I read The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips several years ago. And like most of Michael Morpurgo's books, it's a classic. In the cruellest, most inhuman of times, we find stories of courage and love - Morpurgo never fails to remind us of that.Through a series of diary entries, we learn about 11-year-old Lily, who lives in Slapton in 1943. The war seems very far away, even though several "townies" now study in the same school as Lily. Life goes on as usual--until the people of Slapton are told they must evacuate in seven weeks. Lily's grandfather refuses to move, but the time comes when he accepts that he will help the war effort by moving, so he does. The problem is that Lily's precious cat, Tips, goes missing, and everyone begins to hunt for her, including the Yankee soldiers who are now in Slapton.As the hunt for Tips goes on, relationships are formed, and these relationships drive the … [Read more...]
The Impossible Pet
I loved The Impossible Pet by Jane De Suza! It's a delightful story--the perfect blend of laughter and seriousness. Here's what we'll do as we read it at my book club next month. An Impossible Pet Look at the cover. Which of the animals featured there would be an impossible pet? And if one of them came into your life, how would you deal with it? What would you name it, and what do you think would make the pet fun? An Essay Essays are boring--at least, most children think so. But what about an opening paragraph like this?What I like most in the world is my pet. My pet's name is Silent Sunny Gekkonidae. And he is the only crocodile which can climb walls.I'd love to see where my book clubbers take the story from here! Sharing I love using whiteboards and sticky notes in class. As we read the book, we'll take a look at … [Read more...]
Sneaker Paati
Sneaker Paati is an engaging book that I read a few months ago. Even as I read it, I thought about the fact that it would make for a quick, easy read for middle-grade readers who want something lighthearted and fun. That's why we'll be reading it at my book club next month! Here's what we'll do as we read. Grandparents Grandparents in stories often knit, crochet, make delicious food, and pamper their grandchildren. Have you read about a grandmother who is different? What about your grandparents? I would love for the children at my book club to talk about grandparents who fit the mould or break the mould. At my book club, I will ask each child to tell me a story about a grandparent. Any sort of story will do--one that features their grandparents as children, or one that involves the book clubbers too! Sport Sneaker Paati can do … [Read more...]
The Piano
I've been meaning to read The Piano by Nandita Basu for a long time. I read and loved Rain Must Fall, and although Starry, Starry Night didn't entirely work for me, I loved the idea and the artwork. The Piano is another lovely graphic novel, a sweeping story that takes us from 1912 to 2012 in just a few pages. I like how sparsely it is told, allowing us to ride through the story, tasting its beauty, and rejoicing in the relationships forged. The Piano is inspired by a real piano that author Nandita Basu was drawn to many years ago. Her investigation into the origin of her piano led her to tell this story, the story of an instrument crafted in 1912 in Leipzig. Although Jorge, the original recipient of the piano, cares nothing for it, the piano eventually crosses time and place, finding its way to a girl who is in search of a friend. History and story are woven together to create a … [Read more...]
Brachio
What a charming book! Brachio by Venkataraghavan and Ananya Broker Parekh is a visual treat, one that touches the reader with sweetness and whimsy. Brachio is so tall that he doesn't fit on the cover, as you can see. In fact, he even has his own fold-out page so that you can see how tall he is. But can someone so tall ever fit in? Can he belong anywhere? Brachio is the kind of book that makes you smile long after you've finished reading it. It is a picture book that addresses big themes, like purpose, loneliness, friendship and cruelty. Through it all, just like a powerful lighthouse that stands tall, Brachio gives us hope. Perhaps our usefulness does not determine our worth. Perhaps there is more to us than what we can do. And in these ideas lies the beauty of the book. I loved the story, the design, the … [Read more...]
Dear Author, You Are Wrong
Varsha Varghese’s Dear Author, You Are Wrong is another book I had the chance to read as a manuscript a few years ago when it was submitted for the Scholastic Asian Book Award 2023. It won the award—and deservedly so! It is a deceptively simple read, one that addresses a range of social issues with quite a light touch. When eleven-year-old Avisha reads a book that makes her upset and angry, she hunts out the author’s email and writes to her. The author writes back, and this sets Avisha off on an unexpected investigation. As Avisha turns detective, she realises there are more questions than answers--uncomfortable questions, at that. Why must delivery people use a separate lift in her apartment complex? Do families have clear gender roles? Is a gender role wrong in itself? With Avisha, we discover how easily inconvenient questions are dusted under the carpet. Issues of caste and … [Read more...]
ingey angey
Do you find language learning fun? I'm not sure if I ever did. It was something that happened automatically, or didn't happen at all, and I've written about it before in the context of International Mother Language Day. But what if language learning can be fun, or even "romba fun", as ingey angey leads us to believe? How delightful that would be! ingey angey is a rhyming book that introduces Tamil words in a thoroughly enjoyable manner. What I would have loved along with the board book was an audio book, especially as words like kannakutty aren't spelt in a way that reads naturally. Later on, we have the word kanna, which makes the pronunciation of the earlier word even more confusing. Despite the few tiny quarrels with the book, I love the concept, the execution, and the artwork. I would love to see board books like this for every language! ingey angey is a book that … [Read more...]
Moin and the Monkey Monster
Moin is back! But more importantly, the monster is baaaaack! (It even has a song about it.) With its quirky characters (most of whom we've met before in Moin and the Monster and Moin the Monster Songster), Moin and the Monkey Monster is a hilarious read. Through its pages, we can hear the monster's terrible voice and even smell squishy, overripe bananas. What my book clubbers (and I) love about the monster is how wacky and unpredictable it is. There's frozen laughter when something horrifically funny is about to happen--like when the monster is singing, and the principal chances upon it. Even funnier is the fact that only the principal, popularly called Kooki, seems to see this pink thing. As readers, it's a joy to be inside on a secret, and that's what propels the story. We know that the monster exists and we delight in the delicious wickedness of seeing Kooki question his sanity … [Read more...]
Hey Sis! Hey Bro!
It's been such a long time since I read a collection of short stories! Hey Sis! Hey Bro! by Deepa Agarwal was a fun read, bringing together a range of stories featuring brothers and sisters, or, as the subtitle says, celebrating the sibling bond. From mythology to historical fiction and realistic fiction, I enjoyed the variety of tales brought together by a common theme. Each story in the collection is just the right length, giving us a snippet of a sibling relationship. I like the nuances portrayed, the mixture of love and hate, the pettiness and grandeur of the emotions between siblings, as well as the messiness of growing up. Competitiveness and collaboration, hope and despair--all these find their way into this light-hearted, easy to read collection. TitleHey Sis! Hey Bro!AuthorDeepa AgarwalTagsShort Stories, Early Middle GradeAges9+Rating (out of 5)4 … [Read more...]
What’s the Point of Kiki?
The name of the book itself makes me chuckle. It makes one think of big philosophical questions like What's the point of life? or Why are we here? And yet, there's a simplicity to the question that I love--what's the point of a pet that does not show you any love, that you cannot cuddle? What's the Point of Kiki? by Nandita da Cunha and Rishita Loitongbam is a sweet, light-hearted book that still manages to address bigger themes. A crow, Kiki, enters Nisha's life with an injured leg. The problem is that he never leaves. He monopolises all Ma's time, and Nisha cannot understand it. She cannot understand why anyone would love a loud, messy bird. Even worse, if she does the same things Kiki does, she gets told off. How is it fair? I love the exploration of Nisha's vulnerability and the ways in which she tries to get attention. The expressive pictures add layers to the story, layers … [Read more...]
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