We're rereading Frindle at my book club! I read it quite a long time ago, and it's EXACTLY my kind of book. Nick Allen isn't really a troublemaker. He just likes to have fun. And where's the harm in making up a new word? Pen. Quite a boring, mundane word. Why not call it a frindle instead?And that's the premise of this delightful, fun story that keeps you reading page after page. I love how the book is plotted as well as how the characters develop as the story proceeds. Finally, a book about words is perfect for a book club! The Question As so many children have just come back after their Christmas break, chapter three is perfect! Following Nick Allen's school system, we'll talk about our holidays, do a quick vocabulary quiz, and then come to the most fun thing of all - the time-wasting question. I know that this part will make the children … [Read more...]
The Great Sneak-Out
The Great Sneak-Out is such a fun book that I knew I wanted to introduce it to my book club the moment I read it! Humour, silliness and sweetness come together to make this a perfect read for the early middle-grade reader. Siblings As this is the first book we will be reading at Read, Write, Explore in December, we'll talk about siblings, both real and fictional! Do you have a sibling? We'll have a freewheeling conversation, but we'll also work on similes, comparing siblings to different things in nature, an activity I've done before and enjoy. This will connect well to our next activity! Figures of Speech To say Ampoorna Ma'am was angry would have been like calling the Taj Mahal a hut.What figure of speech is this? How can we bring humour into our writing by using comparisons? Let's find out! Chapter Titles Creative … [Read more...]
Banian Buddies
Banian Buddies is another lovely book by Vibha Batra! I love how she manages to bring a local flavour to each of her books, from Kolam Kanna to Pinkoo Shergill and now, Banian Buddies. The banyan tree on Banian Avenue is in danger—and it’s all Venky’s fault. He asked his Thatha to write a letter to The Grouchy Times complaining about the noise the rooster Tandoori makes. Tandoori belongs to the fruit vendor’s daughter Kannalmozhi. When the local authorities dash into action, they want the vendors to move away, but they also want to cut down the banyan tree to widen the road! Banian Buddies touches upon a lot of interesting subjects that are sure to make children think. For one, when the children approach a celebrity to support their cause, they are utterly disillusioned. This grand celebrity who seems to care about the environment isn’t at all what she seems to be! … [Read more...]
The Great Sneak-Out
What an adorable book! The Great Sneak-Out is my favourite POFFS book because it's such a perfect blend of ridiculous and heartwarming. The charm of the story begins with the dedication. The author Sanjana Kapur once hid her sister (the editor of this book, Aparna Kapur) under a table!? I would love to know more! The story features a sister who does just that. When Ira, who is in the first grade, doesn't want to go to her classroom, her sister Ana hides her under her desk. The problem is that Ira is much happier in Ana's class than in her own, especially as all Ira's friends get into the act and make the little girl comfortable. The Great Sneak-Out is about helping someone who is unhappy, keeping secrets and finding that you belong. Unlikely friendships, unpredictable adults, and enterprising children kept a giggle in my throat and wonder in my eyes as I read about Ana and … [Read more...]
The Mystery of the Disappearing Drone
The AKA Detective Club is back with another mystery to solve! A couple of months ago, we read The Mystery of the Missing Geometry Boxes at my book club for ages 9 and 10, and most of my book clubbers enjoyed it. A series of mysteries is always fun, so we’re sure to read The Mystery of the Disappearing Drone soon too! Aarav, Karthik and Asha have a new mystery to solve—the mystery of a stolen Rolex watch. Things spiral out of control, however, when the watch is stolen not once, but twice. Worse, when it is stolen for the second time, Karthik becomes the prime suspect because the evidence seems to indicate that the watch was stolen by a drone, and the only one with a drone with claws is Karthik! Suspicion within a club is never a good sign, and the three detectives have to find a way to solve the mystery and clear their names. The complexity of the story is perfect for early … [Read more...]
