Have you ever played Chinese Pictionary? I used it as part of my junior workshop for the British Library’s Reading Challenge this year. It’s a combination of Chinese Whispers and Pictionary, and it promises to be hilarious. Especially with young children, or people who cannot draw, it becomes a crazy game that is loads of […]
Solve the Mystery!
Of all the workshops I conduct, the ones at the British Library remain special. Maybe it’s because that’s where it all began. For the Animal Agents Reading Challenge, I conducted my first pair of workshops at the new premises. Logic, imagination and laughter are such a delicious combination! For the seniors, I conducted a session […]
Reading Challenge at the British Library
I can’t believe that this is the fifth year that I’m conducting workshops for the British Library’s Reading Challenge! I began with … Then came the challenge that probably has my favourite set of books: I thoroughly enjoyed the workshops in my third year with the Reading Challenge: With Dahl, you can’t go wrong, so […]
Children’s Day at the Writers’ Club – Who Am I?
“I know that,” I said, irritably. “But that’s no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumours.” I threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore, hoping he was going to tell me something, but he didn’t, so I […]
Reading Workshop at JustBooks Baner
New characters, new stories and comics – today’s session at JustBooks Baner was lovely! During the ice-breaker, I met all kinds of new characters. I usually encounter only Geronimo Stilton, Thea, Greg and Harry Potter. Today, I met Xan, Rafe and Joe, whom I don’t know at all! And I was also delighted to find […]
Sisters at Dance Class
Perhaps because Nisha and I have always been so close and so affectionate towards each other, I have always been intrigued by relationships between sisters. At dance class, we do have the odd pair of sisters joining class. These aren’t as common as I would imagine. Often, one sister (usually the elder one) joins class, […]
Smart
How do you write a modern novel with a child detective? Famous Five and Secret Seven aren’t really believable anymore because now, everyone thinks of the tape that cordons areas off, and the fact that clues simply aren’t that easy to find. Smart by Kim Slater shows you how it’s still possible to write a mystery […]
An Eagle in the Snow
Every book by Michael Morpurgo that I’ve read so far has been gripping from the very first chapter. When I saw An Eagle in the Snow at the library yesterday, I snatched it up, thinking of a lovely weekend with a wonderful book for company. And then I had nothing to read while I waited for […]
Little Bits of Sky
The cover of the edition of Little Bits of Sky that I read is absolutely gorgeous. I felt like a child when I looked at it. I stared and stared. And then I played with the dust jacket a little bit. And then, just like a child, I was afraid I would damage it or something, so […]
Why Performances are Fun
Anyone who has ever performed knows about the adrenalin rush, the energy, the feeling of having achieved something. But more than all of these, I think performances are fun because they’re full of stories. Some are dramatic stories that we tell and retell, like when we performed in Chidambaram, and the time when Nisha and […]
Dreaming the Bear
Dreaming the Bear reminded me, in some ways, of White Dolphin. I loved it and I hated it. Because the story took the turn it had to take, and what ‘should’ happen did. Read the story to figure out what I mean. An intriguing story, Dreaming the Bear took me into minds that are distant from me. The […]
Dashami Poojai
Each year, we have a poojai at dance class for Dashami. Now, at the Academy of Indian Dances, there are four teachers, including me. Mythili Mami is, of course, head; that goes without saying. On Dashami, a little girl crept up to the corner where we were standing. “I want to speak to Ma’am,” she […]
The Fastest Boy in the World
Four years ago, I read Elizabeth Laird’s Oranges in No Man’s Land, and was deeply moved. Then, two years ago, I read The Witching Hour, and loved it. And now, her The Fastest Boy in the World did not let me down. Eleven-year-old Solomon lives in a small village in Ethiopia. When his grandfather announces that he will take […]
Mayil Will Not Be Quiet!
I woke up in the middle of the night, frowning. I had a bit of a story in my head, and I could not remember who had written it. It was one of the Mary’s girls, I thought … A young writer, I was sure. Maybe one of the sixth standard girls? And then I […]
Queen of Ice
Didda knew that a grand destiny awaited her. She sometimes wondered whether her mother had bribed the astrologer to predict greatness and fortune so that Didda, who was not just a girl, but also lame, would not be killed at birth. But the prediction was made, and Didda was determined to fulfil her destiny. Queen […]
Fortunately-Unfortunately
Option 1 “I am going to meet a monster today.” “Fortunately, it doesn’t bite.” “Unfortunately, that means it will just gobble you up.” Option 2 “I jumped into the swimming-pool today.” “Fortunately, the pool was heated.” “Unfortunately, I cannot swim.” “Fortunately, it was not deep.” Which beginning do you find more entertaining? I was very […]
Talking of Muskaan
Talking of Muskaan has been on my to-read list for a long time, and I finally bought it, read it and loved it. It was everything it promised to be – moving, relatable and real. Muskaan knows herself better than a lot of others her age. That does not make life easier for her; in fact, […]
I love limericks!
Limericks are fun! Very often, during a short session on creative writing, we work with limericks. They’re good fun, sparking much conversation and laughter. Many, many children love limericks too – one of my students even wrote a short story in limericks, which is part of Flickering Flames – An Anthology of Poems and Short Stories. […]
Reading Challenge at Clover Dale, Aurangabad
I put a ten-rupee coin into the bubblegum machine Soon, bubblegums flew out and hit my head! For a moment, I wondered; then I realised That I’d put a hundred-rupee coin into the machine instead! – adapted from a poem written in about seven minutes by one of the participants at yesterday’s workshop.* *If anyone […]
The Emily Series
If I wanted to make friends with Anne Shirley, I was Emily. I deliberately use the italics Emily loves; Mr Carpenter isn’t here to censure! With a pang that borders on envy, I wonder, how could L.M. Montgomery create so many wonderful characters? Emily of New Moon tells the story of a sensitive young girl who cannot choose […]