Chitra Soundar's Blog, page 2
December 23, 2020
Goodbye 2020!
It’s been a weird year in some many ways. However, instead of counting my anxiety chickens, I want to count my calming blessings.
I had a number of new books for trade and education come out! Obviously my absolute favourite book I wrote, set in our family home, has warmed the hearts of many families, I’ve been told.
I’m grateful for the joys of this year, spending more time with my family, not having to see a dentist or find an excuse to eat ice-cream. I went through a range of emotions from loneliness to despair to joy. I wrote a number of new books under lockdown conditions, preferring to stay inside my head than read the news. I focussed on the detail, ironed everything possible in my closet and organised my ear-rings into pairs. All those little things helped me focus on the big picture.
I miss meeting friends and family, miss school visits which gave me the inspiration and energy to keep being creative and the festival circuit that always comes with a new book. Nevertheless, I did try and do most of that virtually – through the help of technology. Ironic that the large scale urban growth driven by technology caused the pandemic and we relied on tech us to keep us distracted from that chaos.
I really hope that this changes our collective humanity and we strive to work smarter to protect our planet. In my own little ways, I’ve been brave this year, spreading my wings, getting a new agent, writing new and different things.
Here’s my from writing desk to your reading chair,
Happy Holidays and a wonderful new year.
August 29, 2020
Sona Sharma is coming soon!
I wrote my first story for Sona Sharma in 2015 – she came fully formed on the page along with her Grandfather whom she calls Thatha (Grandpa in Tamil) and Elephant, best friend and imaginary friend all rolled into one.
[image error]Published by Walker Books,
Illustrated by Jen Khatun
Although I loved Sona in her first story I wasn’t sure a quietly funny family story will appeal. My first confidence in the story came later that year when I was doing my MA at Bath Spa University. I had a 1-1 session with our Professor – the most amazing David Almond. I had sent in the first few pages of Sona for him to read and he loved it.
It gave me the boost of confidence I required to send the story to my editor at Walker Books, Mara Bergman. Mara loved Sona – but we decided she needed a bigger story, a story that shows off her charm, her humour and also her love for her family.
That story became SONA SHARMA – VERY BEST BIG SISTER. Loosely based on my growing up in Chennai, and set in a contemporary Chennai in a loving family like mine and a fun cast of characters in Sona’s world – her school friends, teacher, her auto-rickshaw driver and Mum’s best friend Mullai – they all help Sona become the VERY BEST BIG SISTER to her baby sister.
[image error]Illustrated by Jen Khatun
Sona Sharma is currently available to pre-order and will be out in the world on 3rd September. Beautifully illustrated by Jen Khatun, the stories showcase one family in Chennai and a little girl who has the fears of any first-born child like me – will my family love me less when the new baby comes?
[image error]Illustrated by Jen Khatun
Amma, Sona’s mum explains to her that families have loads of love to go around and Appa, her dad explains that they will be poor only when they run out of love.
With the help of Elephant, gentle proverbs of Paatti, her grandmother and the wisdom and stories of her grandfather and the no-nonsense street smart of their auto-rickshaw driver, Sona learns to love her little baby sister.
[image error]Illustrated by Jen Khatun
Get hold of a copy now and find out who the President is, who Miss Rao is and how Sona finds a name for her little baby sister.
[image error]Illustrated by Jen Khatun
Sona Sharma will be visiting a number of UK blog sites during the month of September. Don’t forget to follow the bloggers to find out more about her mission to becoming the Very Best Big Sister.
[image error]SONA SHARMA – Very Best Big Sister – Blog Tour
Here is a little peek into the book!
June 5, 2020
The Empathy of Friends
When I started writing Tiger Troubles (soon to be out in bookshops, so brilliantly illustrated by Hannah Marks and wonderfully produced by Bloomsbury Education), I first of all wanted to write a circular story. I had listened to my grandmother tell stories that formed a chain – the story went from one character to another and coming back a full circle.
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Then that story slowly transformed into a story of friendship – especially about friends who don’t let down each other.
When Sloth Bear falls on Tiger in this story, he blames the Elephant. But Elephant needn’t have shown his face or accepted his mistake. But he did, because he didn’t want his friend to get into trouble.
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As the story unravels, we find that every friend in this forest has the courage to own up, not to let their friends down and look at the situation from their friend’s point of view.
They not only felt bad about what had happened, but also acted on their feelings and owned their mistake despite knowing that Tiger loved to eat.
For me, this story is about unconscious empathy that children have – they know what they are feeling and they don’t want their friends to be in trouble. But the story doesn’t teach a lesson by schooling the kids, but by hilarious accidents, alliterative food and the little tiger solving the puzzle one step at a time!
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Empathy is the jam inside this story doughnut. Empathy is the jam that makes us all sweet. If we can’t be filled with jam, what kind of doughnuts are we really?
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June is the month of Jungle!
In the deep dark jungles in India, daytime is naptime. Animals were resting, napping and sleeping. But like most young children Sloth Bear didn’t want to sleep. Sloth Bear sets off a series of events that disturb Porcupine, confuse Crocodile, and scare Elephant.
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But when Tiger arrives on the scene, things get worse! Because Tiger loves to eat.
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Tiger Troubles is a circular story of friendship, taking responsibility, the power of truth and the power of play.
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From nap time to play time to yawn time, it’s a story recognisable in all our homes. It’s a great story to read-aloud! Young readers would love to have a go!
The illustrations by Hannah Marks will make you laugh, Tiger’s love for food will make you gasp and how the story unfolds will tie you up in knots!!
