The Imagination Box, which I wrote about yesterday, as well as the books I'll be writing about in the days ahead, were part of the Reading Challenge organised by the British Library. As always, I enjoyed myself thoroughly conducting a series of workshops at MGM Clover Dale High School in Aurangabad. The theme for their Reading Challenge was "Record Breakers", and there were record breakers amongst them! A pair of twins read 16 books in the last three weeks because they enjoyed the challenge so much!The first workshop, for younger children, was a lovely storytelling session. I introduced them to Julia Donaldson's The Paper Dolls. We play-acted, read the story, and then even made the paper dolls as instructed at the end of the book!The second session was with eight-year-olds who found that they were too old to read the collection for young readers. They chose to read books from the … [Read more...]
The Imagination Box
Isn't the name wonderful?The Imagination Box is the story of a boy called Tim, who has convinced himself that all he needs in life are his pencil and paper (and some confectionery would do no harm). Recently adopted, he knows that all the papers have been signed, but cannot help thinking of his new home as temporary. His easiest defence mechanism is to convince himself that he does not need friends. He is happiest by himself. No one else matters.Until, of course, he meets Professor Eisenstone, inventor of the imagination box. Never one to curb his curiosity, Tim tries on a funny helmet thing connected to a box, not sure what to expect. And the magic begins ... He alone has been able to make Professor Eisenstone's imagination box work. And he can create anything he likes.The book has so much potential and so many truly brilliant bits. I love the finger monkey Phil. I love … [Read more...]
The Boy in the Dress
I started reading The Boy in the Dress long ago and never ended up finishing it. I don't know why. Maybe I was in no mood to deal with all the mucus in the second chapter. Or maybe I was just not in the right mood.I picked up the book again because I watched a "Britain's Got Talent" video and was charmed by the way David Walliams responded to one of the participants - a xylophone player. It made me think that I had to give the writer another shot.And I'm so glad I did! The Boy in the Dress was simply lovely. Though there were parts that made me suspend disbelief rather too much, I enjoyed the story. More than anything, I loved the tone of the book. The story is so lightly written and the characters emerge so sweetly. And of course, Quentin Blake's illustrations - when have they not charmed me? As I was reading it, I didn't get the impression that it was a brave book or that … [Read more...]
Flickering Flames
Last week, St. Mary's School officially launched Flickering Flames, an anthology of poems and stories I edited as the facilitator of the Writers' Club. The teachers have their copies already, and I've heard some lovely comments about the book.Here's a little about it for those who are reading about this for the first time ... In the academic year 2015-16, I started a Writers' Club at St. Mary's School, Pune. We began with nearly sixty girls, but as they discovered how much work goes into writing, they slowly dropped out. Finally, thirteen girls submitted work that was put together in an anthology. As it is the sesquicentennial year of the school, Dr Kinjal Goyal came forward to help us publish it, and now it's a book!Written entirely by children aged 11-13, Flickering Flames is a collection of all kinds of stories and poems - ranging from … [Read more...]
Shine
What a puzzling book Shine was! It leaves me all mixed up in terms of what I feel about it.It's a page turner, that's for sure. I began to read and just kept reading without ever stopping. Yet, there were just so many places when I groaned and felt it was too predictable. There were things that were dramatised that were not, I felt, in any way dramatic. There were many places where I felt Nah ... This is just too convenient.But I never write about books that I dislike. In more than one place, despite its predictability and and the tinge of the unrealistic, I found myself moved to tears. I found myself thinking that Shine is such a brave book. How difficult it is to write a story about a girl whose mother is a thief who drinks too much!Tiff loves her mother. You and me, Mum, you and me ... But her mother can be so embarrassing! She pulls off bar codes from things in … [Read more...]
A Monster Calls
Stunning. Absolutely stunning.I picked up A Monster Calls in the same way that I pick up all other books - randomly. No one recommended it to me. I read no reviews. I did not read the blurb. Sometimes it's better that way, simply because you have no idea what to expect.Patrick Ness's A Monster Calls is a truly remarkable book, so remarkable that I cannot write anything about it. It wrung my heart. I sobbed as I held on to the book I had just finished. It was over. I didn't want it to be over.Young Conor has the same terrifying dream, night after night. And then the monster, which is older than time itself, comes walking. The monster tells him three tales that twist and turn, and frustrate Conor. Yet, each tale is important. And each tale brings him closer to the fourth tale that he himself must tell - the one that's no easy story. It's the truth. The truth of his nightmare. … [Read more...]
Storytelling Workshop at Palm Groves
A group of parents got together and invited me to conduct a weeklong storytelling workshop at a housing society. Storytelling has never been more fun! Working with my own stories is a lovely experience in itself, and when the story comes with its own kit ... The enjoyment reaches new levels!Here's a group of children putting together the jigsaw puzzle of Bholu at the Level Crossing ...It was such fun telling this story, with the children making the same sounds that Chitra makes in the book, imitating the train - Poooonnnn! Chug-chug-chug-chug, chug-chug-chug-chug. One observant child commented that the red Swift in the picture had to be an old one because there was no reversing camera!And here's another picture of all the children busily colouring the sketches that are part of the third kit, the one for Bholu at the School Excursion ...This one was fun because we … [Read more...]
Books I’ve Been Reading
Lots of travelling always means lots of reading! What better way to spend long train journeys?The Last Unicorn is a classic. If Patrick Rothfuss says it's the best book he has ever read, you know it's worth looking out for.Title The Last UnicornAuthor Peter S. BeagleGenre Classic/Fantasy/Fairy TaleRating (out of 5) 5Age-group 10+Among the most powerful books I have ever read, I now know that Theresa Breslin is an author I want to read more of!Title Prisoner of the InquisitionAuthor Theresa BreslinGenre YA/Historical FictionRating (out of 5) 5Age-group 13+I picked up this one because I was sure that a book called Travelling Backwards written by a person called Toby Forward had to be entertaining, at the very least. I was not disappointed.Title Travelling BackwardsAuthor Toby ForwardGenre Fantasy/MagicRating (out of … [Read more...]
Let’s Break Some Records!
Of late, I've been too busy to post updates about events I conduct, but here's a quick heads-up. I'm conducting a workshop at the British Library tomorrow!Explore novel records that you can see yourself setting!Work on all four language skills – reading, writing, listening and speaking. Interact with other children with varied interests. Reflect on everything you have read so far and why it interests you.Most importantly, let's have some fun!It's part of this year's Reading Challenge, but you're welcome to attend the workshop even if you aren't part of the challenge!Here are the details:Venue: British Library, Fergusson College Road, Pune Date: 8th January, 2016 Age-group: 8-13 years Time: 4pm to 6pm Registration fee: Rs 600 Contact: Namrata - 020-41005327Pre-registration is preferred, but if it is impossible, you're welcome to drop in fifteen … [Read more...]
Running on the Cracks
So much to do, so much to read, so much to write! I haven't written my blog for ages because I've been busy writing a brand new series on trains ... But more about that when we're closer to the date it's to be launched.Running on the Cracks made me create a little space in the whirlwind of activity that has made up the last few months. I read and watched The Gruffalo's Child a while ago, and when I saw a book by Julia Donaldson in the library, I had to read it.And I read on and on.Moving beyond the 'political correctness' of the way we ought to address the immigrant Chinese population in Glasgow, Running on the Cracks came alive to me at each step.Leonora Watts-Chan, half-Chinese and half-English, is on the run. Her parents died in a plane crash, and she begins to live with Aunt Sarah and Uncle John. Her cousins tease her about the colour of her skin; in fact, they tease her … [Read more...]