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 […]
Journey to the River Sea
I read Journey to the River Sea years ago, probably over a decade ago. I loved it so much that it featured on my list of all-time favourite books for a long time. Eventually, I realised that even though I still thought about it as one of my favourites, I didn’t quite remember the story. […]
When Fairyland Lost Its Magic
We need more illustrated middle-grade books! I read When Fairyland Lots Its Magic on my way to Kolkata for the Junior Kolkata Literary Meet, and there was so much to love about it! The way Bijal Vachharajani plays with fairytales (like Gretel and Hansel), the comments about odd names (Little Red Riding Hood? Who names […]
The Henna Start-Up
A determined protagonist, a family that’s willing to change, and characters that evolve through the story–what’s not to like? Abir Maqsood of The Henna Start-Up by Andaleeb Wajid is an imperfect, gritty character, the kind that never fails to make me smile. She is fuelled by her determination to get justice and to stand up […]
My Favourite Late Middle-Grade and Young Adult Books from 2023
As usual, I begin my list of favourite young adult books wishing I had read more YA last year. Yes, I loved these books, but once more, I hope to read more young adult in 2024! Schooled Schooled is such a delightful read, featuring a quirky, fun character. I read many negative reviews about the book, […]
My Favourite Middle-Grade Books from 2023
It’s only when I began writing this post that I noticed that most (six out of seven) of my favourite middle-grade reads from 2023 have blue covers! How odd! I made a conscious effort to read more middle-grade books this year, also because I want to write more middle grade. It’s an age-group I enjoy […]
My Favourite Chapter Books from 2023
I read dozens of chapter books each year thanks to my book clubs. Here’s a round-up of my favourites from last year. Interestingly, in 2022, there were only three chapter books I really loved. This year, there are ten! Most of these are book club reads, so they’re books children have enjoyed reading too! Gobi […]
My Favourite Picture Books and Early Chapter Books from 2023
It’s only as I was looking back at all the wonderful books I read in 2023 that I realised that five of my favourite picture books and early chapter books were Hook Books! I love the series, and I’m always excited to read new additions to it. A usual, I begin my list with a […]
Sad Animal Facts
Did you know that frogs can close their ears? Or that anything a duckling meets within ten minutes of being born becomes its parent? (That reminds me of The Wild Robot, though the bird in the story is a gosling, not a duckling. Even so.) Those two aren’t sad animal facts, though, are they? In […]
An Alien in the Jam Factory
There’s something about book titles that can just grab your attention right away. An Alien in the Jam Factory is one of those. I often pick up books when I travel and when I was in Goa last month, I visited Literati for the first time. I browsed for quite a while before this book […]
What Feelings Do When No One’s Looking
What Feelings Do When No One’s Looking is such a gorgeous, whimsical book! Do our feelings live inside us, or do they go on journeys of their own? Or do they do both? Each page of this endearing picture book is beautifully written and beautifully illustrated. As I read about curiosity, joy, gratitude, anxiety, shame […]
Heartstopper
I rarely write about books that are so popular, but I loved the Heartstopper series and I can’t wait to see what happens next! Unlike most other books I’ve read, I came to the series through Netflix. I watched both seasons and was so drawn to the characters that I had to read the books. […]
Crackers
Some writers stun me with the range of stories they write. Elizabeth Laird, for instance. Look at just the stories I’ve read by her: And now, Crackers, which is completely different from anything else I’ve read by her. The strangest part for me as I read it was how similar it is to something I’ve […]
The Losers Club
We’ve loved books by Andrew Clements at my book club. Of course, Frindle is a favourite, but About Average was fun too. The Losers Club, which I read about a month ago, came as a recommendation from a parent, and it was quite a lovely choice. A book about books–what’s not to love about it? […]
Hour of the Bees
The six months of the year when my writing programmes are on are almost impossibly busy. Add book launches, travel and literature fests to a busy season, and I’ve had barely any time to read! But in the midst of it all, I snatched snippets of time to read the gorgeous Hour of the Bees […]
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 […]
Schooled
I stumbled upon Schooled by Gordon Korman by chance and read it in one sitting. What a lovely, fun book, full of unexpected twists and turns! Capricorn Andersen (Cap for short) has spent all his life at Garland Farm, homeschooled by his hippie grandmother, Rain. When Rain falls off a tree, Cap is launched into […]
The Big Bad Fight
I just finished reading The Big Bad Fight written by Yamini Vijayan and illustrated by Kruttika Susarla, and what a lovely book it is! We all know what it is like to be an angry child. The injustice of a game like Snakes and Ladders! The unfairness of a sore loser! We get upset, angry […]
Kolam Kanna
October 2023 sees us reading another brand-new book, hot off the press! I read Kolam Kanna just about a month ago, and I loved it. What’s not to love about a kolam-drawing child with friends who stand up for him? Here’s what we’ll do as we read this book. Kolam Have you read Susheela’s Kolams? If we can, […]
Gathering Blue
Gathering Blue opens with an unknown character in an unknown world. Sure, it is a dystopian world, but I found myself wondering, isn’t this the second book in The Giver quartet? I even went back to check that I hadn’t started reading the wrong book by mistake. I hadn’t. Yet, there were no overlapping characters […]