Notes from Neev!

 

“Stumbled upon your next story?” was the theme of this year’s Neev Literature fest, an exclusive lit fest for Indian Children and YA literature at Neev Academy that was at its seventh edition this year. As we literally stumbled out of our cab and into our first steps into mixed media, a masterclass by illustrator Shivam Choudhary,  I noticed that NLF was getting bigger, brighter and boundless in the myriad opportunities it affords children to explore the world through books! Of course, it’s only been our third year at NLF, but we were delighted with the diverse and eclectic mix of riveting performances based on books, interestingly themed book launches, delightful book interactions, thought-provoking sessions for educators and parents, engaging master classes for children aged between 9 and 18 and heartwarming author interactions and book signings and more!  It was a wonderful confluence of authors, illustrators from all over the world, numerous publishers and creators of Indian children’s literature, along with the educators, librarians, parents and of course students of all ages, brought together under one giant marquee by Neev Academy at their campus in Bellandur. Systematically planned, well organised and creatively presented, we were truly spoilt for choices between a fun-filled session/ a performance at Kathashala, or an insightful discussion at Kahaanimanch, or our favourite author reading from her book at the Performing arts studio or a writer/illustrator or content-based workshop at the Masterclass or waiting in line to get our books signed at the Sahitya Santhe!  Another NLF initiative is the NLF Reading Challenge for young readers to read a list of “thoughtfully curated books” in a span of three months that finally culminates in a quiz at the lit-fest!  Not to forget the school adorned the charming aesthetics of a lit fest….every corner of the school had something fascinating to offer for book enthusiasts of all ages!  NLF is in so many ways, a torchbearer of children’s literature in India, and one of the pioneers in bringing together all the stakeholders of Indian children’s literature and also symbolises a sustained and sincere effort in “growing readers for life”!

 

Each year NLF shortlists books in various categories for the Neev Book Award and we’ve always picked out the shortlisted books and devoured them in no time! Of course as my little one is transitioning from early chapter books to middle reader books, our Neev book bag is becoming heavier and heavier each year! So much so that I had a minor fall and ended up with a sprained ankle owing to which we missed the second day of NLF 2024! The shortlist was as varied and inclusive as the festival itself and featured around three titles in each category from picture books to chapter books to YA reading.

Aadya and I were inspired reading about the art activist “Meera Mukerjee: Breaking moulds” by Vaishali Shroff and awestruck by Shivam Choudhary’s illustrations, an Art1st publication;  Enraptured with the paper cut illustrations and the empathetic storyline in the Karadi tales publication of “A Thousand Full Moons” by Shoba Viswanath and illustrations by Keerthana Ramesh;  Loved the playful yet deep meaning  of the Pratham read  “When we are Home” by Priyadarshini  Gogoi and illustrated by Pankaj Saikia.

 

Aadya is now into C G Salamander and Sheena Devaiah’s travelogue of mythical beasts across India in “From Makaras to Manticores”, a Hachette publication,   and next in line is to read about Bipathu’s love for football in “Bipathu and a Very Big Dream” by Anitha Nair, a Penguin publication,  and ready to learn about Tulika’s graphic series titled  “Unknown Heroes of India’s freedom Struggle” by P Sainath!

 

Aadya still has a few more years to go before she delves into YA novels - Andaleeb Wajid’s “The Henna Start-up”  by Penguin Random House and “Zen” by Shabnam Minwalla, a Duckbill publication, with the prolific writer Andaleeb Wajid winning the Neev Book award at NLF 2024. So “If you could live in one of these books during Dassera holidays, which one would it be?”

 

While the NLF weekend was physically exhausting as we couldn’t keep up with so many sessions and were continually harbouring a FOMO feeling (Fear of missing out!), we came out sporting super cool blue wrists bands, our minds uplifted, creatively inspired, and our hearts full!   Come September…. besides the start of festive season….we have the next edition of NLF to look forward to!

Red Shoes!

