Narratives, Routes and Intersections in Pre-Modern Asia, edited by my mother Dr Radhika Seshan was launched on Thursday at the international seminar ‘People, Places and Cultures in Asia and the World’ at Savitribai Phule Pune University.
Picture Books for Winter Nights
I just finished reading a handful of picture books; they’re such a comfortable way to spend a winter evening! Chuckling, tucking your brain aside, reading and looking at pictures – what more could I possibly want? All Mine was my absolute favourite. Written by Zehra Hicks, it is a picture book that does have a moral, […]
Hetty Feather
Many, many years ago, a friend gave me The Suitcase Kid for my birthday. I devoured it — and did not understand it. I cannot explain that. I had never felt that way about a book before, and I have never felt that again. The chapters are arranged alphabetically, with each chapter starting with one letter. It was […]
Mr Oliver’s Diary
I enjoyed reading this review of Mr Oliver’s Diary written by Arwen Banerjee, one of the students of the Writers’ Club at St. Mary’s School. The theme of the month was school stories, and this review was a refreshing change from the ones on Malory Towers, St. Clare’s and others! Mr Oliver’s Diary: Review Arwen Banerjee Ruskin […]
How to Capture an Invisible Cat
Yes, I picked it up because of its name. No surprise there. Wouldn’t you pick up a book that seemed like a guidebook to capturing an invisible cat? I’m sure you don’t know how to do it, and who knows when you’ll need to? How to Capture an Invisible Cat was a funny book, one that was […]
You Can’t take an Elephant on the Bus
It’s Children’s Day; what better time to celebrate a picture book I loved? You Can’t take an Elephant on the Bus is one of the books in this year’s Reading Challenge collection, and I loved it! I enjoy picture books that rhyme. I also enjoy whacky books that don’t have a hidden agenda – to teach, preach, […]
The Boy with the Tiger’s Heart
The cover of The Boy with the Tiger’s Heart is one of the most beautiful covers I’ve ever seen. When I picked up the book, I didn’t notice the tiger, and when I did, it took my breath away! My reading of the book was certainly influenced by how beautiful it was. Every time I closed the book […]
Flickering Flames – A Review
Flickering Flames is a collection of short stories and poems written by the members of the Writers’ Club at St. Mary’s School. Here’s a little about it. Ishitaa Shevate, one of the students in the next batch of the Writers’ Club, reviewed the book: here’s what she has to say! This is a very nice book. It […]
The Great Cheese Robbery
Lots of books on my blog this week: that’s what happens when I do a workshop for the British Library’s Reading Challenge! The Great Cheese Robbery was a delightful picture book that brought back memories of Disney’s “Dumbo”. I remember the first time I watched “Dumbo” and saw the elephants shriek at the sight of a […]
The Paper Dolls
I love Julia Donaldson! I came across her work for the first time when I read and watched The Gruffalo’s Child. Then, I read Running on the Cracks – a completely different book for a completely different audience. And now, as part of the Record Breakers Reading Challenge, I read The Paper Dolls, first by myself and then […]
The Imagination Box
Isn’t the name wonderful? The Imagination Box is the story of a boy called Tim, who has convinced himself that all he needs in life are his pencil and paper (and some confectionery would do no harm). Recently adopted, he knows that all the papers have been signed, but cannot help thinking of his new home […]
The Boy in the Dress
I started reading The Boy in the Dress long ago and never ended up finishing it. I don’t know why. Maybe I was in no mood to deal with all the mucus in the second chapter. Or maybe I was just not in the right mood. I picked up the book again because I watched a “Britain’s Got Talent” […]
Flickering Flames
Last week, St. Mary’s School officially launched Flickering Flames, an anthology of poems and stories I edited as the facilitator of the Writers’ Club. The teachers have their copies already, and I’ve heard some lovely comments about the book. Here’s a little about it for those who are reading about this for the first time … In […]
Shine
What a puzzling book Shine was! It leaves me all mixed up in terms of what I feel about it. It’s a page turner, that’s for sure. I began to read and just kept reading without ever stopping. Yet, there were just so many places when I groaned and felt it was too predictable. There were things […]
A Monster Calls
Stunning. Absolutely stunning. I picked up A Monster Calls in the same way that I pick up all other books – randomly. No one recommended it to me. I read no reviews. I did not read the blurb. Sometimes it’s better that way, simply because you have no idea what to expect. Patrick Ness’s A Monster Calls is a truly […]
More First Prints!
I wrote not so long ago about the first prints of The Duronto Adventure and Bholu at the Level Crossing. The next two books for young readers are here! A little about these two books … Kevin has lost his lucky coin! Bholu volunteers to help him look for it, and Deven, Priya, Rohit and Ruth come along. Would […]
Flickering Flames – Now Available!
During the last academic year, a group of girls from St. Mary’s School worked with me at the Writers’ Club. They imagined, wrote and rewrote. Now, their work is available in the form of an anthology of poems and short stories! Flickering Flames, written by girls from classes VI and VII of St. Mary’s School, is now available online. The […]
Duronto and Level Crossing Resource Packs!
I wrote about first prints and the joy of having the resource packs in hand. But how could I cut up the one electric loco kit I had? Now, armed with a spare set, I’m ready to make my own electric loco model. As a child, I loved jigsaw puzzles. I loved them so much that […]
The Duronto Adventure Resource Pack
Of course I’m delighted with the books, but each book is also part of a complete resource pack! Each pack contains: A story A CD (with the ebook and lots of animation) A kit to build your own model of an electric locomotive!
Two new books by Varsha Seshan!
It’s been nearly four years since The Story-Catcher was published. Finally, here are two new books! Launched at the National Rail Museum yesterday, these books are currently available only at the Souvenir Shop of the museum. They are part of a kit that also contains a CD and an activity! Pictures of those will come soon … The […]