World Book Day Celebrations

We got a note from school on celebrating World Book Day. As a part of the celebrations, kids had to dress up as their favorite character from a book and talk about it in the class. Without a blink, my girl picked up "Room on the Broom" and declared that she wanted to be the witch. And why? "Because she is a kind witch. And you know Mumma, she also looses her things like I do. And she has friends who help her find her lost things and save her from the dragon. Even my friends are like that." I was taken aback by her correlation and gave in.

This witch from "Room on the Broom" is easy to dress up but this video from Little Button Diaires made it easier. We used things available at home to dress up - Her blue frock (instead of witch's skirt), red t-shirt for the top, granny's back dupatta for cloak. We made the hat from black chart paper (laying around for months) and the plait from orange wool as per the video. My girl made the witch's wand from used milk straws and felt stars. We were stuck a bit on the broom ... "should we attach a big stick to the broom?" "will it be heavy for her to carry?" "what if we skip the broom?" ... finally thought of making a broom just for representation and we made an origami broom using newspaper ! It was fun preparing all this. Thankfully it didn't take anything more than an hour a day for two days to make all these.

We tried the costume with all accessories last night to ensure that it doesn't hamper her movements ..."Mumma this is an important instruction from the school. We have to follow it." My LO seemed satisfied with it all. Just as I was readying her to sleep, "Mumma ... we forgot to make the brooch!"
"Which brooch?"
"The witch's brooch.. She wears one.. yellow flower with a green dot one on her cloak. Wait let me show you." And yes ! I didn't notice it before.
"So what do we do? It is already 9.30pm and we have to sleep." - Mumma
"Yes. Can you please help me a little? I will draw the flower and the dot on the craft paper, can you cut it and glue it on the cloak when I'm asleep? " - LO

Wow! when did she grow up to solve a problem on her own??

The accessories looked like this -

Here is how my girl looked all set to go...

As she came back today, I was excited to hear how the day went by. She told only older kids were asked to talk about the character they had dressed up in. She learned a lesson - to ask if she wanted something. She was super happy as she was the only witch and everyone recognized her as that! Seeing other kids today, some forgotten characters came back to us like Cat in the Hat, Clifford, and Dory.

This dress-up event meant we read the book over and over... observed the characters... talked about the story. We also thought about which character could be represented using reusable stuff. And we crafted together... All-in-all a wonderful thought and time well-spent.

Do get a copy of this wonderful book by our favorite author Julia Donaldson and also watch the movie here.

Read-Aloud in March - Day 1 - 6

March is "Read-aloud month" and we have been reading-aloud (and blogging about it) every day in this month for last two years. We are back to doing it again this year.

Since I missed putting up the posts for the first few days, this is a summary of all that we read so far.

We started the series with "Monkey Puzzle" - an adorable Mother-Child book by our favorite author Julia Donaldson on March 1st.

March 2nd was "Knuffle Bunny : A Cautionary Tale" - by Mo Willems. I love the book for its philosophy. It reminds me to look at communication beyond words. My kid connects with Trixie ...

We read yet another favourite author Oliver Jeffers in "How to catch a star" on March 3rd.

Another Oliver Jeffers book followed on March 4th - "Lost and Found". We just love the little boy and the penguin.

March 5th, she picked a treasure box by Laura Numeroff and read "If you give a Pig a party" to me. Yes yes... my girl is big enough to read me a bedtime story ! :-)

Next was "If you take a mouse to school" again by Laura Numeroff on March 6th. She asked me to read this one while she closed her eyes. I had to describe the picture to her on every page as I read. When I asked why this way... "I want to imagine the story in my head" ... wow ! It was an interesting way to read the story.

That is the round-off till now. Hoping to do one post a day going forward.

Marathi Picture books - Part 1

I'm often asked if there are picture books in Marathi or which Marathi books are suited for toddlers and preschoolers. While I'm no expert on this, here are the books we have and we love to read these over and over with a short review.


यश  (माधुरी पुरंदरे / ज्योत्स्ना प्रकाशन )
This is a series of six books about Yash - a preschooler and happenings around him. I reviewed it here. These are our all-time-favourite books.
Best suited for 1-4 year olds.


