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© Copyright 2013 - 2025
Varsha Seshan

Sad Animal Facts

November 23, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: Brooke Barker, comic, Nonfiction, reading, review, Sad Animal Facts

An Alien in the Jam Factory

November 21, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: An Alien in the Jam Factory, books for ages nine and ten, books for ages seven and eight, Chrissie Sains, early middle grade, Jenny Taylor, reading, review

What Feelings Do When No One’s Looking

November 9, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: Aleksandra Zajac, Picture Book, reading, review, Tina Oziewicz, What Feelings Do When No Ones Looking

Heartstopper

November 6, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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, […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: Alice Oseman, graphic novel, Heartstopper, reading, review, Young Adult

Crackers

November 3, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: books for ages seven and eight, Chapter Book, Crackers, Elizabeth Laird, reading, review

The Losers Club

November 2, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: Andrew Clements, books for ages nine and ten, Middle Grade, reading, review, The Losers Club

Hour of the Bees

October 30, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: Hour of the Bees, Lindsay Eagar, Middle-Grade Fiction, reading, review

Mahalaxmi Will Go to Mysore

September 20, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: books for ages seven and eight, Chapter Books, hOle books, Mahalaxmi Will Go to Mysore, Niyatee Sharma, reading, review

Schooled

September 19, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: Gordon Korman, Middle Grade, reading, review, Schooled

The Big Bad Fight

September 18, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: books for ages five and six, Chapter Book, Hook Books, Kruttika Susarla, reading, review, The Big Bad Fight, Yamini Vijayan

Kolam Kanna

September 2, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books, Children, Workshops Tagged With: book club, bookish activities, books for ages nine and ten, Kolam Kanna, online reading programme, online workshops for children, reading, review, Vibha Batra

Gathering Blue

August 24, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: dystopia, Gathering Blue, Lois Lowry, Middle Grade, reading, review, The Giver

The Giver

August 17, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Teaching creative writing is always eye-opening. Over time, we’ve worked with mythopoeia, dystopia, fantasy, adventure, and mystery, requiring us to come up with all kinds of mentor texts and examples. […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: classic, dystopia, Lois Lowry, Middle Grade, reading, review, The Giver

The Wild Robot

August 12, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Reading The Wild Robot with one of my book clubbers was quite the experience. ‘Do you think a robot can experience emotions?’ I asked.‘Yes,’ came the confident reply, which took […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: Middle Grade, Peter Brown, reading, review, science fiction, The Wild Robot

Dum Dum to the Rescue & Yet More Adventures of Little Shambu

August 11, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

I just finished reading book 3 of the Little Shambu series, and it’s just as enjoyable as the others! We meet all the familiar characters–Little Shambu and family, the dog […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: books for ages seven and eight, Dum Dum to the Rescue, Little Shambu, reading, review, Short Stories, Tinkle

Kolam Kanna

August 1, 2023 by Varsha Seshan 2 Comments

I’ve read two books by Vibha Batra in less than a month, and I’ve loved them both! So many things about Kolam Kanna were utterly delightful that this review deserves […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: books for ages nine and ten, books for ages seven and eight, Chapter Book, Kolam Kanna, reading, review, Vibha Batra

In the Bear’s Den & More Adventures of Little Shambu

July 30, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Life is never humdrum with Little Shambu around, and I loved this next set of adventures too!  I remember reading about how the non-violence policy of Shikari Shambu ensured that […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: books for ages seven and eight, In the Bear's Den and More Adventures of Little Shambu, Little Shambu, reading, review, Short Stories, Tinkle

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 […]

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

Strangus Derangus and Other Adventures of Little Shambu

July 21, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Much of my childhood was spent surrounded by Enid Blytons and Roald Dahls, Dick King-Smiths and Allen Frewin Joneses. But Tinkle stayed a favourite. I never got drawn to Chandamama […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: books for ages seven and eight, Little Shambu, reading, review, Strangus Derangus and Other Adventures of Little Shambu, Tinkle

Gobi Goes Viral

July 17, 2023 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Gopi compares everybody around him to a vegetable. His world comprises a capsicum, a carrot, a tomato, a sweet potato … The problem, of course, is that the moment he […]

Filed Under: Books, Children Tagged With: books for ages nine and ten, books for ages seven and eight, Chapter Book, early middle grade, Gobi Goes Viral, reading, review, Vibha Batra

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