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 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 Monster Hunters
We're rereading The Monster Hunters by Parinita Shetty at my book club in June 2025!Abhay is convinced that his mother has eyes at the back of her head. She knows everything and sees everything. Yet, she does not seem to believe that there are monsters in every child's room! Why can't she see them?It's time for Abhay and Nitya to get to work. They must find the monsters. In fact, they decide they will go one step further. For a school project where they have to narrate a real-life story, they will hunt down a monster and talk about the experience.I love books with driven characters, determined to prove something against all odds, and Abhay and Nitya are perfect. The book had me chuckling, shaking my head, but rooting for the characters anyway - and what more could I ask for from a book? Monster Games I love monster games! The wonderful thing … [Read more...]
The Great Escape
Each time Menaka Raman posted about The Great Escape events, she urged participants to bring a spoon.And then, when she autographed my copy, she wrote Spoontacular Varsha.How could I not be intrigued? What's the big deal about a spoon anyway?You have to read The Great Escape to find out, and that's why it's the first book we'll be reading at my book club in December. Sachit wants to escape from school. And the best thing about finding a friend is that you can lay devious plans together, and do your best not to get caught as you execute those plans. A fun, mad read, I think the best part of the book is the way it ends, but I'm not going to give that away! Spoons We'll do our spoon activity before we start reading The Great Escape. What I used to find (and perhaps still find) most exciting about a spoon is that you're upside-down in there! And … [Read more...]
Susie Will Not Speak
Susie Will Not Speak by Shruthi Rao was one of the first hOle books I read, and it remains one of my favourites. Jahan and Susie leap out of the pages - sparkling characters that make the story what it is.Susie has a lisp. How can she say even her own name without proclaiming her lisp to the world? There's just one solution. Susie will not speak. Ever. What can her best friend Jahan do? NOT Speaking What if you refuse to speak? How else can you communicate? We can use the chat box, charades, artwork, and even make up a sign language of our own. During our very first class, that's exactly what we'll do! Poems Bullies make up mean rhymes about Susie, but those rhymes don't even make sense. Surely, we can do better! We'll try to make up rhymes about ourselves - and they'll make sense too! Tongue Twisters A noise annoys an … [Read more...]
Ostrich Girl
How well can you imitate bird calls? I used to (and sometimes still do!) imitate cuckoos, parakeets, bulbuls, and lapwings. But would you mistake me for a bird? Probably not.However, on Henry Island, the Secret Songsters must accurately imitate birds so that tourists don't complain that the island is now devoid of birdsong. Unfortunately, Ritu can never get it right. The other songsters make fun of her, but worst of all, one day, she gets mistaken for an ostrich!Ritu needs to show the curious tourist an ostrich ... or confess that she was the ostrich, reveal the identity of the Secret Songsters, and be responsible for the end of tourism on Henry Island. Or perhaps she can find a third solution altogether, one that could lead to the best possible results.Ostrich Girl is a slim chapter book that touches upon a range of big themes, including the environment and the ethics of … [Read more...]
The Chhau Champ
Books about dance are close to my heart, especially books that challenge the status quo in some way. I remember reading Kali Wants to Dance and particularly enjoying it because I'm a dancer who often plays male roles because of the dearth of male Bharatanatyam dancers, at least here in Pune.The Chhau Champ deals with the opposite idea. A girl wants to practise a dance form usually restricted to men. I've watched chhau just once, and yes, it was performed by a male dancer. This is not unique to chhau; I remember reading about how men do Kathakali, while women do Mohini Attam. Yes, people have challenged this--Dr Kanak Rele, for instance, was one of the first female Kathakali dancers in India. But the idea remains that some dance forms are to be performed by women, while others are to be performed by men.Enter Shubha, daughter of a chhau guru. Unlike her brother, she wants to be … [Read more...]
A Pinch of Magic
We've read Trouble with Magic at my book club; it's time to read the sequel! A Pinch of Magic is a fun read, full of surprises. I read and reviewed the book some time ago, and I'm excited to be introducing it to my book clubbers. Here's what we'll do with it. Innovative Address One of the first things that made me chuckle as I read A Pinch of Magic was the Maha Guru's highly accurate address. And this leads us to our first activity. How would you write your address if you did it in a similar fashion?I love linking screen time with the world around us. Looking around them, I want the children to tell me: what tree is closest to them? What is the shape of tree near the gate? How tall is the tree at the end of the lane? Together, we'll create an innovative address for each one of us! Label Design We thoroughly enjoyed creating different kinds … [Read more...]
Mahalaxmi Will Go to Mysore
I've been reading so many books that deal with RTE in one way or another! As a teacher trainer, I find that RTE is a conversation topic that some schools want to sweep under the carpet. Others test waters to find out where I stand. Still others are belligerent and self-righteous, even as they talk about how many challenges they face just because they follow the law. But stories are important. Stories pave the way for conversation.Mahalaxmi Will Go to Mysore is one of those stories--a story that raises questions. The Right to Education requires schools to admit some children free of charge, but what does this imply when it comes to school trips? How can Mahalaxmi's family afford to spend three thousand rupees on a class trip to Mysore?Although I did find a character shift towards the end of the book rather too sudden (I don't want to reveal more), I liked the sensitivity with … [Read more...]
Chitti’s Travelling Book Box
The most rewarding books to read at my book club are books about books. I remember reading The Reading Race, Book Uncle and Me, Bookasura and Koobandhee; it's likely that there were others too.Even as I read Chitti's Travelling Book Box when it came out in February, I knew I would read it with my book club sooner or later. Here's what we will do as we read! Reading is Boring! If your friends think reading is boring, what will you do? What do you think can make reading fun?We'll begin by talking about this and sharing ideas, but if we can, I'd love to implement the children's ideas in class. If there is something the children think will make reading more fun, let's do it together! The Monster Game Inspired by Chitti, we will play a game I love - the monster game! Together, we will create a monster and then maybe draw it and give it a … [Read more...]