राधाचं घर (माधुरी पुरंदरे / ज्योत्स्ना प्रकाशन )
Radhacha ghar is yet another set of six books from Madhuri Purandare. Each book is focused on one member of Radha's family like Grandma (aaji) or Grandpa (nana) and her relationship with them. Radha tells you what she likes or doesn't, what she does with  or for that member. This is a wonderful set to talk about relationships to preschoolers especially when not every one is around. We read this for the first time when Kuhu's grandparents were away and she was missing them.
Best suited for 1-4 year olds.

Yash by Madhuri Purandare

Radhacha ghar by Madhuri Purandare

सहल (ज्योत्स्ना प्रकाशन)
This book is about preschoolers picnic what they see and experience. This is a read-and-color book. All pictures are black and white and left for the reader to color. Lovely first-experience read that lets you fill it with your own colors.
Best suited for 2-4 year olds.


टेडी आणि बडी (प्रांजली भुजबळ / ज्योत्स्ना प्रकाशन)
This book is written by a teenager - Pranjali. That is the first thing I liked about this book.  It is a nicely rhyming book about Teddy's adventure to meet his friend Buddy.
Best suited for 2-4 year olds.

No ! नाही ! ( Cheryl Rao / Tulika Books)
This one is for all those homes where everything starts with a "No!". We just love this book to read and enact.
Best suited for 2-3 year olds.

Watch Out ! सावधान ! ( शमीम पदमसी / Tulika books)
This is a bilingual book about tiger cubs and the dangers they get into while mumma tiger is not around. This has minimal words and catchy illustrations.

Best suited for 1-3 year olds.


झाड (ल. म. कडू / गमभन प्रकाशन ) 
This book talks about how a tree is born. Bold print, black and white illustrations giving kids a chance to color themselves and rhyming text are a hit. We read this under a tree, plant a seed and watch it grow. Love it !
Recommended for 2-5 year olds.

राधाची स्ट्राबेरी (ल. म. कडू / गमभन प्रकाशन )
This one takes us on a tree's journey from seed to fruits month-on-month. The text is rhyming and lovely black/white illustrations left for kids to color are appreciated by the kids aged 2-4.



अरडी गं बाई परडी (ल. म. कडू / गमभन प्रकाशन ) 
This is an addition poem that you can sing to the tune of famous भोंडला song "एक लिंब झेलू बाई दोन लिंब झेलू" ! What better way to teach maths ! This book is yet another "read and color" one. There is a subtraction book too.
Recommended for 2-5 year olds.

Part II of this post will be a list of read-aloud books in Marathi for 3+ year olds. Stay tuned.

Read-aloud through March - Day 30 & Day 31

On day 30, We got new Charlie & Lola books from Veena Aunty and we jumped over to read those... "I am really really concentrating" and "I am too small to go to school ". Charlie and Lola are an adorable pair. We love them. We re-read these and yet another book of this duo - "But it is my book" on day 31.

And yessss ..... we did it - reading and recording our reads for all 31 days of March. Although we started to participate in a contest, I missed updating on FB everyday. But that worked in my favor as I blogged pretty regularly in March. Hope I continue. Thanks to all the readers who read the posts and encouraged us. 

Read-aloud through March - Day 28 & Day 29

Reading on day 28 was fun because we were joined by Kuhu's cousin Shubhankar. He just loves to read with us and Kuhu was happy to let him pick the books... So we read "Dippy the Duckling" and "Dipsy Dancing" at Uju aaji's place quickly before getting back home. "Dipsy Dancing" is a book based on TV Series Teletubbytown. Shubhankar and Kuhu enjoyed enacting Dipsy, La-La and all their friends.

Day 29 was T&J's  (Kuhu and Shubhankar's cousins - next-gen Kashalkars) thread ceremony and we had a busy day there. Both Kuhu and Shubhankar were tired by the time we left for home so I thought we might have to skip reading today. Just as we got to Uju ajji's place, Shubhankar said - "मावशी  lets play Alphabet-Housie and then read". Since Shubhankar had to travel back home, we agreed on skipping housie  and just read. We pulled out "Cool Cars" and "Stories for Children".

Read-aloud through March - Day 24 to Day 27

 On Day 24, Kuhu read "कंटाला" from Yash series and "if you give a moose a muffin" with aaji. 

On the 25th day, we read "if you give a pig a pancake " and "if you give a pig a party". 

Day 26 went by reading 5 books from "if you give" series. We are in love with this series. Just before we hit the bed, we had a family-reading of "Spring Surprises". 