The Halloween Adventure and Other Stories
The World of Butterfingers works so well in the comic format! I've read just one book from the popular series by Khyrunnisa A before--Smash It, Butterfingers!--and it was an enjoyable read. This one, illustrated by Abhijeet Kini, is fun and engaging, reminding me of the Tinkle comics I read as a child. The Halloween Adventure and Other Stories is a collection of three stories featuring Amar Kishen, aka Butterfingers. Butterfingers is clumsy, enterprising, and a whole lot of fun. In each of the three stories in the book, Butterfingers finds himself in a sticky situation, but manages not just to escape, but to make everything better. The comic book style works perfectly, drawing us into the hilarity of the world Butterfingers inhabits. While I did find some of the narration unnecessary, I loved how easy and readable the format was. The expressions on the characters' faces, as well … [Read more...]
Blame It on the Untz
Blame It on the Untz by Lavanya Karthik is such a fun book! From the crocodile of group work to music making and competition, there's so much we can do with this book at my book club! Once more, it's part of a series--POFFS. I don't yet know whether I will read the others in the series with my book clubbers, but I'm happy to introduce the series to them. They can decide whether they'd like to read the other books in the set!Meanwhile, here's what we will do as we read. Beatboxing I wonder: do the children at my book club know how to beat box? I've never asked! But Faizal in the story is a beatboxer, and perhaps we can give it a shot too. Just by chance I came across a fun beatboxing activity recently, and I can't wait to try it out! The Crocodile of Group Work For Adi, the protagonist of Blame It on the Untz, group work is like a … [Read more...]
The Worst Witch and the Wishing Star
We read Jill Murphy's The Worst Witch to the Rescue last year; I'm excited to read another book from the series. The Worst Witch and the Wishing Star brings together so many things children love that I'm sure we'll enjoy it. For one, most of my book clubbers love reading about magic. Added to that, when we have wishes that come true, school rivalry, and all the hilarity that comes with a clumsy protagonist, we have the makings of a thoroughly enjoyable read! Wishes What would you wish on? A star? A birthday cake? An eyelash? I'd love to know. Taking this further, if you could wish for anything in the world, what would you wish for?Similarly, if you could make anyone else's wish come true, which wish would you choose and why? Magical Games Stories come alive to us and linger in our imaginations because of the characters the authors … [Read more...]
Ghosts, Thieves and Aha! Adventures
We'll begin with another Silly Billy book next month! I hope there will be many more of these because it is a delightful series for young readers. With its full colour illustrations and its wacky, agenda-free stories, the series is a treat for early middle grade readers. We've read Jumble Sale and Agassi and the Great Cycle Race. Let's read the third and (for now) last one in the series--Ghosts, Thieves and Aha! Adventures by Asha Nehemiah and Pankaj Saikia. Book Scavenger Hunt A book scavenger hunt is one of the most popular activities at my book club. How can I not do one for a book set in a bookstore? Take a look at a couple of examples of book scavenger hunts we've done in the past. I'm looking forward to doing another one! Origami Many children at my writing … [Read more...]
Blame It on the Untz
I learned one new word when I read Left-Out Paru, and I learned another when I read Blame It on the Untz! Untz. What a delightful word! And just like so many books I've read by Lavanya Karthik, Blame It on the Untz is such a fun book! Adi is excellent at the keyboard. And he never tires of telling people that. The problem is that for the Music Gala, he is stuck with a group that is nowhere near as serious as he is about winning a medal! It looks like his arch-nemesis, Risha (alternatively spelt as Hhriisha or Hrryssa or Rriisha), is all set to win. What can Adi do about it? Maybe it's time to feel the Untz with Fuzzy, aka Faizal. The problem is that Adi isn't ready to do that. Full of quirky characters like Angry Angira and Human Spelling Bee Hhriisha (and even a dangerous cat), Blame It on the Untz is a hilarious story with unpredictable twists and turns that keeps you … [Read more...]
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