Yuyi Morales: Inspiring Creativity Without Borders / Yuyi Morales: Inspirando Creatividad sin Fronteras
by Rini Ghosh, Educator Yuyi Morales, a captivating voice in the world of children’s literature, gifted us with an unforgettable afternoon. The renowned Mexican-American author shared her inspiring journey as a writer and illustrator, leaving an indelible mark on everyone present. Since her arrival in the United States, Yuyi has faced the challenge of adapting […]
Shabnam Minwalla’s Perfect Murders
by Devangshee Khemka, Grade 8 In the masterclass “Perfect Murders”, led by former Neev Book Award winner Shabnam Minwalla, we explored why she enjoys writing murder mysteries so much, what is so thrilling about the writing process of a murder mystery, how to write a murder mystery, and even got an opportunity to craft one […]
Crafting Stories, One Panel At A Time
by Samaira Gupta, Grade 8 Tell me you haven’t caught yourself doodling on the back of your math notebook or the back of your hand. Well, same: I have always been intrigued by comics and how these illustrations portray so much with little to no words, and when I saw the name of the workshop […]
Fairytales, with a Climate Twist
by Amishi Daga, Grade 8 Most of us grew up listening to fairy tales such as Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Sleeping Beauty, recorded by the Grimm Brothers during the early 19th century. The world has evolved since then and the environment in which those narratives are set in no longer exists. Due to decades of rapid […]
Papercut Portraits: Masterclass by Thao Lam
By Nikhita Chatterjee, Grade 10 For her masterclass titled “Papercut Portraits”, author-illustrator Thao Lam was greeted by a room packed with enthusiastic children eager to make their portraits. During this engaging session, Thao explained the inspiration and backstory behind her picture book “Thao”. She introduced the book by reading aloud a few short excerpts to […]
Living Like an Emperor: The Mughals and Their World
by Kaavya Sahi, Grade 9 The Mughals were a prominent dynasty that ruled the Indian subcontinent from the 16th to the 19th century. They are renowned for their warrior spirit, cultural richness, grandeur, and vibrant way of life. The dynasty seems worlds apart from our lives today; our routines, habits, and outlook vastly different from […]
Starting up and Adulting: How to Never Settle, with Andaleeb Wajid
By Devangshee Khemka, Grade 8 In the masterclass “Starting up and Adulting” led by 2024 Neev Book Award winner Andaleeb Wajid, we were able to get to know the author better, and discuss what to do with our life, our dreams, romance, and even briefly explored a sort of feminist perspective of our lives. We […]
Secrets to Narration: Understanding A Writer’s Craft with Adam Gidwitz
by Arin V. Jagtap, Grade 10 Everyone has told a story aloud or in front of an audience at least once in their life. But it’s the way that one may do it that can make the story truly captivating. We all have our unique voices, a theme that Adam Gidwitz explored in his masterclass […]
A Books-Filled Childhood and Adulthood: Manu Pillai and Devika Cariapa in Conversation at NLF 2024
By Samarrah Sivakumar, Grade 10, and Kaavya Sahi, Grade 9 In the opening session of Neev Literature Festival 2024, historians Devika Cariapa and Manu Pillai reminisced, like old friends, about their relationships with books and stories, taking us along on the journey. As the two authors recounted stories from their childhood, the audience was treated […]
Literary Keepsakes—Linda Sue Park
By Aditi Garg, Grade 11 “What’s the one thing you’d save in a fire (family and pets excluded)?” Through her short 45-minute masterclass, Linda Sue Park created a session filled with engaging activities, thought-provoking questions, and witty retorts. She began by introducing herself as a Korean-American and delved into the intricacies of her life, which […]