Flip through an elementary history school textbook and it won't take much time to find a mention of Joan of Arc, Queen Cordelia, Rani Lakshmibai or Rani Padmini. But even after graduating high school, the sex ratio of warriors you encounter is skewed in favour of the male hero. That's why Tara Anand's Warrior Women (Tulika Books), which features a set of 12 illustrated stories of Indian bravehearts, serves as an excellent starter pack for kids. With names including Begum Samru, Rani Chennama, and Joya Thaosen, it reflects diversity across centuries conveying the gist of their lives in a couple of pages. Anand has illustrated colourful snapshots for each story that effectively conveys expression, setting, and time. Edited excerpts from an interview.