For day 27, we wanted to read a birthday book for it was Uju aaji's birthday but decided on having some party with the pig with a read of "if you give a pig a party". 

Read-aloud through March - Day 22 & Day 23

We had a long lay-over at Kolkata before our flight home on Day 22. What better way to spend time than reading ! We read "The Duckling got a cookie ?!" over and over and over. Fellow travelers were amused to see this mother-daughter duo reading the same book numerous times and enjoying it each time. We just love Mo Willems. More about the book here.

Day 23 was our first-vacation-day-at-home. It was obvious that Kuhu was bored of such less-activity through the day. So she was ready with a list of books she wanted me to read. As soon as she was home after a short walk with her aaji, she asked - काम झाला ? (Are you done with your work?). She pulled me into her room (so I don't get carried away watching some nonsensical TV serials . Clever girl !) and pulled out "Cindrella". This was followed by "Bruno the artist". She then made me a present just like what Bruno made for his mum. She then got "The scarecrows on parade" and "Tsomo the momo" to read before we hit the bed. Our review of these books is here.

Read-aloud through March - Day 21

We found Enid Bryton's series at Avi ajoba's place and we love to read new books. So day 21 was spent leisurely reading those. Kuhu tried hard to relate to those but couldn't. Finally we found Jungle book in the series and she was happy. 

Read-aloud through March - Day 20

After a leisure breakfast with Avi ajoba @Ranchi, we decided to do a day trip to Bodhgaya. The trip was awesome and we used our travel time to read two wordless picture books - आम की कहानी & flitter-flutter, both from NBT. 

Both these books are gems for budding writers to put down your story based on the pictures and for re-telling the story. Aaji and I got two stories from each book. Kuhu enjoyed two versions. We were about to get Kuhu's version but we were at the Mahabodhi temple so that is still pending. 

Read-aloud through March - day 18 and day 19

The school is over for this year and we've a few weeks off before we begin the next year..... A good time to head for a vacation. So we're off to meet one more aaji-ajoba and mama. 

To close our fun-filled and relaxing day with Mama, we read बालू की टोकरी. 

We head to Ranchi on day 19 to meet Avi ajoba. We enjoyed our first day time train journey in Shatabdi and read a puzzle book "खोजो-पहचानो".  This is a book that gives you four line hint on what you can find in the accompanying picture. Kuhu learnt a few Hindi words while we cracked the riddle and found those all on the picture. Each page had a different set of five - animals, birds, fruits, etc. The pictures needed to be looked at carefully. I recommend this NBT book for observation for pre-schoolers and upto 6 yrs ones for solving the riddle with poetic clues. 

Read-aloud through March - Day 15, Day 16 & Day 17

On Day 15, we continued to read "Cindrella" which is Kuhu's current favourite. On Day 16, we had found this book मुमुलीची गाणी while redoing our bookshelf. So two days Kuhu read that with her ajoba. 

Read-aloud through March - Day 12, Day 13 & Day 14

A day-at-home had to be loaded with books... So Mumma picked "Library Lion" and Kuhu picked her current-favorite-Dino book "Dinosaur 127 bachoon jitna lamba" and we can't finish without at least one Charlie-Lola book.

The dino from "Dinosaur 127 bachoon jitna lamba" is lovable and funny. His "namaste" is awesome. 

On day 13, we read "Charlie and Lola - I must really absolutely have glasses" and "where did it go?"

On day 14, we repeated all books from day 13 and also read Cindrella. 

Read-aloud through March - Day 10 & Day 11

Kuhu wanted to read some different books so she asked to look at our not-recently-read books. She jumped up with joy seeing Zoe and Beans. So "pants on the moon" was our first pick. She then went on to read Cinderella - audio book. March 10 is my granny's birth anniversary. So I wanted to read something that reminded me of her. Granny's Sari was a perfect fit. My granny was so much like the one in the story.

On Day 11, Kuhu said we haven't read any Julia aunty' book for so long. So off from the shelf came "Sharing a shell" and "the snail and the whale" by Julia Donaldson. We just love Julia aunty! 

Read-aloud through March - Day 9

At the end of our day, Kuhu picked 3 books to read... "Farmer Falgu goes on a trip", "My First Railway Journey" and "I really ABSOLUTELY must have glasses".


