The Book Leaf

Here is what Advait says about Adeline Foo’s Third book, The Diary of Amos Lee- I’m Twelve, I’m Tough, I Tweet!

“I enjoyed reading the book because it was very interesting and exciting. It was the title of the book to which I was attracted to. I could relate to it because I am also twelve years old!

The using of his iphone to analyse his poop, the way he handles the bully in his swimming class goes to show how much a twelve year old can be imaginative, creative, and can be tough as well in handling bullies. In the part I tweet Amos joins twitter to become popular, this part shows how a twelve year old can become restless for recognition for which he makes an online magazine called poop fiction.

I can very well imagine myself thinking and planning like him (if not acting like him) which is why I enjoyed reading this book immensely.

Thank You Adeline Foo for this lovely book and what all a twelve year old boy goes through and thinks up.”

Charles Dickens, was always one of my favourite authors; naturally, when we started the Writer in Focus tradition at The Book Leaf, he was our first choice and Oliver Twist was the book we started our discussions with nearly two years ago. Yesterday, 7th February was his 200th birthday. We, at The Book Leaf, remember this great English novelist of the Victorian period and pay our respects to him on this occasion.  Charles John Huffam Dickens (7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was the most popular author of his times and yes, he remains one of the more popular authors even today. He is remembered for creating some of English literature’s most iconic novels and characters. These days, all of us are familiar with the Soap Opera or the television Serials where a story goes on and on over days and months of telecasting. Very few of us know that the concept of serialising a story was popularised by Charles Dickens! And like the present day television Serial writers, he even wrote the story in instalments. This was path-breaking and very different from the serialisation of existing novels. Due to this writing of the story in parts, Dickens became adept at writing a story in such a manner that there was an exciting moment at the end of the particular part and the reader would be left looking forward to what happened in the next instalment of the story! These incidents that end a particular instalment keeping the excitement high for the next instalment are called cliffhangers.

Dickens experienced and wrote about the lives of the people on the street, the chimney sweep, the pick-pocket, the child working in a factory. He used the language that was really used by the common man. He painted a real instead of a rosy picture. This was a major reason why his stories became so popular. How many of us can ever forget “Please, sir, I want some more.” from Oliver Twist?

The popularity of his novels needs no other proof than the fact that most of his novels have been made into movies; be it Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Christmas Carol, Tale Of Two Cities or Great Expectations.  In  Shakespeare’s “Merry Wives of Windsor”,(Act III, Scene II) we find - “I cannot tell what the dickens his name is”. Here, Dickens is a euphemism for “devil”! Though this was not connected to Charles Dickens, we would like to say, What a Dicken of a writer! And what the Dickens! Happy Birthday anyway…

Madhatters meet next Sunday, 5th February 2012, (5 to 6.30 p.m.) to read  some lyrical poetry by H W Longfellow.

If you have read any poems by him in the past or have any as part of your present course work, please bring them to the meeting. We will be glad to read them together.

We will also discuss some of the musical forms of poetry.

P.S. – Do confirm attendance by Saturday, 4th of February.

A children’s book. Blue cover. Title in pink. A writer called Mary Amato; I had never heard of before. A weird looking hairless rat on the cover. And to top it all, the name – The Naked Mole-Rat Letters. Looked like a book that had to be a winner or a complete bore. I thought it may turn out to be some weird fantasy tale with some kid talking to some creatures called Mole-Rats. Since so many books for children these days are in the fantasy genre, this seemed to be a good possibility.

However, I was glad to be proven wrong. The Naked Mole-Rat Letters is a very sensitive story of a 12 year old girl’s journey of discovering herself and her relationships with her near and dear ones. Of a friendship that blooms between a woman and a girl over email and the right push it gives the girl even though the relationship is so tenuous. Of a father and daughter relationship when the mother is no more and hearts are in the right place. Of the tussle between deciding what is right and what is wrong at that delicate age between being a child and an adult.

