by Gita Varadarajan “To be literate is not to be free, it is to be present and active in the struggle for reclaiming one’s voice, history, and future.” (Friere and Macedo, 1987) In the year 2011-12, I had the privilege of working with 5th graders at P.S.11 in Chelsea NYC. I walked past this mural … Continue reading #INDIAKIDLIT – Inviting Children into the World of Books
#INDIAKIDLIT – Strong, little known Indian women in history brought alive in contemporary literature
by Deepa Agarwal “Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air.” - Thomas Gray, "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" (1751) The poet’s words are telling—they can apply to many women achievers in Indian history whose outstanding deeds have remained buried in the sands of time. … Continue reading #INDIAKIDLIT – Strong, little known Indian women in history brought alive in contemporary literature
#INDIAKIDLIT – Does India need its own Literary Canon?
by Maya Thiagarajan Here’s a question for you: What percentage of recent American college graduates have read the following American classics? To Kill A Mockingbird The Great Gatsby To be honest, I don’t have an accurate answer for you, but I’m willing to guess that the percentage would be quite high. These are books that … Continue reading #INDIAKIDLIT – Does India need its own Literary Canon?
#INDIAKIDLIT – Why I retell old Indian stories for the young
by Roopa Pai The Vedas and Upanishads for Children - by Roopa Pai (2019) / The Gita for Children - by Roopa Pai (2015) Some stories stand the test of time. The core themes of Shakespeare’s plays, for instance, are recognizable tropes in modern film and theatre across the world, and his words have passed … Continue reading #INDIAKIDLIT – Why I retell old Indian stories for the young
#INTLYALITMONTH: The Secret Life of Debbie G. by Vibha Batra, illustrated by Kalyani Ganapathy
Review by Chris Fazenbaker The Secret Life of Debbie G. by Vibha Batra The Secret Life of Debbie G. revolves around the life of 16-year old Arya as she encounters and navigates major life changes. With her divorced mother remarrying, she struggles to adjust to her new blended family that includes classmates who are not … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: The Secret Life of Debbie G. by Vibha Batra, illustrated by Kalyani Ganapathy
#INTLYALITMONTH: The Hour Past Midnight by Salma
Review by: Mridula Koshy The Hour Past Midnight by Salma The Hour Past Midnight defies classification in any category. I think it can be read by a very young reader - say 13 - but it is likely sold in bookstores in India as a work for adults. This could be because of its heft … Continue reading #INTLYALITMONTH: The Hour Past Midnight by Salma
#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Neev Book Award Winners
Are you familiar with children’s and YA books from India? If not, the Neev Book Award is great place to start. It is a fabulous showcase for children’s and YA literature that promotes a “fuller understanding of India, Indian lives and Indian stories.” First introduced in 2018 as part of the Neev Literature Festival, the … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Neev Book Award Winners
The Booktrekker: India
READ I’ve read a lot of books for this blog that I haven’t particularly enjoyed. So when I find one that really speaks to me, it’s an especially pleasant surprise. My selection for India, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, by Arundhati Roy, is just such a book. It has so many layers and covers such a vast … Continue reading The Booktrekker: India
#TranslatedLit Three titles for the autumn by Tilted Axis Press
We close this tumultuous year with three titles – No Presents Please: Mumbai Stories, Women Dreaming and Strange Beasts of China – translated from Kannada, Tamil, and Chinese, respectively. First up, and finishing up our 2020 trifecta of short stories – and following on from Where the Wild Ladies Are by Matsuda Aoko (translated from … Continue reading #TranslatedLit Three titles for the autumn by Tilted Axis Press
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 