We love this Farmer Falgu's book. I was doubtful if Kuhu would know what silence means and why the farmer would want to go in search of it. But she said - त्याला शांतता हवीये म्हणून चाललाय तो मला हवी असते तशी !! Kuhu loves to make noise like Trot-Trot or Dum-Dum and also to be silent as Shhh... as we read. Yesterday she wanted me to sing the song the old man in the story was singing... Thanks to Cuddles and Reads that I knew what goes along with this book... we sang "yui hi chala chal rahi" and Dadda joined in too... It was fun. We then sat quite to listen every 'noise' we hear before sleep took over.

My First Railway Journey is a wordless picture book from NBT. Wonderfully captured emotions of that first journey, that tunnel... We loved watching it all and remembering what we have seen so far. Kuhu told me she has never seen a coolie... so next time we travel, we 're going to say a Hello to a coolie !

 Charlie and Lola are one of our favorites. We love their funny conversations.... I really ABSOLUTELY must have glasses is adorable. Now Kuhu wants a pair of glasses !

Read-aloud through March - Day 8

It was a working & busy day so we had just one book at bedtime. I was hoping to pick up something like "Goodnight Moon" but Kuhu decided on "Dear Father Christmas".... Christmas & snow when you want bright & hot sun !! She said.. "may be we can Santa to bring us summer as we read" ... I so wish.

Read-aloud through March - Day 7

Yaay ! It is Saturday so it ought to be books and more books. While we are waiting for summer to begin, we read "Frosty the snowman", "Frosty & his new friends", "The Susu pals" and "Minu & her hair". While I can read all these, "Minu & her hair" is read best with Dadda is what my little girl thinks.

Read-aloud through March - Day 6

Both Kuhu and I had a day-off yesterday so it was raining books since morning....

We read marathi books together after a long time. What fun! We should read these small gems more often. 

Read-aloud through March - Day 5

Yesterday Kuhu wanted to read with her Dadda and the pick was "The dot" by Peter Reynolds. We love to look through Vashti's different dots and draw inspiration from those to make our own.

Kuhu and her Dadda's favorites pass-time on a lazy Sunday morning is to spread the sheets, pick some papers, water colors and brushes. Both of them are busy making her masterpiece. Ever since we read the book, Kuhu wants to sign every painting of hers (even if it is just something scribbled!!). She hasn't mastered signing herself so she passes it on to her Dadda to sign it rather perfectly.

Here is her dot (signed on her own !)

Read-aloud through March - Day 4

We read throughout the day yesterday... one in the morning while waiting for the school van, three in the evening with आजी and two at bedtime with mumma. I love when we can squeeze in reading while we do tons of other things. That way we read more and a variety of books...

We read "Tsomo & the momo" again in the morning. Kuhu's little friend Gia returned Mickey and Minnie board books ( Ballerina Minnie, Farmer Mickey and Mealtime fun) and since we hadn't read it for long, she rushed to her आजी to read while I finished my conference call. 

At bedtime, she wanted to read two books so I asked if we could read one English and one Marathi. Keeping that in mind, she picked - "The Duckling gets the cookie!?" and "गोड भेट".

I wrote about "Tsomo & the momo" and "The Duckling gets the cookie!?" here.

Mickey and Minnie board books are fun things that Mickey, Minnie and their friends do. These are short and simple fun stories.... something that Kuhu relates to.

"गोड भेट" was our pick from a recent book-fair. It is a Marathi translation of The Watermelon route (Author / Illustrator Quentin Greban) by Rama Hardikar. I personally love this book so a separate post on it coming soon....

Read-aloud through March - Day 3

It was bedtime, Kuhu was tired so was I and we had not read anything yesterday. I was worried we might miss the day but just as I was putting on her blanket, she said - आपण रात्री वाचतो ना ? I jumped out to pull a book but she wanted to read two books, so we read two - "Silly Sara" and How to catch a star.

Silly Sara by Anna Jane Hays is a Phonics book with lot of rhyming words. More than the story of Silly Sara going on to become Super Sara, we love the rhyming words. Illustrations by Sylvie Wickstrom are go well with the book.

How to catch a star by Oliver Jeffers  is one of our favorites. The boy's imagination, his effort and the result are just too good. Kuhu relates to it as she tries to do some off-beat things like the boy. Illustrations by the author are superb.