"Tomorrow, our last session, is going to have the most exciting activity of all!" I announced, at the end of today's session."Ooh! What is it?""What are we going to do?""What is the activity for tomorrow?""I'll tell you tomorrow!" I said, smiling. "So, how do you feel?" I expected them to say 'excited', 'enthusiastic', 'curious', 'eager' ...All of them, practically unanimously said, "We feel sad!""The workshop is getting OVER!" one of them explained.I did not know whether to be happy or sad. … [Read more...]
Day Three – Reading is Fun!
I always tremble when I talk about my book. But somehow, today was just perfect. For once, I felt that the children simply loved the story and were still eager for more!Today was a grand day.I bit my lip controlling my laughter as a child read a little excerpt he had written about writing letters.About how he would write a letter. His mother would write a letter. His father would write a letter. His friends would write letters too. He ended the letter-writing spree with 'I love Geronimo Stilton'. I didn't quite understand the link, somehow.The children are wonderfully enthusiastic about everything I do with them! I made them write, make comics, listen, draw, colour... They were excited about everything!The library wants me to conduct the workshop again during the holidays. I'm not yet looking forward to it - right now, I'm looking forward to two more sessions … [Read more...]
Working, Working, Workshop!
Reading is Fun! Day OneDay TwoAnd now, I'm excited about the next one, coming soon ... … [Read more...]
Day Two – Reading is Fun!
Yesterday was the second exciting session with eager young children, waiting to be entertained.I began with a presentation on the process of the making of the book - from the mind of the writer to the hands of the reader. It was a long (yet brief) detailed explanation of different aspects of the process. Reading, getting an idea, writing, sending the manuscript, rejections, sending it again, an acceptance, contract, editing ...It was an engaging discussion, with the children enthusiastic about participating."Any questions?" I asked, before moving on to the next activity I had planned for them.Several hands went up. I asked one of them.His question was, "If the process is so long, why does anyone want to become a writer?"All the other hands went down. I think everyone had the same question. … [Read more...]
Day One – Reading is Fun!
And fun it certainly was! I had 21 children there in all. Apparently, after 20 registrations had been made, someone wanted to join. The child was told that there were no seats left, but she could try her luck, show up at the workshop and see if anyone backed out. The child diligently showed up early. No one backed out, but how could I tell her to go home? I told her to join in!We read, we acted, we played. I recited Television by Roald Dahl. I made them recite several poems. One of them was exceptionally good. I made them go get to know one another, asking one another questions about books, what the others like, what they dislike, evertything. How enthusiastic all of them were!At the end, they filled a feedback slip for me. 18 children chose 'good' from the three options given to them (Good, Average, Bad). One child asked what 'average' meant and then happily ticked average. One … [Read more...]
13 registrations done!
Thirteen children will be part of my reading workshop that starts on Sunday! Seven seats left . . . … [Read more...]
Reading Workshop
I spoke to Ms Sugandhi from the British Library last Sunday, and she said that 11 children had already registered! There are just 20 seats in all; now is the time! … [Read more...]
Apricots at Midnight
Many would say that Apricots at Midnight is an outdated book: old-fashioned and preachy. Yet, the simple childlike stories made it altogether loveable.Imagine a patchwork quilt, in which each little bit of cloth has a story to tell. I wish I had one! Apricots at Midnight has the sense of a collection of stories, united by this idea. A young girl listens to her aunt Pinny talking about her childhood and the making of the grand quilt. Affection takes away the sordidness of poverty, and imagination makes every tiny bit of cloth a wonderful new world.There's nothing at all romantic and exciting about poverty, Aunt Pinny is quick to point out. Poverty coupled with the attempt to appear respectable makes everything even more difficult. Clothes need to be made out of old drapes and cushion covers. Even the tiniest sliver of soap is a treasure. Yet, the biggest … [Read more...]