Our second guest session of the season--and my thirty-fifth guest session in all--was such a visual treat! We haven't ever had a cover design workshop before and I enjoyed this one, particularly as Isha Nagar, who conducted the session, designed two of my book covers (Fishbowl and Uncontrollable), both of which I love! Through the course of an hour, Isha guided us through the process of redesigning covers for our favourite books. We began by writing down the main characters and theme of the story. Then, Isha explained the three essential elements of a book cover - title, the main illustration, and author name. She showed us multiple examples, demonstrating various design approaches from her own work as well as famous titles by other illustrators. She spoke about Fishbowl, The Ghost of Malabar, Banian Buddies, and several more. It was wonderful to see the range of covers she shared … [Read more...]
My Name Is Khadija
Do you like your name? Have you ever thought of changing it? I know lots of people who've changed their names--including my grandmother--but I've always loved mine. I love the letter 'V' and I love what my name means ... unlike Khadija in the story. Why couldn't her parents have chosen a simpler name? Like Priya or Hema, for instance. My Name Is Khadija is a humorous, enjoyable read. Mariyam Fatima's words make Khadija come alive to us, and Isha Nagar's illustrations are full of joy. Khadija's stubbornness, her childlike questions, and her determination to get the best deal are delightful. When her father tells her that Khadija was Prophet Muhammad's first wife, Khadija's response is perfect, exactly what I could imagine a child saying -- But I don't want to be anyone's wife. Right through the story, I found myself chuckling at the pictures, especially at the expressions on … [Read more...]