Ebbani from Rey Valley International School was the first to arrive. "Thirteen more children are coming," she informed me. I was anxious, anxious enough to have considered (night before last) cancelling the whole thing. I had never dealt with such young children before, and the children from Rey Valley who were coming to Rachna Books were children from LKG, UKG, and Grade I. Finally, I loved how everything turned out. There were thirteen children in all, not the 14 that Ebbani expected, and each of them was special. I feel like such a foreigner; I remember so few of the names! Even so, I see their bright faces, looking up at me. I see how they respond to the cover of The Story-Catcher. I can see them imagining with me, contributing to my stories. And my heart warms. The entire concept of bringing children to a bookstore is charming. Every year, Rey Valley brings its children to the … [Read more...]