I read The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips several years ago. And like most of Michael Morpurgo's books, it's a classic. In the cruellest, most inhuman of times, we find stories of courage and love - Morpurgo never fails to remind us of that.Through a series of diary entries, we learn about 11-year-old Lily, who lives in Slapton in 1943. The war seems very far away, even though several "townies" now study in the same school as Lily. Life goes on as usual--until the people of Slapton are told they must evacuate in seven weeks. Lily's grandfather refuses to move, but the time comes when he accepts that he will help the war effort by moving, so he does. The problem is that Lily's precious cat, Tips, goes missing, and everyone begins to hunt for her, including the Yankee soldiers who are now in Slapton.As the hunt for Tips goes on, relationships are formed, and these relationships drive the … [Read more...]
The Impossible Pet
I loved The Impossible Pet by Jane De Suza! It's a delightful story--the perfect blend of laughter and seriousness. Here's what we'll do as we read it at my book club next month. An Impossible Pet Look at the cover. Which of the animals featured there would be an impossible pet? And if one of them came into your life, how would you deal with it? What would you name it, and what do you think would make the pet fun? An Essay Essays are boring--at least, most children think so. But what about an opening paragraph like this?What I like most in the world is my pet. My pet's name is Silent Sunny Gekkonidae. And he is the only crocodile which can climb walls.I'd love to see where my book clubbers take the story from here! Sharing I love using whiteboards and sticky notes in class. As we read the book, we'll take a look at … [Read more...]
Sneaker Paati
Sneaker Paati is an engaging book that I read a few months ago. Even as I read it, I thought about the fact that it would make for a quick, easy read for middle-grade readers who want something lighthearted and fun. That's why we'll be reading it at my book club next month! Here's what we'll do as we read. Grandparents Grandparents in stories often knit, crochet, make delicious food, and pamper their grandchildren. Have you read about a grandmother who is different? What about your grandparents? I would love for the children at my book club to talk about grandparents who fit the mould or break the mould. At my book club, I will ask each child to tell me a story about a grandparent. Any sort of story will do--one that features their grandparents as children, or one that involves the book clubbers too! Sport Sneaker Paati can do … [Read more...]
My Year in Workshops – 2025
Teacher training programmes often take me all over the country, but this time, author interactions did that for me! My teacher training was restricted to Pune, Goa and Nagpur, which gave me the time to do a lot of other things (including write!).Online workshops continue to have my heart. I love the fact that I can conduct them from anywhere, whether I'm travelling or at home. This academic year, I discontinued my writers' club at St. Mary's School for precisely this reason---in-person sessions don't allow for the flexibility my other work demands. I did create the next issue of THE WRITE PLACE for my young students, but subsequent issues are on hold, at least for the time being.At my book clubs, we read 42 books in 2025. I had enough registrations to go ahead with each batch I planned! I invited six wonderful guests to conduct sessions for my writing programmes, all of which were … [Read more...]
Gobi Goes Viral
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...]
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