By Diya Shetty, Grade 11
As noon struck on the first day of NLF 2023, an ebullient group of Smartypants fans awaited their Masterclass with Anushka Ravishankar, award-winning author of numerous books, Vaccines for Smartypants being the latest. Anushka began by discussing her creation of a character like Smartypants the cat. There were parallels with a previous Masterclass by Divya Anand, as the discussion focused on the quirky traits of characters, and making the character entertaining for readers. The audience came up with some ideas, like being forgetful, always thinking of food all the time, and being curious.
Following the discussion, the kids collectively brainstormed on simple science topics that they would like to explain in a few pages. “It’s really fun to take a complex concept and simplify it,” Anushka commented. Some ideas that emerged were atoms, the digestive system, the solar system, friction, and electricity. Anushka engaged with individual members of the audience to give them feedback on their characters and original storybook pages explaining their chosen scientific concept.
This session was an excellent addition to NLF’s engaging masterclasses by esteemed contributors to children’s literature. The spirited audience of 9–12 year-olds picked up useful tips, skills, and the confidence to pursue their passion in writing as well as illustration.
