I've read barely any nonfiction with my book club. Historical fiction, yes, but nonfiction? I can remember having read only Sita's Chitwan. The theme of The Great Indian Safari by Arefa Tehsin is similar--wildlife. It's a theme close to my heart, and I find myself using every opportunity I can to introduce books about it to children.Engaging in its format and full of possibility in terms of what I can do with it at a book club, The Great Indian Safari is a work of creative nonfiction told from the point of view of Charred the Bard, a jungle crow. I look forward to soaring through the forests of India with him! Wildlife How many of my book clubbers have been on a safari? What rules do we follow on safaris and why? During one of our sessions, each of my book clubbers will present something about any animal found in the jungles of India. As an … [Read more...]
The Great Sneak-Out
The Great Sneak-Out is such a fun book that I knew I wanted to introduce it to my book club the moment I read it! Humour, silliness and sweetness come together to make this a perfect read for the early middle-grade reader. Siblings As this is the first book we will be reading at Read, Write, Explore in December, we'll talk about siblings, both real and fictional! Do you have a sibling? We'll have a freewheeling conversation, but we'll also work on similes, comparing siblings to different things in nature, an activity I've done before and enjoy. This will connect well to our next activity! Figures of Speech To say Ampoorna Ma'am was angry would have been like calling the Taj Mahal a hut.What figure of speech is this? How can we bring humour into our writing by using comparisons? Let's find out! Chapter Titles Creative … [Read more...]
The Vampire Boy
The Vampire Boy by Sharanya Deepak is another delightful hOle book - quirky and unique. We'll be rereading it at my book club in December 2025!The government has decided that all children - including young vampires - must go to school. What is Kristofer to do? He knows he will be shunned, but off he goes, only to meet with curiosity and bullying. In a way that is perfect for this age-group, humour underlines everything that happens to Kristofer. Soon, he makes friends with not just Bo, but also Bran, the class bully. Together, they go to school, they go on a camp, and they even catch a chicken thief!I'm waiting to reread it with my book clubbers. Here's what I plan to do with it. Book Discussion Kristofer is a vampire who hates blood!As this is the first book we will be reading together, a good way to begin is with a discussion on what makes us … [Read more...]
Banian Buddies
Banian Buddies is another lovely book by Vibha Batra! I love how she manages to bring a local flavour to each of her books, from Kolam Kanna to Pinkoo Shergill and now, Banian Buddies. The banyan tree on Banian Avenue is in danger—and it’s all Venky’s fault. He asked his Thatha to write a letter to The Grouchy Times complaining about the noise the rooster Tandoori makes. Tandoori belongs to the fruit vendor’s daughter Kannalmozhi. When the local authorities dash into action, they want the vendors to move away, but they also want to cut down the banyan tree to widen the road! Banian Buddies touches upon a lot of interesting subjects that are sure to make children think. For one, when the children approach a celebrity to support their cause, they are utterly disillusioned. This grand celebrity who seems to care about the environment isn’t at all what she seems to be! … [Read more...]
Full Cicada Moon
“Where are you from?” Sometimes, this feels like such an innocuous question. But often, it isn’t. For Mimi Yoshiko Oliver, growing up in 1969 Vermont, it feels like a particularly loaded question because her mother is Japanese and her father is African-American. She is American, but she doesn’t “look” it. Full Cicada Moon is a beautiful novel in verse that takes us through Mimi’s ups and downs as she finds her feet in a new school. Several sections in the story made me stop and sigh—particularly moments when Mimi experienced kindness and sensitivity from her father, a potential friend, or a teacher. Laced with light humour, this middle-grade book is a quick and easy read that juxtaposes the tiny steps we take as individuals with Neil Armstrong’s small step on the moon. Whenever I read books that bring in other languages, I love it when these words aren’t explained to us in the … [Read more...]
