Learning how to assess
In March, the last month of the academic year, the children in our Libraries in School program answer a library test. We call this the End line test. Here, a story is read out and then the children answer the test based on this story. We designed the test to assess the children’s comprehension and […]
Stories that Challenge stereotypes
Every once in a while, you come across a story that is different. It makes you think and challenges your assumptions. One such story is ‘Drum Dream Girl’. Written by Margarita Engle, its stunning illustrations by Rafael Lopez take you on a journey to Cuba. Cuba; where there is music in everyone’s life, where only […]
Children’s Day at our Community Library
On 14th November, we celebrated Children’s day with the children from Bethesda Life Center by doing what they love doing the best- a Drama. The story chosen for the session was The Great Goat Chase by Tony Bonning, a story filled with histrionics and great pictures to support them. We started the session by singing […]
Visit to our Mala Library
When we were shifting to our new place in Mala, the children from the Bethesda Life Center, Santa Cruz, were very curious to know as to why we were moving to a new place. When I told them that it was so because this space was bigger, and that this place used to be a […]
The Magic of Animal Stories
Stories which have animals as central characters, or in which animals take on human characteristics have always been loved by children. Be it the Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams or the animals from The Jungle book, children are invariably drawn to them. Animal stories are much loved in our Libraries in School (LiS) classrooms. Recently, […]
Poetry in Schools
The woods are lovely, dark and deep But I have promises to keep And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Robert Frost. My tryst with poetry this year began when we had a poetry workshop conducted by Sujata Noronha during the […]
New Beginnings- Our Lady of Merces School
The Bookworm Libraries in School (LiS) program started in the Our Lady of Merces school two years back. Supported by the Cipla Foundation, the program nurtured readers in Classes 3 and 4 in its first year. We decided to stick with the same classes as they got promoted, as we wanted the children to grow […]
Motivating Independent Reading
In the month of December, Bookworm’s search and find book My Letters My words was working well with the younger children at the Bethesda Life Center, a MOP site that we visit once a week. We felt we must start some structured literacy activity work with the seniors so that they too could work on […]
Stepping Stones- A refugee family’s journey
This is a book about a girl called Rama and her family, whose lives are torn apart by war, and they have to leave everything behind and find refuge in Europe. The book, though sad, ends on a hopeful note. I picked up this book because of its cover page- the illustrations were done with […]
The Nightmare Factory – A Graphic Novel – Based on the stories of Thomas Ligotti
The Last Feast of Harlequin – By Stuart Moore, Illustrated by Colleen Doran Dream of a Mannikin – By Stuart Moore, Illustrated by Ben Templesmith Dr. Locrian’s Asylum – By Joe Harris, Illustrated by Ted McKeever Teatro Grottesco – By Joe Harris, Illustrated by Michael Gaydos A graphic novel is a story that is presented […]