Thanks to my book clubs, I read so many chapter books and early middle grade books in 2021! Of the 30-40 I read, here are nine books that stood out to me. I've shared most of them with my enthusiastic young book clubbers, and the review link will take you to activities that you can do with the book. As there are so many books, I decided not to include those I reread last year, sticking only to those I read for the first time in 2021. Muggie Maggie This one is such a delight that I've held on to my copy of it, in the hope that one day soon, bookstores will let me know that it is back in stock and I can introduce it to my book clubbers.Maggie is determined not to learn cursive. Unfortunately, her teacher has other plans: sneaky, ingenious plans. I love fictional teachers like her! In some ways, Maggie reminds me of Dick King-Smith's Sophie. She has … [Read more...]
Peanut vs the Piano
Peanut is such a lovely character!Peanut thought she enjoyed playing the piano. But with piano exams around the corner, piano practice is just one more thing added to an endless list of things she has to do when she would rather play outdoors. Soon, she begins to think of the piano as a big, brown monster. Even worse is that she simply cannot understand what her piano teacher means when he tells her to play with feeling. How is she supposed to play with feeling when the only thing she's feeling is hungry?Humour and excitement come together in this lovely little hOle book. Here's what we'll do with Peanut Vs the Piano at my reading programmes! Likes and Dislikes As this is the first book we will be reading at the February edition of my reading programme, talking about what we like and dislike is a fun way to begin. I often find that talking … [Read more...]
A Very Naughty Dragon
I love Paro Anand's books, and when I learned that she had collaborated with a nine-year-old girl to write a book, I was intrigued. As a teacher and creative writing trainer, I've read many stories that children have written. Some are excellent, others not so much. A Very Naughty Dragon? I had to read it to find out.I did, and I loved it. It starts slowly, with a lot of repetition that I associate with books for much younger children, but as I read on, I enjoyed it more and more. I love the place where it sits in terms of a story - between picture books and chapter books, full of colourful illustrations, but with enough text to make the story more than a book for very young readers.Draco is a Komodo dragon, determined to show his father that he can hunt. Surely he can catch a Timor deer! No, it's too fast.A civet cat? No again.A butterfly? Nope.But Draco doesn't give up. He tries again … [Read more...]
Mira the Detective
Another reading programme, another hOle book! Mira the Detective by Pavithra Sankaran is perfect for my book club in so many ways. We love detective stories, and what better than a book featuring a child detective?When an antique watch is stolen, Mira has very few clues, but they have got to be enough! She must get to the bottom of the mystery.The theft of the antique watch is just the first of three mysteries that Mira the detective solves. What makes the stories even more fun is that we, as readers, are equipped with the same clues as Mira and we can solve the mysteries with her! Sounds and smells Working with our senses is something that never gets stale. In the first story, Mira hears a tic-tic-tic sound. What could it be? In the last story, an aroma is the biggest clue. I've worked with several activities to do with the senses before, and … [Read more...]
Reva and Prisha
A chapter book featuring a family that has two mothers? Yes, please! The moment I saw that Funky Rainbow had Reva and Prisha by Shals Mahajan in stock, I emailed them. I ended up buying six other books too, but that's another story. I loved this book! Like Timmi in Tangles, Reva and Prisha is a collection of little tales featuring the same characters. I loved the simplicity and madness of the stories. The story about eating drumstick particularly struck a chord with me because my little cousin (20 years ago) insisted that her drumstick had bones! The logical way in which Reva and Prisha understand things is delightful too. For instance, they overhear a teacher saying that stripes are slimming. Does that mean that if they wear enough stripes, they'll turn invisible? I adore the idea! My favourite tale, however, is 'Octopus Children'. If Amma finds it exhausting to wash the hands and … [Read more...]
WeirDo
What's the best kind of surprise? An unexpected book in the mail! Last week, I ordered books from KoolSkool and Funky Rainbow. The following day, I received a message saying that my shipment from Scholastic India was on its way. I was puzzled, but I let it go. I don't know how things work.Except that I do.I know that Funky Rainbow sends books by speed post. And a few minutes later, I got a message saying my shipment from KoolSkool was on its way. So what was Scholastic sending me? A brand-new book for review! Joy! WeirDo is a hilarious graphic novel featuring a boy whose parents have a dubious sense of humour. Weir's parents could have chosen any name in the world. But what did they choose? Weir.And what's Weir's last name? Yes, it's Do. And in case there's any confusion about it, Do rhymes with go not to. I'm not a big fan of humour that employs disgust to function, so … [Read more...]
Granny Ting Ting
Let's be honest. I picked this book up because of the name. Granny Ting Ting. I didn't know anything about the book. I read the title and looked at the cover image--and bought the book. Every two months, I buy a set of chapter books. I love that I do this for work! I need to choose appropriate books for my reading programmes, so I need to read a range of books, right? To be honest, most books I read do become part of my book club. A handful don't - usually because they aren't easily available (more about that in another post, hopefully). Sometimes, though, as with Granny Ting Ting, there's another reason I don't choose certain books, and that is, that I am not equipped to lead a discussion on the book. Yes, I enjoyed Granny Ting Ting thoroughly. I like the characters and the exposure to a cultural milieu that I know little about. I love the competition between Shayla and Michael … [Read more...]
One Day Elsewhere
One Day Elsewhere is such a lovely series! Looking at events in history from a child's point of view is always special. Yes, we know people were arrested during the Dandi March. But what of the children of those arrested? How did they make sense of things happening around them?Each book in this series is a story woven around a significant event in history, and each story has a child at the centre, making the event more accessible to young readers. My Father's Courage 4/5 A beautifully nuanced story about community, solidarity and bravery, My Father's Courage looks at the Dandi March from the point of view of young Aslam, who witnesses his father's arrest. There are so many layers to this story, which make it a heartwarming read.For one, I love the question that bothers Aslam, Why? Why was my father, … [Read more...]
Rattu & Poorie’s Adventures in History: 1857
A book about a pair of sisters, where the protagonist is the younger sister ... of course I was intrigued! Additionally, historical fiction has attracted me for a while, and I have come across very little in the genre for seven and eight-year-olds. Rattu & Poorie's Adventures in History: 1857, shortlisted for the Neev Book Award for Emerging Readers 2020, is quite engaging, providing glimpses of three major events that comprised an uprising that all of us study in school - the revolt of 1857.The links between Rattu's life in modern India and historical events are interestingly created. Rattu wishes for a soldier with a sword and encounters Rani Lakshmibai and Jhalkari Bai, who encourage her to play a game of make-believe based on the siege of Jhansi. When bullies steal the sisters' ice-creams, whom should they encounter but Azimullah Khan and Nana Sahib, who teach them how to deal … [Read more...]
Rise of the Earth Dragon (Dragon Masters #1)
I love introducing children to book series. It's heartwarming to see children come back to a subsequent edition of my reading programme bursting with excitement because they're reading the next book of a series to which I introduced them! It's happened with the hOle books, Amelia Bedelia, the A to Z Mysteries, Moin and the Monster ... More often than I can count! And the Dragon Masters is a fun, exciting series too! Rise of the Earth Dragon is the first of the series, the book where Drake discovers that he is a Dragon Master. But-but-but dragons don't exist! They do? But what if he can't connect with his dragon at all? Rise of the Earth Dragon is a lovely story about new experiences, making friends, adventure and magic! Here's what we will do with it at my book club. Diary of a Dragon Master What if you were a Dragon Master? Write about your dragon! What is its name? What … [Read more...]