It's impossible to write about The Paradise Flycatcher without mentioning the gorgeous illustrations. I felt the same way about The Golden Eagle, which we read at my book club some time ago. Krishna Bala Shenoi's art work, right through the book, is stunning, and if for nothing else, I would have picked The Paradise Flycatcher for one of my reading programmes just for the pictures! (On an aside, I loved his work in Friends Behind Walls too, which I used at another reading programme.)We read it a few years ago; we're rereading it in April 2025!Mitalee is distraught. Shikar, aka Snowdrop, a white-headed squirrel, has disappeared! She knows Chintu and Arjun are behind this disappearance, but knowing that is not enough. She must save Snowdrop before something dreadful happens. The good thing is that she has help from a bunch of feathered friends - Bongo, Blackpie, Senora, Kabul ... And the … [Read more...]
The Golden Eagle
Krishna Bala Shenoi's artwork is stunning. From the black-headed stork to the green pigeon, the pelican to the doves - the illustrations leap off the pages making The Golden Eagle a visual treat.But of course, I choose books based on the story, not just the pictures, and The Golden Eagle is a pacy, exciting read.The white-headed squirrel Shikar has questions. Who were his parents? How did he make friends with the birds? Why did Kabul the bulbul become a mother-figure to him, and why are Lovey and Dovey like his aunt and uncle? The two doves, Lovey and Dovey, set out to tell him his story. It's a long story, full of twists and turns, a story about Regal the golden eagle.I loved The Golden Eagle. Suspense, drama and beautiful characters make it a pacy read, sucking us into a book that full of politics, intrigue and betrayal. Suspense … [Read more...]
A Flamingo in My Garden
We've read Talon the Falcon, The Golden Eagle and The Paradise Flycatcher. How can we not read A Flamingo in My Garden?The entire Feather Tales series is stunningly illustrated in full colour, and that is most certainly part of the charm. Like The Golden Eagle, A Flamingo in My Garden is a story within a story. Mitalee is delighted to see a flamingo in Rose Garden, and she watches as her favourite squirrel--whom she calls Snowdrop--and the birds chatter together. In that little circle of birds, the skybird Longtail tells the story of how Sunglow the flamingo found his way to Rose Garden. It's a lovely story full of suspense and the universal theme of good versus evil.Here's what we will do as we read the book. Words The sea is called bigwater. Police-birds are skybirds. Terra-staan is the earth.During author events on The Prophecy of Rasphora, I … [Read more...]
Talon the Falcon
We love the Feather Tales series at my book club! I didn't choose to read Talon the Falcon earlier because it is much shorter than The Golden Eagle and The Paradise Flycatcher, but when children fall in love with a series, how can we not read the whole lot together?Set in the familiar Rose Garden, Talon the Falcon opens with a beloved character, Shikar, who wonders where all the birds have disappeared. He soon finds the reason - the presence of a falcon in the neighbouring garden! Of course, the birds, terrified, have flown away. But everything isn't as it seems, and Shikar soon realises that the mighty falcon needs their help.Here's what we'll do as we read Talon the Falcon together.Idioms and Proverbs Birds of a feather flock together. Bird-brained. Chicken-hearted.I never tire of working with theme-based idioms with children. A quiz always … [Read more...]
My Favourite Middle-Grade Books from 2021
I didn't read as many middle-grade books as usual in 2021, something I hope to remedy in 2022. Of those that I read, however, these six stood out. The first two are early middle-grade books, while the other four are for more advanced readers. Roughly, I would set the age-group for all six as 9-12. As with my favourite chapter books, I've included only those that I read for the first time last year, not well-loved rereads! The Golden EagleThe Golden Eagle by Deepak Dalal is a gorgeous book, with stunning illustrations by Krishna Bala Shenoi and a thrilling story to keep us hooked. One of the children at my book club told me it is his favourite read so far!The white-headed squirrel Shikar wants to know about his parents, about where he came from and how he came to make friends with the birds. And so, Lovey and Dovey set out to tell him a story, the story of the golden … [Read more...]