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© Copyright 2013 - 2025
Varsha Seshan

A Demon in Dandi

March 31, 2025 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

We all know about the infamous salt tax and the march to Dandi. What would the people of Dandi have felt at the time? Were people even aware of this huge political upheaval brewing in various parts of the country? A Demon in Dandi by Lavanya Karthik is part of Duckbill’s Songs of Freedom series, […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: A Demon in Dandi, books for tweens, historical fiction, Lavanya Karthik, Middle Grade, reading, review, Songs of Freedom

A Melody in Mysore

August 13, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

With Independence Day just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to read A Melody in Mysore by Shruthi Rao, a new addition to the Songs of Freedom series. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed most of the books in the series, some more than others. Set in different parts of the country in the first half of […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: A Melody in Mysore, books for tweens, historical fiction, Middle Grade, reading, review, Shruthi Rao, Songs of Freedom

Postcard from the Lushai Brigade

July 28, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

What a beautiful addition to the Songs of Freedom series! Reminiscent of Private Peaceful although for a younger audience, Postcard from the Lushai Brigade is the story of a pair of brothers. And just like Michael Morpurgo’s Private Peaceful, it is told from the point of view of a younger brother who idolises the elder, […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: Hannah Lalhlanpuii, historical fiction, Middle Grade, Postcard from the Lushai Brigade, reading, review, Songs of Freedom

The Train to Tanjore

October 11, 2022 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

It’s 1942 in Tanjore, and Thambi wants to know more about the Quit India movement. Encouraged by his father, he visits the library regularly to scour the newspapers. But there’s precious little in the papers about anything except the war raging in Europe. Thambi wants to know about Gandhiji and the other freedom fighters! Not […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: Devika Rangachari, historical fiction, Middle Grade, reading, review, Songs of Freedom, The Train to Tanjore

A Conspiracy in Calcutta

September 16, 2022 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

A Conspiracy in Calcutta is the third book I’ve read from the Songs of Freedom series, and it’s my favourite so far! For one, Calcutta is a city that is close to my heart. I spent just a couple of years there, but they were important, full years. More than the setting, though (unlike with […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: A Conspiracy in Calcutta, historical fiction, Lesley D Biswas, Middle Grade, reading, review, Songs of Freedom

That Year at Manikoil

August 15, 2022 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

I couldn’t have read That Year at Manikoil on a better day if I’d planned it. I don’t even remember how long ago I bought my copy, but it was today, Independence Day, that I sat down with it. And it was only when I was close to finishing it that I realised what an […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: Aditi Krishnakumar, historical fiction, Middle Grade, reading, review, Songs of Freedom, That Year at Manikoil

The Chowpatty Cooking Club

April 13, 2022 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Who didn’t want to be a freedom fighter while studying about the independence movement? I know I dreamt of being a heroine – just like Sakina in The Chowpatty Cooking Club. I would do something meaningful and brave. I would do whatever it took! But like Sakina, the question was what? Bursting with humour, innocence […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: historical fiction, Lubaina Bandukwala, Middle Grade, reading, review, Songs of Freedom, The Chowpatty Cooking Club