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Varsha Seshan

The Mystery of the Silk Umbrella

May 2, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

The Mystery of the Silk Umbrella is the sixth book by Asha Nehemiah that we’ll be reading at my book club! And it promises to be just as much fun as the others. Like any good mystery story, The Mystery of the Silk Umbrella keeps you reading. Who is the mysterious intruder at the beginning of […]

Filed Under: Books, Workshops Tagged With: Asha Nehemiah, book club, books for ages nine and ten, online reading programme, online workshops for children, reading, The Mystery of the Silk Umbrella

Ostrich Girl

May 1, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

I love introducing children to brand-new books, hot off the press! I read Ostrich Girl written by Lesley D Biswas and illustrated by Anupama Ajinkya Apte, and I loved the possibilities of exploring this book with my book club! Here’s what we’ll do as we read. Sounds The Secret Songsters imitate bird calls to fool tourists […]

Filed Under: Books, Workshops Tagged With: book club, bookish activities, books for ages seven and eight, Lesley D Biswas, online book club, online reading programme, online workshops for children, Ostrich Girl, reading

Strangus Derangus

March 7, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Strangus Derangus & Other Adventures of Little Shambu is another book that I enjoyed hot off the press. It’s a collection of short stories, perfect for my book club because we can read three full stories together in class, leaving the other three for the children to read on their own.  Role Play There’s nothing like […]

Filed Under: Books, Children, Workshops Tagged With: book club, books for ages seven and eight, online reading programme, online workshops for children, reading, Reena I Puri, Strangus Derangus and Other Adventures of Little Shambu

The Curious Case of the Sweet and Spicy Sweetshop

March 6, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Ghosts, suspense, smart children and the most delicious-sounding foods come together in The Curious Case of the Sweet and Spicy Sweetshop by Nandini Nayar. Vishnudas Mithaiwala owns The Sweet and Spicy Sweetshop, and everything seems to be fine–until two children turn up claiming to be his estranged sister’s child! Whom should Vishnu believe? Whom should we believe? And […]

Filed Under: Books, Workshops Tagged With: book club, bookish activities, books for ages nine and ten, Nandini Nayar, online reading programme, reading, The Curious Case of the Sweet and Spicy Sweetshop

By Royal Appointment

March 5, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Although I did read several books by Jeffrey Archer when I was in college, I never grew to be a fan the way so many of my friends were. Yet, I thoroughly enjoyed By Royal Appointment–rendered even more delightful by Priya Kuriyan’s illustrations. By Royal Appointment There’s nothing like listening to the author read out a […]

Filed Under: Books, Children, Workshops Tagged With: book club, bookish activities, books for ages seven and eight, By Royal Appointment, Jeffrey Archer, online reading programme, online workshops for children, reading

Bat and the End of Everything

March 4, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Exactly a year ago, I posted about A Boy Called Bat, which we read at the April 2023 edition of my book club. We loved the book, and the rest of the series has been on my mind ever since then. In April 2024, we’re finally going to read Bat and the End of Everything, the last […]

Filed Under: Books, Workshops Tagged With: Bat and the End of Everything, book club, bookish activities, books for ages nine and ten, Elana K Arnold, online reading programme, online workshops for children, reading

Dhara’s Revolution

March 3, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

It’s always a joy to read my books with my book clubs! I’ve read The Prophecy of Rasphora and Dragonflies, Jigsaws and Seashells, in addition to my story in Flipped: Mystery Stories and Sci-Fi Stories. I can’t wait to read Dhara’s Revolution, a book that has received much love from readers, in addition to having been shortlisted for […]

Filed Under: Books, Workshops Tagged With: book club, bookish activities, books for ages seven and eight, Dharas Revolution, online reading programme, reading, varsha seshan

The Misadventures of a Diamond Thief

March 2, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

When historical fiction and fantasy come together, we’re in for a treat! Rafu is a TTTD–a Time-Travelling, Thieving Djinn. Or at least, that’s what he’s supposed to be. The problem is that he is much more interested in food than gems. When the king of djinns challenges him to steal the Shah-i-Noor, Rafu strikes the […]

Filed Under: Books, Workshops Tagged With: book club, bookish activities, books for ages nine and ten, Lubaina Bandukwala, online reading programme, reading, review, The Misadventures of a Diamond Thief

When Jiya Met Urmila

March 1, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

I read Shabnam Minwalla’s When Jiya Met Urmila at least two years ago. I can’t believe I didn’t review it on my blog! I think I was probably waiting to use it at my book club, which didn’t happen for several reasons. I think we’d read too many books by the same writer–Lucky Girl, The Shy Supergirl and Nimmi’s […]

Filed Under: Books, Children, Workshops Tagged With: book club, bookish activities, books for ages seven and eight, online reading programme, online workshops for children, reading, review, Shabnam Minwalla, When Jiya Met Urmila

