Gobi Goes Viral by Vibha Batra is funny, heart-warming, and altogether believable. We've read and loved Kolam Kanna and Pinkoo Shergill at my book club, and I'm happy to introduce yet another book by the same writer to the children I meet. Here's what we'll do as we read this story! Talent Show How can we read a book about a talent show without having a talent show of our own? Over time, I've had children recite poetry, play musical instruments, draw and solve a Rubik's Cube during our book club. It's always lovely to see a side of children that I wouldn't otherwise get to see if we stuck to just reading in class! Similes Gopi (aka Gobi) uses very interesting similes! Starting with an example from the text, we will explore funny similes, coming up with imaginative comparisons for a range of humorous … [Read more...]
The Mystery of the Disappearing Drone
A few months ago, when I read The Mystery of the Disappearing Drone, I knew I would eventually introduce this AKA Mystery to my book clubbers. Some of them have read The Mystery of the Missing Geometry Boxes with me; I look forward to introducing this one to them! Detective Notebook As we read The Mystery of the Disappearing Drone, we'll write detective notes. Whom do we suspect and why? What evidence do we have so far? How can we evaluate the evidence and reach a conclusion? Mystery Game I've played this game in the past, and it's good fun! I will give my book clubbers a set of clues, based on which we will try to figure out who the murderer is! Satisfying Conclusions Does a cliffhanger make for a satisfying conclusion? Why, or why not? The writing exercise we do for The Mystery of the Disappearing Drone will focus … [Read more...]
Amelia Bedelia Goes Wild
We read our first Amelia Bedelia (Amelia Bedelia Means Business) at the second edition of my reading programme, and what fun we had with it! Even though there were children who didn't understand much of the word play, the humour came through, and we enjoyed the book thoroughly.Amelia Bedelia Goes Wild promises to be just as much fun. Amelia is "sick as a dog", and she can't go to the zoo with the rest of her class. But it isn't like Amelia to give up and give in. Oh, no. If she can't go to the zoo, she must make one of her own!Powered by her optimism and bursting with ideas, Amelia can do anything, as she shows us in this humorous chapter book that I'm waiting to share with my book club. Wordplay How can we read an Amelia Bedelia and not engage in wordplay? From idioms to homophones, this series explores the madness of the English language, … [Read more...]
A Boy Called Bat
What does it mean to be autistic? What exactly does the word inclusive mean?I think these are conversations we must keep having, and the earlier we have them with children, the more likely it is that they will be sensitive to neurodiversity, and the fact that we can look at things from other points of view.For me, the best way to have these conversations is through books - books like A Boy Called Bat.Bat, aka Bixby Alexander Tam, is an unforgettable character, and his story is both funny and lovely. Bat may be autistic, but the truth is that all of us - neurotypical or neurodiverse - know what it is like to want something with all our heart. And what does Bat want? To convince his mother that a skunk kit is the perfect pet.A story about friendship, sibling rivalry, and being different, A Boy Called Bat is another book we're rereading at my book club because it's such a rewarding, lovely … [Read more...]
Help, My Aai Wants to Eat Me!
Yes, Help, My Aai Wants to Eat Me! is as mad and fun as it sounds. I know LOTS of people who express affection by saying they want to eat people up. People like Avi's Aai who thinks Avi is so adorable that she wants to eat him.The problem is that Avi thinks she's for real. And when his Aai is ill, he's sure that he is being fattened up for her, rather like the story of Hansel and Gretel, where the witch fattens children up to eat them ...It's humorously horrifying, but also sweet and charming; we're definitely going to enjoy reading Help, My Aai Wants to Eat Me! at my book club. Pros and Cons Avi looks at the pros and cons of everything, and we're going to use this idea in class. What are the pros and cons of reading in a group? What about of online book clubs? Schools reopening? Notes Each day that his mother is sick, Avi writes … [Read more...]
Tiger Boy
Sometimes, it takes a while to get to a book, even though you come across it everywhere. Tiger Boy by Mitali Perkins was like that for me. I knew it was set in the Sunderbans, and that it has sold over a lakh copies. I bought a copy, and yet, it sat unread on my shelf for months. I finally read it, and I'm looking forward to introducing it to my book clubbers! It's a story about being true to yourself, making difficult decisions, and persevering even when it feels like the world is against you. Another book that reminded me of Red Eyes, I loved venturing with the protagonist Neel deep into the forest, as he struggles to balance what he wants with what he must do. Imagery As someone who loves visiting jungles, a book set in a forest opens up all kinds of possibilities. As we read Tiger Boy, we will work on bringing all five senses alive through … [Read more...]
Mahalaxmi Will Go to Mysore
In some ways, Mahalaxmi Will Go to Mysore is a difficult read when it comes to my book club. A lot of children grow up in bubbles, unaware of what it means to be poor, oblivious to privilege and prejudice. I don't know how effective our conversations will be, but I said it even when I reviewed the book--this book is a conversation starter. It needs to find its way into school libraries and from there into children's hands. Hoping to make a tiny beginning with my book club, although I have no idea where our discussions will lead! Friends Most of our friends come from similar backgrounds because we meet them at school or at one of the many classes we go to. Do you have friends who are different from you? What would you do if your friend could not come on a class trip with you? Holidays Since Mahalaxmi Will Go to Mysore is all about a … [Read more...]
Thrills and Chills – A Horror Writing Workshop with Shabnam Minwalla
What a thrilling, chilling session we had with Shabnam Minwalla! It was interactive and fun, full of creepy examples and wonderful ideas. Shabnam began by telling us what inspired her book Saira Zariwala Is Afraid--mysterious messages on her daughter's phone. From there, we explored all kinds of things, from settings, to concepts for horror stories. I loved how many participants shared examples of regular places that become sinister! Playgrounds, people who are a little too sweet, mysterious lights ... Even ordinary places like schools and malls have so much potential for horror! One big takeaway for me was the idea that what we imagine is far more frightening than what is written. As a result, an unreliable narrator who makes us feel uncertain works perfectly for horror! Beginning with a setting that has potential, moving to a "what-if" sentence, and then creating a sense of … [Read more...]
Delightfully True – A Workshop on Writing Creative Nonfiction
What is creative nonfiction? What makes it different from regular nonfiction? Award-winning author Mallika Ravikumar led us through the second guest session of the season, teaching students what makes creative nonfiction engaging. From techniques of writing--like showing instead of telling--to research methodology, Mallika helped students understand how to go about writing credible creative nonfiction. An important aspect of writing about true events is perspective. The same incidents can be viewed from multiple points of view. How do we choose a point of view? And what is our responsibility as writers once we've chosen a viewpoint? At the end of the session, lots of participants who had read Mallika's books had questions for her, which was heartwarming! She left them with an exercise that explores perspective and technique, which I hope will give them firsthand experience of … [Read more...]
Manya Learns to Roar
We're rereading Manya Learns to Roar by Shruthi Rao at my book club! We read it at the very first edition of my reading programme, when I tentatively started out in 2020, wondering if I would be able to sustain an online book club for children. All those who read it with me then are now too old to be part of the book club, so it's time to reintroduce a book I love!Banyan High School, is going to present a play based on Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, and Manya wants the role of Shere Khan. She knows it is the first step towards winning an Oscar, and she's already writing her acceptance speech for that.I loved Manya Learns to Roar because of how true it is to childhood dreams and the way each child is such a charming mixture of supreme confidence and deep vulnerability.Before I even read the book, I was drawn to the idea of a child with a stammer determined to take part in a school … [Read more...]
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