I'm rereading Moin and the Monster with my book club! I read it in June 2021, and all those who read it with me are now too old to be part of Read, Write, Explore, so it's time to introduce it to a fresh batch of children.At my last creative writing programme, one of the children wrote a story about a pink 2D zombie the size of a pineapple coming to life. I immediately thought of Moin and the monster! How could I not? And I knew I had to read the book again. Rhyme Everyone loves rhyme. For me, the biggest problem with poetry that children write and send me is forced rhyme without a sense of rhythm. Sure, sometimes it works. Maybe. But most often, it does not.When do we use rhyme and why? What kind of poems would you like to write? What kinds of poems do you read?Beginning with a discussion, I hope to write a little poetry together. Surprising … [Read more...]
Another Reading Programme Comes to an End!
"Moin and the Monster was my favourite book because there's a sequel!" said one child, holding up Moin and the Monster Songster."Mine was The Very Glum Life of Tootoolu Toop," said another. "It was mysterious and magical!""I liked Fantastic Mr Fox. But my all-time favourite is The Witches."And in the midst of all that, one child held up Dragonflies, Jigsaws and Seashells, her eyes shining as she told me she got it, was reading it and loved it so far.How could I not have enjoyed this reading programme? Six children, three books, 12 online interactions. It was perfect in so many ways! Moin and the Monster The first book we read together was Moin and the Monster. With this one, we did an all-time favourite activity - creating a monster together and naming it. Then, the children worked with rhymes and then made a monster rhyme of their own. Shapeshifting … [Read more...]
Workshops Launching in May and June 2021
I've received an overwhelming number of queries this time around, and I'm not surprised. Summer holidays! Registrations are now open for two reading programmes beginning on the 1st of June.Do note that with lockdowns in several places, book deliveries are experiencing delays. I will try to get the books to you in time for the programme, but the sooner you register, the easier it will be for me. Online Reading Programme (Ages 7 to 8) We're on the fourth edition of this programme, and the four books we will read this time are The Monster Hunters by Parinita Shetty, Bookasura by Arundhati Venkatesh, Esio Trot by Roald Dahl and At Least a Fish (Zain & Ana Book 1) by Anushka Ravishankar. On popular demand, I have also launched a weekend batch of the same online reading programme! Details Dates: 1st June to 9th July 2021Dates for the weekend … [Read more...]
Top Ten: Chapter Books
Calling all the books that I've listed here 'chapter books' is perhaps unfair. Some are quite a bit longer than others. I'm uncomfortable defining books on the basis of age too, as reading levels differ widely even within one school, let alone across schools, areas and countries. I think, broadly, this list comprises books that I enjoyed reading as an adult and would probably have loved when I was eight or nine.Me and Mister PWriter: Maria Farrer Illustrator: Daniel RieleyPublisher: Oxford University PressWhat can I say about the delightful Mister P? Though I read Me and Mister P almost a year ago, it is one of those timeless books that stay with you, a classic.When Arthur discovers a polar bear at his doorstep, the warmest of friendships begins to blossom. Mister P does not say a word, but something special is born out of those wonderful bear hugs and the … [Read more...]
Moin and the Monster
Moin and the Monster has been on my list of books to read for a long time, and I finally got around to reading it mainly because of the essay I did for The Curious Reader on "The Problem With Monster Stereotypes In Literature". Of course, it was impossible to read every book on monsters for a 1000-word essay, but finally, I had the perfect reason to put everything aside and read this one.It was excellent: deliciously funny and wholly unusual. I chuckled at Moin's uneasy relationship with a monster that is full of rules that it spouts all the time. Moin is, unfortunately, stuck with this monster who loves to sing, for one of the rules states that a monster must stay with the human who gives it shape by drawing it.From joining singing class so that he can justify the constant singing from his room to trying to explain away the disappearance of hundreds of bananas, … [Read more...]