My Year in Workshops: 2023

January 13, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Writing sessions from the car. Book club sessions from a misal shop on the highway. Guest sessions in my dance class hall. 2023 was a year when I seemed to be juggling rather a lot, especially as my writing programmes were bursting at the seams, plus I started an in-person writers’ club at St. Mary’s […]

Filed Under: Workshops Tagged With: book club, creative writing, creative writing with children, online creative writing programme, online reading programme, online workshops for children, Writers' Club

Gobi Goes Viral

January 8, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books, Children, Workshops Tagged With: book club, bookish activities, books for ages seven and eight, Gobi Goes Viral, online reading programme, online workshops for children, reading, Vibha Batra

The Canary Caper

January 6, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

It’s been 25 years since The Canary Caper was published, and it’s still such a joy to read! We read the first of the A to Z Mysteries, The Absent Author, in April 2021. When I met the some of the same children again in June, several of them were devouring the rest of the series. I’m now […]

Filed Under: Books, Children, Workshops Tagged With: A to Z Mysteries, book club, bookish activities, books for ages seven and eight, online reading programme, online workshops for children, reading, Ron Roy, The Canary Caper

An Alien in the Jam Factory

January 5, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

An Alien in the Jam Factory is such a fun read! A book that celebrates ideas is the best kind of book to read with children. The very first page is filled with doodles and ideas–like a jam slice, which is like a cheese slice that you can put straight into a sandwich. What else can […]

Filed Under: Books, Workshops Tagged With: An Alien in the Jam Factory, book club, bookish activities, books for ages nine and ten, Chrissie Sains, online reading programme, online workshops for children, reading

Trunk Call for Ajju

January 4, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Even when I read and reviewed Trunk Call for Ajju in June 2023, I knew it would be one of my book club reads soon enough. A book about children and animals always holds a special place in my heart, and elephants are extra special. Here’s what we’ll do as we read the book. Money-Making Ideas […]

Filed Under: Books, Children, Workshops Tagged With: Anjana Nagabhushana, book club, bookish activities, books for ages seven and eight, online reading programme, online workshops for children, reading, Trunk Call for Ajju

When the World Went Dark

January 3, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

I read When the World Went Dark one year after our first lockdown.  And I wondered about including it at my book club. Grief is deeply personal. No one feels the way you feel. It almost feels unfair when people do. Even so, we do want to talk about our grief. Additionally, with any book, we […]

Filed Under: Books, Children, Workshops Tagged With: book club, books for ages nine and ten, creative writing, Jane de Suza, online reading programme, reading, When the World Went Dark

A Pinch of Magic

January 2, 2024 by Varsha Seshan 2 Comments

We’ve read Trouble with Magic at my book club; it’s time to read the sequel! A Pinch of Magic is a fun read, full of surprises. I read and reviewed the book some time ago, and I’m excited to be introducing it to my book clubbers. Here’s what we’ll do with it. Innovative Address One of the […]

Filed Under: Books, Children, Workshops Tagged With: A Pinch of Magic, Asha Nehemiah, book club, bookish activities, books for ages seven and eight, Chapter Book, hOle books, online reading programme

Kittu’s Very Mad Day

September 7, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

I remember meeting Harshikaa Udasi, author of Kittu’s Terrible Horrible No Good Very Mad Day at a lit fest several years ago. I had read her book already, but unfortunately, I had a Kindle edition, so I couldn’t go up to her and get my copy signed. I told her that, and then, casually, a […]

Filed Under: Books, Children, Workshops Tagged With: book club, bookish activities, books for ages seven and eight, Harshikaa Udasi, Kittus Very Mad Day, online reading programme, online workshops for children, reading

Unfair

September 6, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

I read Unfair quite some time ago, and what I loved most about it is how pacy it is. One chapter just rolls into the next, making it the perfect read for my book club.  From discussing themes to exploring narrative voices and structure, there’s so much I can do with a book like Unfair! Discrimination What does […]

Filed Under: Books, Children, Workshops Tagged With: book club, bookish activities, books for ages nine and ten, online reading programme, Rasil Ahuja, reading, Unfair

Earwig and the Witch

September 4, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

When I learned that Earwig and the Witch is a movie too, I debated a long time over whether to read it with my book club or not. Finally, I decided that whether the children I meet have watched the movie or not, we can read and enjoy the book together. In fact, those who’ve watched the […]

Filed Under: Books, Children, Workshops Tagged With: book club, bookish activities, books for ages nine and ten, Diana Wynne Jones, Earwig and the Witch, online reading programme, online workshops for children, reading

Kolam Kanna

September 2, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

October 2023 sees us reading another brand-new book, hot off the press! I read Kolam Kanna just about a month ago, and I loved it. What’s not to love about a kolam-drawing child with friends who stand up for him? Here’s what we’ll do as we read this book. Kolam Have you read Susheela’s Kolams? If we can, […]

Filed Under: Books, Children, Workshops Tagged With: book club, bookish activities, books for ages nine and ten, Kolam Kanna, online reading programme, online workshops for children, reading, review, Vibha Batra

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