As I browse through some of my earliest blogposts almost a decade ago, I find that an oft repeated reflection on my part has always been “I wish I had a daughter” and such a longing was borne out of a desire to enjoy reading books that my pre-schooler was quick to dismiss as “girlie books”! Be it the Fancy Nancy series, or the Knuffle Bunny (which I though admit my son enjoyed too!), or books with little girls as protagonists fascinated with what is ordinarily termed as girl-specific choices, I found myself yearning for a daughter to read to! Now that I have a daughter, while we enjoy reading the very same stories that Abhay was not so enthusiastic about, I haven’t been able to chronicle our experiences on Onestoryaday as often as I wanted to. Of course, there are other trappings of having a daughter which I didn’t foresee, some of which can prove to be expensive affairs along with the way! (Of course, boys too have their own fetishes that aren’t exactly easy on the pocket!) For instance, our little five-year old fashionista already has the most number of footwear in our house; Our little style icon is too fastidious about how her clothing, the choice of colours, matching accessories, hairstyles, etc; Our little fashion expert is also the first one to compliment someone on their outfit, or their hairstyle, or a striking accessory! She has even complimented our maid on the colour of her sari! 😊

So as I was browsing through the shelves of Sankar’s bookstore at Rangashankara recently, I knew I had found a likely favourite in “Red Shoes- A dazzling journey” by Karen English and illustrated by Ebony Glenn. Malika is fascinated by the dazzling red shoes she sees perched on the pedestal on the shop display and tries to get her nana to buy them for her to As they return home, Nana unwraps the surprise and Malika cant take her eyes off the red shoes nestled amidst the tissue paper. From then on….red shoes become highlight of every one of Malika’s outing….at her aunt’s wedding or Nana’s Christmas party or playdate with her best friend Kiesha….Mallika goes click-clack-clack all the way in her red shoes, which is witness to many of her mischiefs, fights and her growing up experiences, including Malika’s desperate attempts to fit into her favourite red shoes that sadly now seem small for her….prompting nana to give them away to be resold at a Resale-Thrift store. As she bids farewell to what has been a significant part of her growing up, she can’t help but wonder a few days later as to where her red shoes are………read on to find out the dazzling journey of the red shoes in spreading joy and good cheer amongst the little girls who don them! Narrated in simple text and partly in verse format, and illustrations beautifully enhancing the reading experience, this book can take you back to your prized possessions of your childhood too! Needless to say…Aadya loved it and has already petitioned for red shoes to be added to her ever growing collection! I remember many years ago, before having graduated to being parents, we were flabbergasted at seeing a newly furnished walk-in wardrobe exclusively for shoes that our older cousin had got done for his teenage daughters and we swore never to fall for something like that, if at all we had a daughter! Now…. we are already thinking of something like that ….and our daughter is not even a teenager! 😊

One year of online class!

“Wiggling my fingers and saying the prayer….raising my silent hand and unmuting myself, taking the cookie from the cookie jar” (an interactive game played in the online class)… “these are a few of my favourite things of online class” was what my five-year old had to say at her online graduation day at the end of this year’s online academic year. For most students, the 2020-21 academic year will go down in history as a school year sans even single visit to school. The usual school routine of getting the kids ready, packing lunch boxes and dropping them at the school bus pick up point seems to have happened in the distant past which we don’t seem to relate to anymore! Instead, we’ve become complacent (read as lazy!), optic-driven, and adept at an eleventh-hour focus on only what is captured on the webcam! All this has indeed taken a toll on our kids’ attitude and attention towards learning and school, especially the younger kids who find the online format to be a restrictive medium. Frankly, I don’t blame Aadya for her being not-so-enthusiastic about her thrice a week online class. Groggy and yawning through most part of the half-an-hour class, my soon-to-be-six-year-old chatter-box is least bit interactive in class and only unmutes herself after being goaded into answering a question. The only time she shakes herself out of her trance-like state is at the end of the class when she repeatedly wishes her teachers “Bye … see you tomorrow” in her characteristic shrill metallic voice, ending up disturbing her brother who is suffering through his own online class in the next room! That said, we truly commend the efforts of TSA school management and the teachers for their brilliant adaptation to the new format and their sincere efforts in attempting to acquaint the children with the needed math and language concepts albeit through a highly limited medium, while at the same time, ensuring that the screen-time is not too onerous for kids or their parents. We appreciate that the school has indeed managed to cover good ground even with a five-day week of three and half hour’s physical class being replaced with a three-day week of half an hour online class! The school also made sure that the children don’t miss out on special events like talent week or the festival celebrations, all conducted online. Of course nothing can compare to the reserving of a seat in anticipation for a friend boarding the next stop on school bus or vying for the first turn on the slide during the school play hour or admiring a fellow classmate’s new pencil box while making a mental note to convince parents to buy you one or hoping your classmates shares her paneer parathas during lunch hour…all an integral part of the school life that we hope to gain back at least during the second half of next academic year ….fingers crossed really!

