The blog
An assortment of thoughts, opinions and stories
Books I’ve enjoyed, notes from my workshops, and stories about writing, dance and travel
Earwig and the Witch
When I learned that Earwig and the Witch is a movie too, I debated a long time over whether to read it with my book club or not. Finally, I decided that whether the children I…
Kolam Kanna
October 2023 sees us reading another brand-new book, hot off the press! I read Kolam Kanna just about a month ago, and I loved it. What’s not to love about a kolam-drawing child with friends who…
Gathering Blue
Gathering Blue opens with an unknown character in an unknown world. Sure, it is a dystopian world, but I found myself wondering, isn’t this the second book in The Giver quartet? I even went…
The Giver
Teaching creative writing is always eye-opening. Over time, we’ve worked with mythopoeia, dystopia, fantasy, adventure, and mystery, requiring us to come up with all kinds of mentor texts and examples. During the April to…
The Wild Robot
Reading The Wild Robot with one of my book clubbers was quite the experience. ‘Do you think a robot can experience emotions?’ I asked.‘Yes,’ came the confident reply, which took me by surprise.‘Why would…
Dum Dum to the Rescue & Yet More Adventures of Little Shambu
Dum Dum to the Rescue & Yet More Adventures of Little Shambu
I just finished reading book 3 of the Little Shambu series, and it’s just as enjoyable as the others! We meet all the familiar characters–Little Shambu and family, the dog Dum Dum, Little Shambu’s…
Five Fictional Friendships I Loved Writing
Five Fictional Friendships I Loved Writing
Three years ago, to celebrate Friendship Day, I wrote about five times fictional friendships won my heart. For Friendship Day 2023, here’s a post about five fictional friendships I enjoyed writing. And because I…
Kolam Kanna
I’ve read two books by Vibha Batra in less than a month, and I’ve loved them both! So many things about Kolam Kanna were utterly delightful that this review deserves to be in bullet…
In the Bear’s Den & More Adventures of Little Shambu
In the Bear’s Den & More Adventures of Little Shambu
Life is never humdrum with Little Shambu around, and I loved this next set of adventures too! I remember reading about how the non-violence policy of Shikari Shambu ensured that he never fired a…
Postcard from the Lushai Brigade
Postcard from the Lushai Brigade
What a beautiful addition to the Songs of Freedom series! Reminiscent of Private Peaceful although for a younger audience, Postcard from the Lushai Brigade is the story of a pair of brothers. And just…
