Gajapati Kulapati comes to Chennai

Hutoxi goes to Valley School

March 3: Students of the primary section (grades 1-4) at Valley School, Bangalore, were excitedly waiting to meet their “favourite author”. Class teachers had been informed of Radhika Chadha‘s visit a few weeks in advance and they had started reading books written by the Bangalore-based Tulika author. 'Yes, Hutoxi', her latest in the Baby Bahadur series, was printed in February, and she was now going to share the story with these children.

The first graders seemed to know all the regular animal characters and their traits that appeared in her earlier books – right from the teenage elephants, Akka and Anna who play football with coconuts, to Shanmugam, the lion who loves to sleep and eat. They wanted Radhika’s autographs and one child told her, “Aunty, now quickly go home and start writing your next book.”  Since their questions just wouldn’t stop, Radhika volunteered to reply if they wrote on chits of paper and gave her as home work!

The next group comprising of students in 2-3-4 grades, were in for a special treat.  In addition to 'Yes, Hutoxi', Radhika also read to them 'Basava and the Dots of Fire'.  “Why have you not written more Basava books?” they wanted to know.  Radhika coolly replied, “He has not shared other adventures with me, yet.”

One teacher had used 'Mallipoo, Where Are You?' as the basis of her creative writing exercise.  Radhika had tears rolling down her cheeks when she read the hilarious alternate endings suggested by some of the children. (Read more about it in her future blog post)

All through the three-hour school visit, Radhika was greeted by children – some broke into spontaneous hugs, others gave her handmade thank you cards and one even made her a paper finger puppet that she could “use during her next reading!” 

Thank You - Radhika for being such a sport!  Hope you have started writing the next book?

- From A Valley School Parent

Reading 'Dancing on Walls' in Minnesota

In December ’09, I was invited to the Groveland Elementary School in St. Paul Minnesota, USA, to read to the children of the kindergarden.

I was introduced to the group by my 6 year old grand daughter.  I read Dancing on Walls to them.

The kids were fascinated with the squiggly figures of the Warli Art form and the illustrations.  ‘COOL!’ was the unanimous opinion.
They were full of questions.  They wanted to know what inspired me to write the story.  How long it took me to write it. They also wanted to know the process from concept to the final product – the book!

The discussion then veered towards how creativity stems from ‘imagination’.  The children wanted to share their flights of fantasy. In fact, the story session stirred up some pretty interesting insights for them as well as for me!

They wanted me to read some more stories about India. Unfortunately, I was not carrying any other book.  I promised them that the next time I visited I would come  with an armful of them.

- Shamim Padamsee

Psst! You can find a most excellent review of 'Dancing on Walls' on the Saffron Tree blog by Poppin's Mom