While most of our activities are still online or virtual, internet connectivity is the key factor to have a smooth run during one’s online day! What happens if the internet connections snaps…all hell breaks loose, right? A similar situation (though pre-covid times) has been wonderfully captured in Richa Jha’s “The Manic Panic”, illustrated by Mithila Ananth, brought out by the award winning Pickle Yolk books. However, I’m not sure that it is our generation that is obsessed with screen time as featured by Richa Jha, but I believe it’s the other way around! On most days, everyone in the household is shown to be pouring over a device but when the wi-fi is down, everyone gets restless…everyone except the fitness-obsessed grandma and the young girl who tries to get her parents to break free from their devices in her own way. The young girl coaxes her parents into a digital-detox exercise without having to worry about connectivity and internet, with help from her grandma. The parents mirroring what would normally be the reaction of the device obsessed generation reminds me of the Mo Willems narrative in “Don’t let the Pigeon….” series. Read on as the tables turn and it is up to the younger generation to take charge and re-introduce the older generation into a life without devices, if not for at least a day …. with a funny twist in the end as the girl finds herself in her parents’ shoes! The story is also a feel-good satire on how we let technology/internet/devices take over our lives so much so that it’s hard to fathom a day or even a moment without being attached to any device! A quirky little story that reflects the state of almost every other household these days, particularly during the pandemic, and it all falls on that one family member – the anti-device activist to diffuse the “No internet” panic situation at home! We enjoyed the illustrations as they take the story forward and bring forth the myriad different moods of the parents, grandma and the precocious young girl I had bought this book a while ago to only demonstrate to my older one that I’m not the only anti-device activist in the world, and little did I realise that this book will be a big hit with my little one who somehow sees herself in the young girl! Wi-fi or no wi-fi….here’s to more manageable “manic panic” situations at home !

Angry "A"s!

What makes you angry? When your clients dodge paying up after extracting all the work from you? Or when you feel your entire weekend being devoured by your kids leaving absolutely no 'me-time'?  Or when your little sister is a ubiquitous presence at home, staking claim to all of your parents' attention? Or when you are not allowed to snack on your favourite junk food (which happens to be right before dinner time!)........ these are a few reasons that makes us go all red and hot! Off late, both our 'A's (as we fondly refer to our kids both whose names begin with the first alphabet) have been experiencing certain anger issues in their own way........if one is transitioning from tween years to teens.... the other is moving from thunderous threes to fussy fours!! While we dialed in  for "Toddler 911 techniques" for the latter, for the former we decided to introspect and look within and like most children's issues....it's no surprise that this too stems from the parents! While anger is a natural feeling when things don't go as expected, it's how we choose to react and express our anger that has a direct bearing on how our kids let their steam out! We yell and they yell, we abuse and they abuse, we curse and .........well.....they'll think cursing is cool!

Of course, avoiding all kinds of outbursts or shouting-matches is easier said than done, and it's convenient to let it slip a few times and blame it on children themselves or rationalize the same as parental authority! But seriously...who are we kidding? They are as we are and they will turn out as we have turned out. As the saying goes ....children are great imitators...so give them something great to imitate!

