Ritanjali Hastir, Associate Editor, Oct, Shimla
Yet another thrilling Keekli Book Club meeting was held on 28th October, 2018, at the Book Cafe, The Ridge, Shimla. The ambience was filled with excitement and love for reading. As per the last session assignment little ones were given two assignments – First, a narration of story of any book that was read in the last one month; and Second, a new ending for the story “Nakalchi Bhoot Who Died”, a short story written by Minakshi Chaudhary.
Narration came as a fresh breath as members expressed themselves in a very confident manner and a stark enhancement in their confidence and their love for reading was quiet evident. They also gave each story they read a new ending thereby adding their personal touch to the story and making them their own creation.
Like each session, Minakshi Chaudhry always has something new to offer so this time too our little future promising writers learned to use their spontaneous creative talent as they were given two plots to knit their stories around them – First, that they had been locked up in the Book Cafe; and Second, that they have heard that two thieves are out hunting people;.
The group of three members each brainstormed and on the spot came up with some brilliant stories filled with twists and thrill.
Books that children read during the session included – The Scion of Ikshvaku by Amish Tripathi; Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer; Diary of Wimpy Kids…The Getaway; Princes and the Salt, Mandy’s Mad Dream and The Family on Red Roofs.
One of the most important moral that children learned from this session other than spontaneity was never to be stupid in life. Minakshi talked children into the difference between love for nature and being stupid with it. She said that the children should understand that there is no point in learning something and losing one’s life in pursuit of finding it.
She said being alive is the biggest magic in the entire universe and hence one should never compromise that for anything. (CLICK TO SEE ALL VIDEOS)
