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© Copyright 2013 - 2025
Varsha Seshan

No Talking

May 4, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

No Talking is such a fun book! I’m often wary of ‘Boys vs. Girls’ stories because I don’t like books that reinforce stereotypes. No Talking does the opposite; in fact, rather too […]

Filed Under: Books, Workshops Tagged With: Andrew Clements, book club, bookish activities, books for ages nine and ten, No Talking, online book club, online workshops for children, reading, review

A Giant Leap

May 3, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

I read and reviewed A Giant Leap three years ago. Since then, I’ve been thinking about introducing it to my book club, but it’s shorter than the books I usually […]

Filed Under: Books, Children, Workshops Tagged With: A Giant Leap, book club, bookish activities, books for ages seven and eight, Nakashi Chowdhry, online reading programme, reading, review, Thomas Scotto Barroux

What Happened to Grandpa

April 11, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Books spark discussion. As a book club facilitator, I know only too well how a story can lead to conversations about fear, wonder, belonging and so much more. And that […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: Aditi Anand, books for ages five and six, books for ages seven and eight, Nandini Nayar, Picture Book, reading, review, What Happened to Grandpa

How to Win an Election: A Most Unreliable Guide

April 10, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

It’s voting season, the best time to read How to Win an Election: A Most Unreliable Guide! I would argue, however, that any time is a good time to read […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: books for tweens, How to Win an Election, Menaka Raman, Middle Grade, reading, review

Under the Bakul Tree

April 9, 2024 by Varsha Seshan 1 Comment

Optimistic, even idealistic, Under the Bakul Tree was a heart-warming read. To be honest, I started reading the book prepared not to like it. It seemed like it would be […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: Mrinal Kalita, Partha Pratim Goswami, reading, review, Under the Bakul Tree, Young Adult

Sky Hawk

April 7, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Even as a child, I loved stories about the environment, especially stories where children make difficult decisions to save an animal. So many books I’ve recently read fit the bill […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: books for ages nine and ten, Gill Lewis, Middle Grade, reading, review, Sky Hawk

The Girl Who Drank the Moon

April 6, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Recently, I reread The Girl Who Drank the Moon and then looked through my blog to see what I’d written about it the first time I read it. That’s when […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: books for tweens, fantasy, Kelly Barnhill, Middle Grade, reading, review, The Girl Who Drank the Moon

I Won’t Wash My Hair

April 4, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

What an utterly delightful book! I love books that make my jaw drop on the very last page, and I Won’t Wash My Hair by Aparna Kapur and Ogin Nayam […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: Aparna Kapur, books for ages five and six, Chapter Book, Hook Books, I Won't Wash My Hair, Ogin Nayam, Picture Book, reading, review

Ostrich Girl

April 2, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

How well can you imitate bird calls? I used to (and sometimes still do!) imitate cuckoos, parakeets, bulbuls, and lapwings. But would you mistake me for a bird? Probably not. […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: books for ages seven and eight, hOle books, Lesley D Biswas, Ostrich Girl, reading, review

The Misadventures of a Diamond Thief

March 2, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

When historical fiction and fantasy come together, we’re in for a treat! Rafu is a TTTD–a Time-Travelling, Thieving Djinn. Or at least, that’s what he’s supposed to be. The problem […]

Filed Under: Books, Workshops Tagged With: book club, bookish activities, books for ages nine and ten, Lubaina Bandukwala, online reading programme, reading, review, The Misadventures of a Diamond Thief

When Jiya Met Urmila

March 1, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

I read Shabnam Minwalla’s When Jiya Met Urmila at least two years ago. I can’t believe I didn’t review it on my blog! I think I was probably waiting to use […]

Filed Under: Books, Children, Workshops Tagged With: book club, bookish activities, books for ages seven and eight, online reading programme, online workshops for children, reading, review, Shabnam Minwalla, When Jiya Met Urmila

Twitch

February 12, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Often, I read books like Twitch with a very clear agenda in mind–to decide whether to read it with my book club. One chapter in, and I was sure I […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: books for ages nine and ten, books for tweens, M G Leonard, Middle Grade, reading, review, Twitch

The Chhau Champ

February 5, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: books for ages seven and eight, Chapter Book, hOle books, reading, review, The Chhau Champ, Vibha Batra

Journey to the River Sea

February 4, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: books for tweens, Eva Ibbotson, Journey to the River Sea, Middle Grade, reading, review, Young Adult

When Fairyland Lost Its Magic

February 3, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: Bijal Vachharajani, Middle Grade, reading, review, When Fairyland Lost Its Magic

The Henna Start-Up

February 2, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: Andaleeb Wajid, books for tweens, reading, review, The Henna Start-Up, Young Adult

My Favourite Late Middle-Grade and Young Adult Books from 2023

January 12, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: books for tweens, Gordon Korman, Heartstopper, Middle Grade, reading, review, Schooled, The District Cup, Young Adult, Zen

My Favourite Middle-Grade Books from 2023

January 11, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: An Alien in the Jam Factory, Because of Winn-Dixie, books for ages nine and ten, books for tweens, Dungeon Tales, Hour of the Bees, Kolam Kanna, Middle Grade, Munni Monster, reading, review, The Giver

My Favourite Chapter Books from 2023

January 10, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: Amelia Bedelia Goes Wild, books for ages seven and eight, By Royal Appointment, Chapter Books, Gobi Goes Viral, Gupshup Goes to Prison, Ottoline and the Yellow Cat, reading, review, Sad Animal Facts, Strangus Derangus and Other Adventures of Little Shambu, Talon the Falcon, The Canary Caper, Trunk Call for Ajju

My Favourite Picture Books and Early Chapter Books from 2023

January 9, 2024 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: books for ages five and six, Boy Bear, Chapter Books, Cyrus the Whyrus, Passepartout Is That You?, Picture Book, reading, review, The Big Bad Fight, The Grand Chapati Contest, What Feelings Do When No Ones Looking

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