Thought he cultural context is different, it is easy to identity with different parts of the story and especially with Frankie Wallop. I am sure all young girls will absolutely love this book. While all grown up women will find the young girl within themselves and identify with the emotions. All boys who can appreciate the more delicate side of life too may find a tear or two in their eyes before the book ends…

Here’s wishing all little girls find a Rat-Lady of their own to open their hearts to…

Proverbs  are not just fun to know, but they offer great insights into the past. Our parents often cited such proverbs and adages to us, to remind us of things. However, in today’s conversations, proverbs are scarcely employed.  Proverbs and adages have long histories and are very interesting to know – some of the stories behind proverbs can be very enlightening too. They not only tell us what the action was that gave rise to the proverbs, but if the country of origin is known, it tells us a lot of the people, the culture, the daily life of the people, etc. One finds a lot of proverbs in the book -  Aesop’s Fables. Remember the story of the Fox and the sour grapes? But then do foxes really eat grapes? And hence proverbs can also point to something that it does not really mean. Metaphor would be too much to explain to a kid, but when they begin to use proverbs, in later life metaphors will help them experience the joy of the language.

I remember in school everyday the first period, someone was appointed to write a proverb on the board for the week, before the teacher walked in. This was never erased until the next day! The teachers would often also tell us the story or narrate incidences behind such proverbs. Alas! today this is probably a very rare situation. Until a few years ago, at my father’s society in Mumbai, one of the kids would always write a proverb on the notice board. Proverbs also help build up some kind of values within kids.  A few that would be drummed into us convent educated ones were – Honesty is the best policy, Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face, All’s well that ends Well, Many Hands make light work, etc.

Proverbs have been used quite often by the classical writers of yore- Charles Dickens and Lewis Carroll,and also by modern writers like Lawrence Durell. Proverbs unknowingly have also been used in greeting cards today.

Today, at the Book Leaf Library, we tried” to introduce the kids to proverbs, by getting them to complete the other half. However, it was an uphill task. Sadly, many of them had not heard of even the simple ones. However, we then tried to let them get a bit creative with some of the proverbs, and below are their responses- (of course Advait was the most creative with his answers!)

1. Barking dogs… follow cars!

2. Silence is… rare

3. Many hands make…. a God

4. You made your bed now… wet it

5. What goes up must… fly and die

6. Good fences make… Tom Sawyer

7. One bad apple makes… a fairy tale

8. A closed mouth… catches the tongue

9. A book is like a…drug

10. People in glass houses should… make sure they don’t have toilets/make sure they must wear clothes

11. When in Rome… just roam

12. Quitters never win and… all they win is a pin

13. When an elephant is in trouble,…his poop will double

14. Haste makes… no taste.

These were the fun contributions to the original proverbs. We however hope to introduce them to many more and get them to be more creative and build scenarios around the proverbs in time to come.

For a craft book, this book has been well crafted not just for a child but also for that child that hides in the adult mind! This is a fabulous book for all ages, though meant for the young exploring creative minds whose fingers itch to work with paper and all sorts of things. This is also a book that helps you recycle stuff in  a very artistic and visually creative way, that can go a long way in keeping those restless minds occupied in a very creative manner

I loved this book, the feel, the imaginative and stunning visuals, the layout, and yes the contents – all that makes this book well worth taking into your hands and turning each leaf of this book. And while you are at it – just close your eyes and let your mind wander into the realms of childhood.

The author has brought all the beautiful elements of nature into this book. It takes me back to childhood and art classes where we were given different natural elements to work with and let our hands create imaginative patterns from pencil shavings to cloth, broken bangles to imprinting ladyfinger and potato designs, and many more.

Sophie,the author not only takes you into this journey of colours, textures, shapes and feelings, but also how all these elements can stimulate you into creative narratives and story telling.  Writing text imaginatively, the kind of fonts that can be used, how colour can be played with to bring out the mood of story on that page, and the various techniques you can use to start writing your story, has all been brought together with fine crafting.

All this she has put together in her book, The Book Book, meant for a young audience, but don’t let that stop you from picking this book up from The Book Leaf Library‘s shelf and letting your imagination take flight, if not alone, then with your kid. Think of all what you can do when they say they are bored or keep it for a rainy day- when the family can sit down and write a story together with elements found around the house!

Friends, Book Leafers, Readers and All,

She has also put up the Video on YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyaPgszv1E0

Since it was the first time that we did it on video, please excuse the bad lighting:-(

Fellow Madhatters!

Good news!

We meet after a long gap.

Take a look at all the Jane Austen books you have read. And come prepared to tell us something about it – anything except the story!

Those who have not read any, read one before Sunday (15 January 2012)!

We meet at The Book Leaf from 5:00 pm to 6.30 pm.

Do confirm your attendance by Saturday as we would like to make a few preparations before-hand depending on the number.

Please Note - Madhatters Club membership is Rs. 100/- per month for members and Rs. 200/- per month for non-members. One time participation fees is Rs.50/-