In the pouring rain, we made our way across the city to a school far, far away. It was beautiful. Greenery all around us, streams in the most unexpected places - this was not a part of the city I knew. I'd heard about Vidya Valley, and met a few students from the school at other workshops. This time, though, I was visiting the school to conduct three sessions with the sixth standard as part of the build-up to the school's very own lit fest.Teaching creative writing to a whole class is always challenging. In a class of forty, if I'm lucky, eight enjoy writing. The rest couldn't care less. When all forty are required to sit together in a classroom and write ... I didn't know what to expect. Yet, in a school with its own literature fest, I was hopeful.The whole day was simply delightful! We talked about all kinds of books, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out about … [Read more...]
Magical Mail
'Dear Sir or Madam,My name is Thor. I would like to work for the council recycling department. I think I would be good at this as I have lightning for melting and a big hammer for those items that are difficult to crush. I have passed an exam in art and I am also a god.' - Magical Mail by Claire Barker What a silly, droll book! I enjoyed each page and read the whole thing at one sitting in a couple of hours. I giggled, chuckled and tucked my brains away under a chair as I read the book, delighting in its eccentricities and adventures. The end of the story did not fit, somehow. The tone and mood changed, making me frown for the first time. It felt as if a makeshift ending had been attached at the end, but not too well, pulling strings a little too tightly in an attempt to tie the loose ends. How does it matter? I still enjoyed the tale of one girl, nine letters and a whole lot of magic! … [Read more...]