna Prasad Naidu as his teachers called him, was a lively student in the Lower Kindergarten at St. Patrick’s School in Deoli. Somehow, despite his endless chatter and mischief, he had managed to survive a whole year in class. Sister Alphonse, his stern class teacher, had pulled his ear nearly every single day, scolding him for talking to his best friend, David, who shared the bench with him. But now all of that was behind him. It was vacation timetwo whole months of freedom. No school, no uniforms, no books, and best of all, his ears were safe from Sister Alphonse’s iron grip. Life couldn’t get any better. Kittu’s father, Captain R.K. Naidu had managed to get his annual leave approved, and the whole familyKittu, his parents, and his elder brother… Vacation time