As we all learn to deal with our own anger management issues, I discovered an insightful little children's book on the same subject by Pratham publications titled "Angry Akku" by Vinayak Verma. Recently awarded the Hindu Young-World Good Books award for the Best Picture book: Story category, this book is based on a theme that transcends all age groups and makes a delightful read for one and all.  Even the name of the little girl reminds me of Kannada author Vaidehi's story of a strong willed woman named "Akku" with her own anger management and mental health issues that was even adapted into theater and later a movie. I wonder if the author drew inspiration from the same....!

Anyway, as little Akku is picked up from school by her father, he notices that Akku is not her usual perky self but is upset over something. Nothing seem to cheer her up...if the sun flowers on the way are "too yellow", the monkeys on the roof of her house are "Chee!" Nothing that appa has to offer softens her mood..... and though she refuses to down a glass of buttermilk or crunch into the crispy vadas.... on second thoughts  she polishes off the plate in no time!  Despite being in an unenviable situation, I envy the father's ability to stay patient and adopt a therapeutic  approach to letting Akku's anger subside! Why is Akku angry or most importantly, does Akku finally cool down?  Read on to find Akku's  annoyance melting away as she turns from Angry Akku to Artist Akku!  Aided by vibrant and imaginative illustrations,  and endearingly relatable portrayal of its protagonists, this book is truly one of the best picture books in recent times! Even on a personal level Angry Akku is a big hit at home as I see my little one imitating Akku in one of her own angry avatars and my older one trying out the ten best things suggested when he feels angry like Akku and  our lives are all about juggling between them as we learn to deal with our own angry-Akku-moods!    

So much!

Extended family celebrations are something young children always look forward to. I guess it’s only as they grow up that they prefer staying away from them! Since both my kids haven’t reached that I want-to-be -left -alone phase as yet (thank God!) and more so, having been blessed with large extended families on both sides... social interaction with relatives has never been a problem with them (at least so far!) 

While our older one has always been comfortable interacting with his first and second cousins, cousins’ cousins, uncles and aunts, grand uncles and grand aunts, grandparents’ siblings, and grandparents’ cousins, (Phew!) ... at religious or social family gatherings or during their visits home,  (though he may not remember exactly how they may be related to us!), it was a pleasant surprise to see our little one  taking in to her extended family circle with ease and even basking in the extra attention she gets for being one of the youngest in the group.

So it was only natural that one of Aadya's all time favourite books has been  "So Much" by Trish Cooke and illustrations by Helen Oxenbury. A chance find at our  erstwhile favourite hang-out, Kutoohala, I have been waiting for the right occasion to feature this book on Onestoryaday! While we had borrowed and returned this book a multiple times at the library, under the trusted assumption that I could always borrow it again and never once did I imagine that there would be a time when this book would become altogether unavailable on account of closure of the library!  I will never forget that day in March at the library's closure sale when I tried to scourge all the sections of the library looking for this book and finally had to leave with a heavy heart, not only as I couldn't find the book but also because, I could never ever go back to Kutoohala which was more than just a library to me, it was my weekly relaxation therapy, a quiet retreat for me to escape into and a haven for books to pick as I'd imagine my toddler would enjoy! So this book "So much" (which I finally bought online) will always be special as it's a throwback to those good old days when I could stop over on the way back from work, to my little happy place of wonderful children's books!

