Are we becoming too picky with children’s books and demanding too much of them, and their authors? The recent Dr. Suess controversy makes me wonder if we realize that authors of children’s books are human with human failings?
Against All Odds by Ramendra Kumar, is about the challenges faced by adolescent kids, when they have to move to new town. Moving from a big city to a small town is a difficult transition for most teens, but for someone with a deformed half developed arm, things can be far more complicated. How do the twins Kartik and Kavya, tackle prejudiced coaches, hostile classmates, and other hurdles they encounter, in their new school and surroundings? Read on for a detailed review.
An interview with Dr. Pooja Jagtiaani, about children's dental care and oral hygiene. Pooja has been practicing General and Family Dentistry in Mumbai, for the last 15 years, and regularly deals with kids. Here, she shares, useful information and helpful tips for parents.
An easy breakfast/dessert/snack recipe, made with apples. Warm, buttery and crunchy, it is perfect for chilly or rainy days.
The book weaves many historical facts in to a fun filled fictional story, where seven children of Shah Jahan team up, to solve the mystery of the missing Timur Ruby. Who could have dared to steal from the Mughal Emperor? What punishment will the robber face? Read on to find out.
Does your child have a flair for telling stories? Here is one way to find out. Either way, this is a good game to play at home or while travelling.
My two bundles of chaos were chasing each other around the massive sofa chair in our living room. Suddenly the smaller blur spotted Papa, changed course and charged after him. The bigger blur, was unfazed by the sudden change of direction and remained in pursuit of the smaller blur.
My older one is now 5. She doesn't show much interest in TV, but occasionally wants to watch something. Personally I have nothing against TV in moderation. But I did want to find a show that would be fun for my daughter to watch and yet subtly advocate open mindedness, curiosity and sensitivity.
Some time ago, I received my first copy of My Paper, a monthly news publication for kids. My 5 year old daughter was so excited she wanted to read all the articles at once. Frankly in today's internet age I did not see any point in getting them a subscription to a newspaper. After all information is at their fingertips. They can look up anything they are curious about, and for fiction or activities I buy them books. So what purpose does a monthly news publication serve?
I have noticed in various places, when a kid gets hurt and starts crying, sometimes, the grown up in charge rushes to comfort them but does so in strange way. For example if the child has stubbed his toe on the table, they beat the table and say, “Bad table, bad table!” Or if the child has banged their head on the wall, they sternly wag their finger at the wall and say “Bad wall!” Sometimes the child is encouraged to participate in punishing the offending inanimate object.
Vaishali was getting impatient. They had been stuck in a traffic jam for 20 minutes, on a Sunday afternoon. Insane! What could be the problem?
I just read The Gory Story Of Genghis Khan, and it has been far more enjoyable, than I could have imagined. Nayanika's cheeky writing style and endless supply of puns make this book as entertaining, as it is informative. And as for exciting, well it is about a blood thirsty conqueror ...
Two adults may be given the same information, but how they receive or interpret it will be coloured by their, interests, past experiences and knowledge. Now think about how different kids interpret the same collective experiences they share in a Kindergarten class. This is a fun read.
Sapna had her fingers crossed. She closed her eyes and prayed hard. She was getting impatient too. She wished Miss Khanna would count faster.
An, easy to make, dessert, with delicous fresh strawberries and the goodness of dark chocolate, for you to enjoy with your little ones. Yum, yum yum ...
The best recipes I have come up with, have always been under strange circumstances of necessity. This one is no exception. My daughter has a fixed menu given by the school and on Fridays I have to send her whatever the school has asked me to.
This story has all the elements of a great children's book. Funny, lively, written in rhyme, an excellent rhythm when read out loud, and with lovely illustrations the book is thoroughly enjoyable. But there is something else about it, that makes it really special to me as a writer and a mother.
I am not talking about child labour or taking away from their childhood. I am talking about involving them in house hold jobs they have fun doing, and making them feel valued.
As a kid, I read a lot of Enid Blyton. So my world of children's stories was full of British boarding schools, or kids tackling exciting mysteries and having amazing adventures. Nancy Drews and Hardy Boys were along similar lines too. There were books of magic and goblins and witches and wizards as well. But I must say, I never read a book that revolved around the everyday problems of regular teens.
Today we were stuck in traffic for a while. Our driver was bored waiting for some movement in traffic and turned his attention to my 2 year old. He held out his fist and asked her if she wanted a sweet. He occasionally gives sweets to my kids, so that is okay. But today, I was trying to frantically signal to him that he should not offer one today as she had eaten a few in the morning already. His response baffled me. He laughed and said, “Don't worry I don't have any. Look my hand is empty.” He said opening the fist.
I have never really spoken to my kids about God. I wouldn't know what to say. I know some parents have a tough time talking about sex or periods to their kids. But, to me, God seems a much more complicated subject, because, I, myself, am not sure who or what God is.
Someone had once asked me “Did you not always want to be a queen?” I replied “I did not even want to be class monitor.”
Bite sized, mess-free, pieces of nutritious, fluffy, chocolaty, goodness that make both mother and daughter happy.