The Great Sneak-Out
What an adorable book! The Great Sneak-Out is my favourite POFFS book because it's such a perfect blend of ridiculous and heartwarming. The charm of the story begins with the dedication. The author Sanjana Kapur once hid her sister (the editor of this book, Aparna Kapur) under a table!? I would love to know more! The story features a sister who does just that. When Ira, who is in the first grade, doesn't want to go to her classroom, her sister Ana hides her under her desk. The problem is that Ira is much happier in Ana's class than in her own, especially as all Ira's friends get into the act and make the little girl comfortable. The Great Sneak-Out is about helping someone who is unhappy, keeping secrets and finding that you belong. Unlikely friendships, unpredictable adults, and enterprising children kept a giggle in my throat and wonder in my eyes as I read about Ana and … [Read more...]
The Mystery of the Disappearing Drone
The AKA Detective Club is back with another mystery to solve! A couple of months ago, we read The Mystery of the Missing Geometry Boxes at my book club for ages 9 and 10, and most of my book clubbers enjoyed it. A series of mysteries is always fun, so we’re sure to read The Mystery of the Disappearing Drone soon too! Aarav, Karthik and Asha have a new mystery to solve—the mystery of a stolen Rolex watch. Things spiral out of control, however, when the watch is stolen not once, but twice. Worse, when it is stolen for the second time, Karthik becomes the prime suspect because the evidence seems to indicate that the watch was stolen by a drone, and the only one with a drone with claws is Karthik! Suspicion within a club is never a good sign, and the three detectives have to find a way to solve the mystery and clear their names. The complexity of the story is perfect for early … [Read more...]
Mules that Fall from the Sky
How does one write about a book like Mules that Fall from the Sky? As adults, we often feel the need to shelter children from anything disturbing or difficult. I wonder, though, whether it’s because we don’t want to think about these things, rather than for any other reason. Mules that Fall from the Sky is a collection of stories about animals during the war. Of course, having read Michael Morpurgo and others as a child, some of these ideas weren't new to me. Yet, Mules that Fall from the Sky forces you to take off any remnants of rose-tinted glasses you may have and see things for what they were. What happened to animals during the war? How were they treated? What about dogs that were donated to the war effort? What happened to them? This is not a book you can sit and read at one sitting simply because it is too distressing. Yet, I found myself wondering, would I have read it as … [Read more...]
The Halloween Adventure and Other Stories
The World of Butterfingers works so well in the comic format! I've read just one book from the popular series by Khyrunnisa A before--Smash It, Butterfingers!--and it was an enjoyable read. This one, illustrated by Abhijeet Kini, is fun and engaging, reminding me of the Tinkle comics I read as a child. The Halloween Adventure and Other Stories is a collection of three stories featuring Amar Kishen, aka Butterfingers. Butterfingers is clumsy, enterprising, and a whole lot of fun. In each of the three stories in the book, Butterfingers finds himself in a sticky situation, but manages not just to escape, but to make everything better. The comic book style works perfectly, drawing us into the hilarity of the world Butterfingers inhabits. While I did find some of the narration unnecessary, I loved how easy and readable the format was. The expressions on the characters' faces, as well … [Read more...]
Boo-Boo’s Adventures
We've read Boo-Boo Investigates and Boo-Boo the Eco-Warrior; we're now all set to read Boo-Boo's Adventures! My book clubbers particularly enjoy the Boo-Boo series because the chapters are like little standalone stories, which are fun and engaging. A friendly ghost and a kind human child make a charming pair! Good Deeds GGPa announces an award for the one who does the most good deeds, and this sets the little ghost Boo-Boo off on a series of adventures. It's a good time to talk about good deeds we can do! For one, I will ask the children what they feel they can do. Then, in the following class, I will ask each of them to tell me what good deeds they did! Word Games Word search puzzles, unscrambling words, and a spelling bee are a great way to revisit words we come across when we read. They're also a fun way to acquire new … [Read more...]
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