I'm rereading Moin and the Monster with my book club! I read it in June 2021, and all those who read it with me are now too old to be part of Read, Write, Explore, so it's time to introduce it to a fresh batch of children.At my last creative writing programme, one of the children wrote a story about a pink 2D zombie the size of a pineapple coming to life. I immediately thought of Moin and the monster! How could I not? And I knew I had to read the book again. Rhyme Everyone loves rhyme. For me, the biggest problem with poetry that children write and send me is forced rhyme without a sense of rhythm. Sure, sometimes it works. Maybe. But most often, it does not.When do we use rhyme and why? What kind of poems would you like to write? What kinds of poems do you read?Beginning with a discussion, I hope to write a little poetry together. Surprising … [Read more...]
Because of Winn-Dixie
Kate DiCamillo's Because of Winn-Dixie has been on my list of books to read for a l-o-n-g time. Yet, I didn't get around to reading it until I thought of introducing it to my book club. And I'm so glad I did! It's a gorgeous book. It's the kind of book that makes your heart ache and swell with its sweetness and its gentleness.India Opal's mother left her father and her, and it's because of Winn-Dixie, a dog she adopts at the spur of the moment, that she begins to come to terms with her loss. Not just that; all thanks to Winn-Dixie, she makes friends and learns what it means to be part of a community where everyone not only has a story to share and but also has ghosts that haunt their past.I can't wait to read it with my book club! Vocabulary Playing with words is always fun! I have three vocabulary activities in mind for Because of Winn-Dixie. … [Read more...]
A Flamingo in My Garden
We've read Talon the Falcon, The Golden Eagle and The Paradise Flycatcher. How can we not read A Flamingo in My Garden?The entire Feather Tales series is stunningly illustrated in full colour, and that is most certainly part of the charm. Like The Golden Eagle, A Flamingo in My Garden is a story within a story. Mitalee is delighted to see a flamingo in Rose Garden, and she watches as her favourite squirrel--whom she calls Snowdrop--and the birds chatter together. In that little circle of birds, the skybird Longtail tells the story of how Sunglow the flamingo found his way to Rose Garden. It's a lovely story full of suspense and the universal theme of good versus evil.Here's what we will do as we read the book. Words The sea is called bigwater. Police-birds are skybirds. Terra-staan is the earth.During author events on The Prophecy of Rasphora, I … [Read more...]
Art Workshop with Kripa
Each time a new writing programme begins, I feel it whizzes by. Twelve weeks are nearly over, and here we are, after our last guest session of the programme, an art workshop with art educator and children's illustrator, Kripa. It was such a treat!I've been looking at Kripa's art for a while, and I love it. Her tea journal, her little dough babies, her city sketches ... each picture she shares on social media is stunning. Art and writing go together, no matter how much I may say that I cannot draw at all, and that is why I invited Kripa to conduct an art workshop for us.Watching all the children fill their pages with colour warmed me up. It's a joy to watch them engage in the reflective experience of creating art, and I loved how Kripa guided them through it. The title of the workshop itself is lovely, isn't it? Purple sea and pink sky, Nothing in art is a lie. Kripa began by … [Read more...]
Bookaroo Srinagar 2023
What can one say about a literature fest without being repetitive? Lit fests are special. They fill you up with energy and enthusiasm. They remind you of the joy of reading, writing, and stories.And lit fests in beautiful spaces? They're inspiring. Srinagar is lovely, and equally, Delhi Public School, which hosted Bookaroo, was charming. Look where I conducted both my sessions! Over the last few years, I've been invited to several lit fests. Last year alone, I did events at lit fests in Vadodara, Gurugram, Jaipur and Pune, in addition to smaller ones at various schools in the country. I've shared pictures and anecdotes, and at the risk of repeating myself, I will say that lit fests always leave me on a high.Yet, for a writer, lit fests are a means to an end. They're a way for children to get to know about our stories. They help create some shelf space for … [Read more...]
Read, Write, Race
Over two years ago, we read Hungry to Read by Arti Sonthalia at my book club. The children thoroughly enjoyed the story, and the book discussion was completely different from what I expected. I thought we would talk about stereotypes and about how judging reading speed isn't ideal ... but none of that happened. Instead, the children talked of how much they loved the book.For me, Read, Write, Race was a much more enjoyable read, but I can't help wondering how this one will go with the book club!Very recently, I realised that even older children are not familiar with dyslexia. This surprised me, as several schools I've worked with have encountered dyslexia and spoken to children about it. While I have no idea how old I was when I first encountered the word, I look forward to talking to the children about learning disabilities. With Read, Write, Race, we'll follow Raghav's journey, as he … [Read more...]
The Prophecy of Rasphora
It is always a little daunting to introduce a book of my own to my book club. But I've done so many events based on The Prophecy of Rasphora, and so many of them have gone so well, that I feel (hope) this will be fun too!Tara, Afreen and Vandana discover a land behind a waterfall, the land of Rasphora. Vandana, ever practical, knows that they must get out of Rasphora as soon as they can. Life is not easy for them, and they cannot afford to miss a day's work, even though they are just children. But when she learns that she is part of a prophecy of this beautiful, mysterious land, she can't help but pause. She should, at least, listen to the prophecy before returning to her home in the hills. Shouldn't she? Language Games What is the first problem you would face if you found yourself a new land? This question always leads to the problem of communication. … [Read more...]
Fortunately, the Milk …
Some time ago, we read Help, My Aai Wants to Eat Me! at my book club. As planned, one of the things we did as we read the book was to make a list of pros and cons, like the protagonist Avi. Look at some of what we discussed. Out of all these ideas the last one stayed with me. When it comes to reading (and most other things), choice is key. If I want children to love books and reading, they must have the freedom to choose! Curating books is all very well, but every so often, it's important to take suggestions.And so, we chose Fortunately, the Milk ... by Neil Gaiman. It's silly, hilarious and all kinds of impossible. I know that some elements will not be every child's cup of tea, but we're going to have a lot of fun with it. It's a quick read too, which gives us all … [Read more...]
Journey to Jo’burg
I picked up my copy of Journey to Jo'burg when I visited The Dogears Bookshop a couple of months ago. As I read it, I wondered whether I could introduce it to my book club. It is simply and beautifully written, but it touches upon difficult themes that I don't know a lot about. I remember reading When Morning Comes, a YA book by Arushi Raina set in South Africa, but I've read little else set in the country.Plus, talking about apartheid, inequality and injustice at an online book club isn't always easy because we can't quite judge the children's moods. For instance, I remember a child writing to me privately in the chat box didn't like the conversation about what frightens us because it made him even more scared. Yet, books about difficult subjects are important. Books like Journey to Jo'burg give us hope. Although set in a different age, the book gives us a glimpse of a time that is not … [Read more...]
Munni Monster
I read Munni Monster a few months ago and loved it. It's a beautiful book, written with empathy and ending with hope. I knew I had to introduce it to my book club, and I can't wait to do so.Munni Monster is a book about a difficult subject, but for me, dwelling on only the subject matter of the book as we read is a bit of an overkill. The children will, I know, understand the messages the book conveys without any interference on my part. Of course, we will talk about cerebral palsy, but that cannot be the only thing we discuss without ruining the beauty of the book, so here's what we will do as we read. Secret Hiding Places Mishti has her own little hidey-hole that no one else is allowed to enter.Do you have a private place of your own? I know I did, as a child. I made my own hiding places too, with umbrellas in a corner, or saris under a dining … [Read more...]