When I started going to school
I was frightened to see the rules
There was a teacher told my mother
Who would guide and make things smoother
I was prepared for the day
But was thinking what to say
As I entered into my new class
Teacher came and held me from mass
She smiled at me and made me sit
On a bench where I could fit
I kept my bag and looked everywhere
To check what was happening here and there
That day I learnt a lot about dance
I did a little holding her hands
We read a story from the book
It was about Robin Hood
My fear for the school was vanished
And I was very astonished
With the flow of time
I was learning lessons for a lifetime
Teachers are the best guide
Who are always by our side
They always help us grow
And make us more and more to know


Writing a poem is a craft
I am making a draft
Putting the words in a cart
To touch my favourite person’s heart

Before I reveal who, he is,
Get to know more about him!

He takes good care of me,
He teaches me how to study
He works for my family

He is my superhero
He is the rainbow in my sky
He is a lovely gift to me
He is The God to me

The morning when he drops me off,
I give him a kiss.
If he is not there in the Evening,
I will Miss!

He will hug me when I am Right,
In return will give me a doughnut to bite.

He will make me laugh when I am sad,
I will go mad when he is sad

He takes all my problems away,
He Brings happiness right away.

He prevents me from being hurt,
If hurt, he treats me fast.

His favourite pet is a dog,
His favourite colour is black.
His favourite flower is rose,
His favourite car is Benz.
Between all of the above and me
What would he choose?

No doubt, he will only choose me
As I am his sunshine

No one can fill his space,
Everyone can only compete in the race

I will never leave his hand,
He will never leave my heart.
As he is my DAD,
And
I will stay with him forever


At 3 I started to go to school,
Preschool.
All I did then, was play in the pool,
Listen to stories and have fun, with
Kids at school.
At 6 I started grade one,
Primary school
Where I had friends none,
Classwork all done.
Back to bus, I would run.
Still school was fun..
At 9 I started grade four,
Middle school.
I am learning different sports,
And new form of arts .
Happy the day goes in a snap
and it’s time everybody claps,
For my wonderful poem of maps.
Love every day to go to school…
Glad that I have teachers and friends very cool..
Who not only taught me to get better grades
But also taught me to laugh and smile.
Completed reading the books in a pile,
Never know when we crossed the mile .
And reached the day the year ends with medals and results in high percentile.
Love every day to go to school.


My favorite is the one who never won any awards
Not a familiar person, great personality, or a scholar
But, she is my all-time favorite I feel blessed to honor her!

She is my calendar because she designs my day!
She is my pet cock, wakes me up every day!
She is my nutritionist, gives me yummy and healthy food
She is my doctor 24X7, she cares for me when I’m unwell
She is my mentor, teaches me every day!

I wonder how one can be all, yes, she is….
Either I win or lose her smile at me never change.
Sometimes she makes me cry but I never hate her
Because she lives for me!

God’s beautiful creation is she, why I say this?
Because she is the one bare all the pain, to give birth
of me to this world, she lost her nutrition, health,
her fairness everything but she never care for that when I’m with her .
She always treats me as a Prince, either I’m looking good or not
She cuddles me and say “My beautiful Prince”.

I do not exist without her, she taught me to talk, walk, sing
dance, learn everything I need… Oh! God, you send her to raise me
as you can’t? As a slave every day she nurtures me.
How beautiful and great the mothers are!

No one can be heartily favorite other than their Mom
My favorite is the right choice because all moms are angels with no wings…
they are the kids’ first mentor, guide, speech therapist, friend, foe, and all…
Because they are everything to their kids…
I love you, mom….


I love Myself, Simply Do, Even If I scare myself like Boo.
I love myself the most indeed, yeah,I love myself, it’s me.
I smile every mile.
I do art. It’s a new start.
I trust everyone and it is a must when I play with my friends.
I find new ways, I share my toys and it gives me joys.
I play with my friends like there’s no end.
I want to confess to the rest, there is no other person just like me in my life! 🙂

Amit was fascinated with cars and bikes. He knew most of the models, their manufacturers, the max speed, company logos, Television advertisements, and more. This fascination slowly piqued his interest in new areas like the usage of different fuels, engine power, and aerodynamics.

Anjali loved helping her grandmother in their little terrace garden. She would keenly observe her following watering routines, pruning the plants, and nourishing them with organic manure. These observations led her to questions about plant behavior, flowering cycles, how plants and trees grew in forests, who watered them, and many more. This further led to many story sessions between the aaji and her granddaughter where the conversation invariably veered towards science.

Aswath was not only a foodie but an aspiring cook. He spent his free time in the kitchen either learning cooking from his parents or experimenting independently. The science behind making a successful recipe using various techniques brought a smile to his face along with the marvel at trying to grasp kitchen science.

Ramya loved to draw and color. She was most fascinated by the play of light on her coloring. Mixing colors to give rise to an altogether new color always made her wonder about how this was possible.