Pre-Order Now
April 8, 2020
Isolation Inspirations!
Social distancing, isolation. quarantine – all these were words that we didn’t use in 2019. But here we are, home-schooling, working from home and finding new ways to keep ourselves occupied.
So I got together with my poetry group
and created a book of poems -
about staying indoors, washing hands,
home-school and so much more.
These poems were all written during the period of staying indoors, to amuse ourselves and to bring cheer to others. It is also more than that. As writers and poets, our feelings are often expressed in words and while we worked, talked to our families, went for our permitted jog or shopping, we also wrote about what we are going through.
The four of us who got together are:
Margaret Bateson-Hill – https://www.margaretbateson-hill.co.uk/
Dom Conlon – https://domconlon.com/
Mo O’Hara – https://moohara.co.uk/
Chitra Soundar – http://www.chitrasoundar.com/
And that’s what creative artists do. Reflect the world around them and help all of us look at our situation from a different perspective
Download the book of poems here! [image error]
We hope you enjoy reading these poems. If you wish to recite them on video and share with the world, do let us know too. Our social media contacts are available at the end of the book.
Let’s hope for a better world where we unite against all kinds of evil, not just a virus.
Want to write your own poems? Here is an activity to help you.
March 26, 2020
Farmer Falgu Stays At Home
Farmer Falgu books are all about going away on trips, to the market, to a festival or to fly kites.
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But in this current situation, we can fight the virus that is wreaking havoc only by staying at home. So Farmer Falgu sets an example by staying at home with his family.
So along with the wonderful team at Karadi Tales headed by Shobha Viswanath, we bring you a free edition of Farmer Falgu Stays At Home to encourage all Farmer Falgu fans to be patient and stay at home.
Read the story on video here!
Read and listen to the story here!
Katha with Karadi – experience the magic of Karadi Tales – FREE
Scroll down to find the e-book Farmer Falgu Stays At Home
We wish everyone a healthy spring and summer and we look forward to finding out how you spent your time at home.
Get loads of activities that relate to the Farmer Falgu series.
February 14, 2020
World Pangolin Day 2020
Today is World Pangolin Day – the day that marks the conservation efforts taken worldwide, especially in Asia and Africa to protect pangolins from poachers.
The Indian state of Madhya Pradesh have just announced some additional radio tagging for Indian and Chinese pangolins living on the subcontinent. Find out more here.
There are 7 different sub-species of Pangolin. Find out more about them and the conservation efforts here.
I first discovered more things about a pangolin when I wanted an animal that was endemic to India to use in my story. And my love for the shy creature was born.
Read You’re Safe With Me to celebrate World Pangolin Day and share the fun facts with everyone.
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Get your hands on colouring sheets and puzzles here.
February 2, 2020
Animal Stories
Animals have been used as a way to tell stories since Panchatantra which was told 2000 years ago. Their natural habitats and habits have been useful in bringing out both stories that are fun and with some lessons hidden in them.
While there are many reasons why we should have more children of colour in stories and not use animals as a substitute, some stories lend themselves to using animal characters. These stories are more fun because of the way animals behave, or their food habits or how they look.
I love writing animal stories just for that reason and it’s not a surprise to me as I grew up listening to tons of stories about animals, animals interacting with humans and trickster tales.
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My latest story Tiger Troubles illustrated by Hannah Marks and published by Bloomsbury Education is a fun tale of repetition, funny foods and loads of chants to learn and tell.
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Until the book comes out here is a trickster tale from India that you can listen to.
February 1, 2020
All Good Things…
All good things must start with a story. And the National Storytelling Week must of course start with a brilliant one.
This story I’m going to tell you, has stayed with me from when I was six or seven. I was a very fussy eater and one of the vegetables I didn’t like to eat was the purple brinjals (or the white ones for that matter).
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Many of the stories in my Prince Veera series are reimagined versions of such stories about Emperor Akbar and Birbal, King Krishnadeva Raya and his trusted friend Tenali Rama.
[image error]Prince Veera series
Listen to the story and enjoy! If you like it, do pass it along. Because a hand-me-down story is the best kind there is!
January 1, 2020
Happy New Year everyone!
2019 was an eventful year. It started in Chennai, India with my parents and took me on a journey to festivals and conferences across the world.
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I was in Houston to participate in Texas Book Festival, then at SCBWI Europolitan Conference as a keynote speaker and had a quick stopover in Dubai for the Emirates Festival. Each festival gave me different perspectives on reading, stories and more. I met children from many different backgrounds, writers with aspirations and passion to tell new stories and although journeys are tiring and routine-breaking, they bring new energy into the writing.
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I had six new books come out in 2019, that I’ve been working since 2017 and 2018. They were all different and challenged me in new ways.
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I took on new challenges like writing a theatre show that I performed with a wonderful friend. I was part of a theatre devising group and we performed to an audience of five. I was briefly on BBC talking about diversity in children’s books.
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I visited many schools, met with teachers and librarians across the world, told stories, inspired new tales with young people of all ages.
2020 is gearing up to be a busy year too. I can already reveal the cover of two new books that I wrote which will be published. Here is a quick glimpse – I’ll be posting more info soon. Watch this space.
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While fake news, nationalism and climate crisis threatens goodwill and existence of our planet, this is a time for stories – to imagine a better life, to mine for wisdom from lessons learnt in the past and sculpt a new world for our future generations.
I wish you all a wonderful 2020 in which hope reigns despair and acceptance wins over hatred.
