As a facilitator of book clubs and writing programmes, I know that learning resources are precious! I love discovering printable resources online, and I create worksheets for nearly every book I write. For some, I’ve also made short videos that could help you if you’re using my books in class too!
I’ve arranged the resources in reverse order of age.
These worksheets are freely reproducible.
Fishbowl
Recommended age-group: 11-14
Lesson Plan: Deep Dive into Poetry
Fishbowl is a middle-grade novel in verse, which touches upon themes of mental health, friendship and family.
A verse novel is a great way to explore poetry. Introduce concrete poetry and free verse using the book, accompanied by the worksheets below.
Red Eyes
Recommended age-group: 10-13
Lesson Plan: Jungle Mania
When Veer runs away from boarding school to the forest of Suryanagar, he doesn’t know what to expect, but he’s determined to fit in. With him, let’s explore the wonders of the jungles of central India, working on paying attention to all five senses. Use the mentor text in the worksheet below for a creative writing exercise. Also, work on predicting what happens next in the story, developing plot and technique.
Uncontrollable
Recommended age-group: 10-13
Lesson Plan: Fantastic Escapades
Uncontrollable, a sparsely written fantasy in verse, is the story of 12-year-old Rohini, who must uncover one secret after another to fight a government of evil and save her mother.
Using two excerpts from Uncontrollable as mentor texts, learn to write a pair of poems in free verse, exploring an emotion, or perhaps even something fantastical.
Sisters at New Dawn
Recommended age-group: 10-13
Lesson Plan: A Dream Come True
Just how crazy can New Dawn, the strange school with weird subjects be? As you explore this loony school, you discover that New Dawn might just be the best school of all.
This forms the basis of a fun writing exercise on list poetry. For Kannagi and Padma, New Dawn High School is a dream come true! What, for you, would be a dream come true?
The Prophecy of Rasphora
Recommended age-group: 9-12
Lesson Plan: Words and Worlds
You’ve discovered a land behind a waterfall. What’s the first problem you’ll face? You’re hungry and afraid, and you can’t speak the language of this new land!
Using The Prophecy of Rasphora as the mentor text, get creative as you solve a cryptogram and even make up a new language!
The Story-Catcher
Recommended age-group: 9-12
Lesson Plan: Letter Writing
Even after all these years, the letter-writing activity I do based on the story “The Dictionary” in this collection of short stories remains one of my most successful activities! To help you with it, here’s a video recording of the story and a soft copy of the letters so that you can make your reading more dramatic.
The Wall Friends Club
Recommended age-group: 8-11
Lesson Plan: Dear Reader ...
Have you ever written or received a letter? If you found a letter written by a stranger, would you reply?
Engage in some old-fashioned letter-writing as you read the book. Worksheet coming soon, but in the meantime, the book has a fun codebreaking activity on the last few pages!
Dhara's Revolution
Recommended age-group: 8-11
Lesson Plan: Do Something Re-vuh-looshinary!
Shortlisted for the AG-BLF Book Prize for Children’s Fiction 2023.
Can you challenge yourself to do something revolutionary? Explore voting and word games, and create an election campaign along with Dhara, Carol and the students of Sarvaloka Public School.
Dragonflies, Jigsaws and Seashells
Recommended age-group: 8-11
Lesson Plan: Creative Writing
Rural, urban, fantastical – our worlds are full of stories. With this collection of short stories, there are dozens of activities you can do! In the worksheet below, find the scaffolding for a creative writing exercise and a rhyming poem.
The Clockwala's Clues
Recommended age-group: 7-9
Lesson Plan: Puzzles and Tongue Twisters
Shortlisted for the Neev Book Award 2021 in the Emerging Readers category.
It’s about time for puns about time! Race against the clock to solve Clockwala Uncle’s puzzles and riddles. Play with tongue twisters, and unscramble words. Above all, have fun!
The Best Idea of All
Recommended age-group: 7-9
Lesson Plan: Creative Thinking
Can Holi be Holi without water? What can eight-year-olds do to make their festival as special as before? The Best Idea of All encourages children to come up with unique ideas, ideas that could change the world. While exploring festivals and the climate crisis, here’s a worksheet to get children thinking.
How I Feel
Recommended age-group: 5-8
Lesson Plan: Exploring Emotions
This book is on the Parag Honour Books List 2022.
How do you feel when Nani comes to visit? How do you feel when you spoil a library book? Explore emotions as you read this rhyming picture book.