Earlier this month, I saw posts on social media about The Pink Dress--the story of a girl who wants a pink dress and will not let anything stand in the way. I was uncomfortable about the stereotype of a girl wanting pink. I couldn't help thinking about how my book clubbers would respond to the book.And yet, I knew that a hOle book by Shabnam Minwalla wouldn't be as simple as that. Besides, stereotypes exist for a reason, and why must every story deliberately contradict an idea that many would identify with?With all these thoughts in mind, I started reading.And I loved the book.Yes, Kanmani, the protagonist of the story, wants a pink dress. But that's just one layer of this deceptively simple story. As we read on, we understand where she comes from and why the pink dress is out of reach. Just like in When Jiya Met Urmila, we see class divides, which are so complex and … [Read more...]
Trouble with Magic
The name itself makes my eyes sparkle. Trouble with magic? That sounds promising! And it is. I giggled my way through the book, chuckling at the hapless Aunt Malu and charmed by the enterprising Veena. Aunt Malu should have known better, but ... therein lies the tale! Trouble with Magic was the very first book we read at the very first edition of my book club over five years ago! We're rereading it next month! Inventions What would you invent if you could invent anything in the world? Do you think that invention of yours is scientific or magical?Children at my workshops have invented all kinds of things from time machines to superfast shoes and robots that do their homework for them. Aunt Malu is a delightful mix of magician and scientist - neither real nor fantastic - and so, she provides the perfect balance for children who want both … [Read more...]
The Impossible Pet
The Impossible Pet by Jane De Suza is such a fun book! I laughed out loud more than once as the hapless Tarun tries one thing after another to get a pet of his own--whether his parents like it or not.Just like when I read Puppy Trouble, what drew me first into the story is the universality of its theme. What child doesn't want a pet? In Tarun's case, there's more. He and his best friend Joey are same-same in every way--height, age, class, everything. But when Joey gets a pet and refuses to share, how can Tarun be same-same again?So Tarun tries acquiring one pet after another--a lizard, a cow, a pigeon--anything will do! I love how the humour of the story blends with the more serious elements that come towards the end of the book. Without being preachy, The Impossible Pet leaves us feeling that there's a sense of justice in the world!TitleThe Impossible … [Read more...]
The Vampire Boy
The Vampire Boy by Sharanya Deepak is another delightful hOle book - quirky and unique. We'll be rereading it at my book club in December 2025!The government has decided that all children - including young vampires - must go to school. What is Kristofer to do? He knows he will be shunned, but off he goes, only to meet with curiosity and bullying. In a way that is perfect for this age-group, humour underlines everything that happens to Kristofer. Soon, he makes friends with not just Bo, but also Bran, the class bully. Together, they go to school, they go on a camp, and they even catch a chicken thief!I'm waiting to reread it with my book clubbers. Here's what I plan to do with it. Book Discussion Kristofer is a vampire who hates blood!As this is the first book we will be reading together, a good way to begin is with a discussion on what makes us … [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...]
Koobandhee
Koobandhee is such a fun book! We've read Bookasura twice; now we're rereading Koobandhee too!Bala is excited about meeting Bookasura again, but when he goes near the well at Navaneeth Uncle's farm, he discovers another monster there, a monster that's even scarier than Bookasura! Worst of all, Koobandhee seems like an asura who is out to destroy all Bala's precious library books, and the librarian Mrs Shashee is not going to be happy ...A hilarious book about books, Koobandhee is perfect for my book club! Insults I've always loved imaginative insults. Of course, Shakespeare is the first to come to mind in this context, but Koobandhee has its share of wonderful ones too. Creepy cockroach! Poisonous predator! Foul flea!We'll do a blind activity on insults, where we make two separate lists - of adjectives and of insects. We'll put them together at … [Read more...]
Left-Out Paru
Why is the word left associated with so many negative things? Gauche in French, sinistra in Italian, and of course, phrases in English like being left out, having two left feet … I could go on and on because there are just so many examples—dextrous, adroit, being right are all corollaries of the same thing.And this brings me to Left-Out Paru, written by Bijal Vachharajani and illustrated by Rajiv Eipe. The protagonist of the story, Paru, is left-handed, and she is bullied for it, most particularly by her bench mate Nina. Other classmates soon join in the bullying, calling Paru names like 'Scrammy Sinistral' (I didn’t know the word sinistral, by the way, and I was happy to learn it!). Paru gets angrier and angrier, until one day, she decides to put the argument to rest with an arm-wrestling match—left-handed Paru vs right-handed Nina.Left-Out Paru addresses so many ideas I … [Read more...]
Friends Behind Walls
Inu and Putti are not allowed to play with each other. But what can they possibly do when everyone else in Shanti Park seems to have been born at the age of 30? They have no one to play with except each other!Soon they discover that they actually like each other and want to be friends, so they need an answer to the Most Important Question: why are their families fighting?They go to one person after another, searching for answers (or answers-shanswers, as Putti's father would say). Mr Om Namaha, Dr Solanki and the Tekdichi Mhatari - who can answer their question?Friends Behind Walls is such a gorgeous book that I simply had to include it in my reading programme! Here's some of what we will do. Word Games Putti loves words and so do I. He breaks words up and comments on how nonsensical they are. Legend = lej+end, but it has nothing to do … [Read more...]
The Adventures of Mooli and the Sticker Trickster
The very first book we read at my very first online reading programme was Trouble with Magic by Asha Nehemiah. We've read several of her books over time, and this time, we're rereading The Adventures of Mooli and the Sticker Trickster. This isn't the first of the Mooli series, but it works well as a standalone book! Mooli and Soups are busy ideating. They must come up with an idea that will win a prize at WAYOUTS - World's As Yet Original Untried Tricks and Stunts. What can they do that will be simply outstanding? Surely, two intrepid young children can come up with not one, but a hundred ideas!In the middle of all this, however, they have a mystery to solve. Who could be vandalising Mooli's Amma's signboard with silly stickers? Why does her board now read 'Yummy Scrummy mon Keys'?A hilarious adventure ensues as Mooli and Soups get to the bottom of the mystery and find the vandal. … [Read more...]
Vincent Can’t Go
We all know what it's like not to be allowed to go somewhere we really want to go. Birthday party. Sleepover. Movie. Dinner.In Vincent's case, though, it's been months since he's been allowed anywhere. Ever since his father was sent to America, his mother doesn't allow him to do tiny things he used to do. He can't even go buy blue Lays from the kirana shop.Buying blue Lays may not be such a big deal. But his best friend's birthday party is a big deal. He knows what his mother will say: 'Vincent Can't Go'. Now, however, Vincent must go. Or else will his best friend even be his best friend any longer?Vincent Can't Go by Mariyam Fatima, illustrated by Habib Ali, is a charming story about children making something happen. At the mature age of eight, surely Vincent is old enough to be doing things for himself! Without ever being cute or patronising, the story takes us through … [Read more...]