Steering away from my ramblings, I must say that many of our reading sessions  culminate in a grand finale which almost always happens to be the reading of "So much", a book that is also a shout out to diversity and multi-culturalism. Set in a Caribbean Household with a big extended family full of loud and vivacious relatives,  "So much" is centered around a baby who is the apple of everyone's eye, just like all young kids at home. The day happens to be a special occasion as the mom and baby welcome the relatives who arrive one after another, with the doorbell going "DING DONG" announcing the arrival of all the relatives from aunty Biba, uncle Didi, nanny and gran-gran, to cousin Kay-Kay and big cousin Ross, who arrive in their characteristic styles and all of whom want to engage and pamper the baby in their own way- from wanting to squeeze the baby, to kiss the baby, to eat the baby (figuratively of course), and wrestle the baby as they love him "so much"! As the house gets a little too crowded for comfort with all the noisy relatives driving their own agenda, the final ding-dong sounds off....a moment they have all been waiting for ..... to surprise the baby's daddy on his birthday. This book is a joy to read to your little one .............vivid illustrations, this book also  offers plenty of fun read-aloud moments from guess-work to repetitive phrases for your little one to follow through and not to forget mirroring the cuddles and kisses on to your little one whom you love so much! Well....we couldn't have asked for a better book as it also happens to be the Daddy's birthday today.....which we celebrated with our extended family.............. so Happy birthday to our little one's  daddy! ­:-)

Intolerance and all that Jazz ! , so what's kid lit got to do with it ?

It has indeed been a tense year , the world over.

With attacks in Paris to the growing intolerance debates in India , to the latest floods in Chennai, there is a lot that the world has lost this year  - and that includes peace and tolerance !

Today , unfortunately social media is no longer a platform where you reunite with friends from school and college.

 Today we are made aware of  most national and international news through social media . There are heated arguments, debates view points  and trolls strewn all over the wall .

 Try as much as you can to keep yourself away from social media, we come back every day - only to witness more hatred and negativity ejected  around.

So what does growing intolerance , and terrorism got to do in a kid lit blog you ask?


Talking of tolerance, I chanced upon Strega nona - a story  about an aging witch and a young man , Anthony that comes to stay in her home.

Strega nona  is a friendly witch who helps her town people with their every day challenges and problems. She hires Anthony  to take care of her house and farm.  While Strega nona gives the lad complete access to her house, she warns him never to touch a pot that lies in her home.

Anthony goes about his daily routine of milking the cows and goats , washing the dishes and keeping the house clean.

However one day, by chance  , he hears her singing and on peeking, notices her standing by her pot .

As soon as she sang ....

    Bubble Bubble Pasta pot
    Boil me some pasta ,nice and hot
    I am hungry and its time to sup
    Boil enough pasta to fill me up

 he watched  the pasta pot boil and bubble and overflow with steaming hot pasta.

Curiosity gets the better of him and when she is away , he utters the same magic spell and tries his luck at the cooking  some hot pasta.

But what he didn't know was that the witch also blew 3 kisses at the pot to stop cooking more pasta.

Taking pride at his pasta magic, Anthony invites the entire village folk for a feast. But soon trouble starts to brew when the magic pot cannot stop cooking  pasta.

The entire village is flooded by the pasta spewing out of the pot and there is no stopping. Anthony tries sitting on the pot, he tries closing the pot but hard luck ! the pot continues to cook and flood the town with pasta .!

Strega Nona arrives on time to save the village from drowning in pasta

And the kind but stern witch that she was  - can you guess what punishment she gave the lad ?

She made him eat all the pasta with a fork - until he could take no more !

There you see - wasn't Strega nona the most  tolerant witch ever seen ?

In her anger , she could have brandished him with her magic spells. She could have turned him into pasta and cooked him in the pasta pot or she would have cast a spell and turned him into a lizard or a bee ! but she chose her curse carefully and ensured he had a taste of his own medicine.


What we type and post on social media in a huff ! leaves a lasting impression about us on people  who read our posts every day. After all - a pen is mightier than the sword, ain't it ?

So I hope what we choose to  SHARE and how we choose to REACT   and share on social media is sane enough for us to come back and feel proud of ,  else  who knows - one day you may have to gulp down some bitter pill  like the lad in the story .


oh boy ! I didn't intend to write something so serious as a sermon .

 The story is filled with wit and I love the illustrations as much as the story. The book is a Caldecott honor .  It was one of the "Top 100 Picture Books" of all time in a 2012 poll by School Library Journal.^[3]

And here's wishing One story a day , Divya and her kids many years of shared learning, reading and laughter !

Happy 2016 everyone !