I love virtual school visits. I enjoy talking to children about my books, encouraging them to explore reading and writing, and taking them through my journey as a writer. Visiting schools virtually was such a novel experience that I wrote an essay for The Curious Reader about it. But of course, as virtual visits go on, more stories are created. That's the fun of working with children, isn't it? Recently, I did a session with a group of about 200 children. I know from experience that it's important to lay down the rules at the outset, and one of the rules is no mics. If 200 children switch on their mics, there's utter mayhem. Most children are now used to the idea, but at this school, the session was rather chaotic to begin with. In the beginning, before the session began, I did answer a few questions out of turn but as more and more participants joined in, I shook my head and kept … [Read more...]
Reading Challenge at Indus International School
"The circus has come to Pune!""Yes, and it can fly!""Yes, and there are gymnasts jumping from the ceiling!""Yes, and there is a flying unicorn!""Yes, and there are singing koalas!""Yes, and the tiger can bark!""Yes, and the dogs are miaowing!" I love playing 'Yes, and ...' with children. They are just so imaginative. We created a crazy circus together, full of dancing dragonflies, flying kangaroos and a robot or two thrown in. With the older children, we spoke about animal rights and bullying, with one group presenting a very balanced idea of the circus - as entertainment, as a home for strays, and as a nightmare for wild animals. I ended with a story from The Story-Catcher, "The Circus Boy", which led to a lovely conversation about child labour and bullying. "How many of you have never been bullied?" I asked.Not one child raised a hand."How many of you can honestly say … [Read more...]
What animal are you?
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 fun. Here's how it goes. The first child got this chit: He had to draw it, and this is what he drew: (In his defence, he's not even seven years old) The next child looked at the picture and tried to guess what it was. She thought it was this: The next child saw just this word and tried to draw it. This is what he drew: And the last child had to guess what it was. She guessed it was this: Each time I play this with children, it's just so much fun! Here's another one: And another: … [Read more...]
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 called Solve the Mystery! The children began by being detectives themselves. Each one took on an alias. Then, by asking one question to each other participant, they had to figure out who was who. Everyone was unmasked quite rapidly - we have many detectives in the making! What was most fun was the logic puzzles. Based on three or four clues, they had to solve puzzles I gave them. I was astounded by how quickly they did it! The workshop for the younger ones was fun in completely different ways. Will put up that story soon! … [Read more...]
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 went on. “A fine thing it would be if, on the very day YouKnow-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?” Who am I? I live in Oxford College in Jordan. My Uncle Asriel is researching something called Dust. There are evil people in my world, people who snatch children and cut them away from their daemons. I'm going to find out who they are. Who am I? I followed a rabbit down a hole because I was curious to know what I would find. Who am I? I live with my parents and my brother. My favourite … [Read more...]
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 the charming Fantastic Mr Fox, Small Fox, Matilda, Bella, Arjun and Chota Bheem ... It was so much fun! Working with listening exercises brought music to the workshop, and then, before I knew it, the morning was over! A note to parents who read this: don't send your children for a workshop if they don't fit into the age bracket! They feel horribly left out! They can't cope; they feel inferior - don't put them through that! … [Read more...]
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, and the younger one simply could not be bothered. A bit like Nisha and me, I suppose, except that I persevered. At the moment, one of the pairs of sisters at class shares a warm, fierce relationship. The elder one, Shruti, joined us a few years ago, while Shweta has been with us for a year or two. Both of them are absolutely adorable. Yesterday, I asked Shweta to demonstrate an adavu. When children dance well, I am unstinting in my praise, and Shweta really did the step very sweetly and very neatly. As I praised her, Shweta glowed and instinctively turned to her … [Read more...]
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 a bus, so I decided to start reading it ... and I just finished reading it. Historical fiction is lovely when it brings a time and place alive to the reader. The joy of historical fiction, to my mind, is that I start reading it with next to no knowledge about the period and finish with the satisfaction of having been there and seen that. Set in the second world war, it's not possible to know next to nothing when it comes to An Eagle in the Snow; yet, the story strikes the reader as fresh and poignant. Inspired by the story of Henry Tandey, a highly decorated Private, An Eagle in the … [Read more...]
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 I quietly put it back in place and got on with the book. In many ways, Little Bits of Sky is an old-fashioned book. I don't say this just because it's set in the 80s and 90s; the feeling the book gives you is of something that belongs to another time. It's not an action-packed book with things happening in each chapter. A lot happens during the book, yes, but the story is strongly character-driven, and I love how this means that the setting comes alive to us too. Ira (short for Miracle) and Zac (Zachery) are care kids who live at a children's home called Skilly. Ira, perpetually worried, … [Read more...]
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 narrative voice shifted and floated - there's no other word I can find for it. It was this floating that I enjoyed, where Darcy, who has just recovered from pneumonia feels as if she is floating out of her body, looking at things from a distance. Books about animals, when written well, wring my heart.(As a child, that is what made me think that I would like to be a vet - and then I discovered that I would have to study biology to do that. Loving animal stories would not be enough!) Dreaming the Bear is a uniquely told story, which did just that. It made my heart ache more than once. It … [Read more...]
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