Monthly Archives: July 2023

Book Review: ‘Hands-On Science: Geology’ By Lola M. Schaefer, Illus. By Druscilla Santiago

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One question that teachers and mentors have to face on a routine basis is — how to talk to children. The question is asked in a general sense — spanning across diverse fields, like talking to them about social and behavioral issues, storytelling, science, and education in general. Communication with children is a problem because the usual prevailing methods either treat them as stupid or use a language which is far advanced for their age. If you have ever spent even a couple of minutes with a child of any generation, you must have been astonished at the gross underestimation of their intellect. This is even more pronounced in the current times of large information inflow when children are exposed to and are aware of advances in diverse fields. When I receive books for children for review, this is the aspect that I look for, and sometimes I do get disappointed at the underestimation of children’s understanding of scientific concepts and their curiosity. There are some very good writers, some of who are also good artists. Even if they are not, this task can he delegated to professional artists. So there should not be any problem with presentation of content — in design or illustration. The only task — the biggest taste — is an accurate understanding of the child’s mind, its needs and likes.

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Book Review: ‘The Bird With Golden Wings’ By Sudha Murty

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This is my first review of any Sudha Murty book. I had previously gifted couple of books to my niece but I myself never had read any of her books. If you are even casually aware of the Indian literary scene, then you would know that Sudha Murty is one of the leading writers of Indian English literature, particular of children’s books. I had watched couple of her interviews on YouTube and was impressed by her simplicity and charm. So I decided to give her a try and check for myself her style and the content of her books.

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