Little Amol was his sister’s assistant in household repairs. His job was to move around with the little toolbox and give her didi the required tools. More than helping her sister he looked forward to the barrage of questions he bombarded her with about the workings of different household things.

All these above scenarios remind us of similar incidents with our kids. This brings me to the topic I want to touch upon which is that kids delve into scientific thinking inadvertently. It is up to us whether we want to engage with them on the topic or thwart away this golden opportunity of opening the phenomenal world of Scientific learning.

I firmly believe that we should not leave any chance to engage with our kids when they want to learn about science. It helps a long way in making science their friend rather than a dreaded monster in books that haunts them throughout their school life. Familiarity brings about an ease of handling things.
Imagine a scenario where Anjali and her friend learn about the various flora and fauna in the forests. It would be much easier for Anjali to relate to the topic as a result of her previous interactions with her aaji. Or Aswath may find Chemistry interesting as he learns about the properties of different elements due to his kitchen experiments.

While all of us may not be in a position to answer all our kids’s questions, showing the will to engage with them rather than absolving oneself from such a situation would augur well for our child’s thinking skills.

We all should make efforts to make science a topic of discussion just like the discussion on food, entertainment, or behavioral traits. The aim must be to let the kids understand that it is an integral part of our lives as opposed to just concepts and diagrams in the books. Indeed anything that we do is based on some scientific fact. Be it studies, entertainment, hobbies, rest, or travel, all come under the purview of science. Let’s try our best to make science a close and everyday friend of our kids rather than just a subject to be studied in school for the sake of exams.

Let us as parents resolve to make our kids science enthusiasts rather than science phobics. Let us resolve to make them aware of their surroundings by learning about Science rather than being ignorant about it. Let us learn to make them rational, logical, and practical doers armed with basic knowledge of how things work rather than just believers of magic. Let us try our best to make the bond between Science and Kids – a loving lifelong friendship rather than a bond made out of compulsion.

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“Stories” he’d said, his voice low and almost husky, “We are made up of stories. And even the ones that seem the most like lies can be our deepest hidden truths.”

Psychologically driven, a wondrous sense of worldview, vivid imagery, deeper humane metaphors – and countless other things come together – to form a monumental body of work spanning across 400+ books. Genres like sci-fi, humor, history, animation, fantasy – you name one, and the legendary Jane Yolen might have something or the other to her credit for anything and everything that exists.

Born on 11th February 1939, in New York, Yolen (a novelist, poet, songwriter, journalist, and much more) quickly acquainted herself with the artistic world inherited partially from her parents. Fantasy, music, folktales – Yolen got influenced by the stories she read as a kid.

‘The Devil’s Arithmetic’, a Holocaust novella, is Yolen’s most famous work. Involving time travel back to the days of the Holocaust and the surrounding atmosphere, the book revolves around a young girl who is sent back in time to understand and learn about the Holocaust, which changes her as a person.

Yolen writes every day. May it be a paragraph, a sentence, or a word. A summary of an idea, thought, sketches, or drawings. Anything and everything under the sun that could keep her in shape as a writer. She firmly believes writing every day does wonders for a writer’s prowess. Just the way an athlete works out and practices their sport every single day. And other professionals do their thing like a ritual on a routine basis. Writing every day is important.

A few of the titles in Yolen’s long list of the body of work include the likes of ‘Favorite Folktales from Around the World’, ‘Lost Girls’, ‘The Wizard of Washington Square’, ‘The Gift of Sarah Baker’, ‘Cards of Grief’, ‘Wizard’s Hall’, ‘Briar Rose’, ‘Armageddon Summer’, the list goes on.

Yolen has won the Special World Fantasy Award, Sydney Taylor Book Award, The Catholic Library Association’s Regina Medal, Nebula Award for Novelette, World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award, and the hearts of millions of her young (as well as old) readers.

Yolen also emphasizes upon the significance of fairy tales in our lives. These stories, though being exaggerated versions, still fall back upon the real world, real life, real people, and real emotions. For the sake of effect, everything is mounted on an unbelievably fantastical scale, but the emotions are all very humane and grounded. It’s the metaphors that we need to identify and relate ourselves with. These metaphors exist in every good fantastical book. It’s a mirror of sorts to the real world.

“We all have such stories. It is a brutal arithmetic. But I – I am alive. You are alive. As long as we breathe, we can see and hear. As long as we can remember, all those gone before are alive inside us.”

In the world of Jane Yolen’s stories we reside, embrace, love, and make peace with our own world.

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Europe is known for all kinds of art forms that evolved over a period of time. Years of practice have led the practitioners of the following art forms to make them world-famous and relevant to date.

From paintings to performances, European artists have left no stone unturned when it comes to entertaining people and making history.

Leonardo da Vinci, Sir Laurence Oliver, Antonio Banderas, Pablo Picasso, and Claude Monet are some of the most famous artists who have framed the history of Europe.

The point to remember here is that all the art forms mentioned below have stood the test of time. Even today, making the best oil paintings requires immense patience. Therefore, becoming an artist needs pure dedication and emotional resilience.

Here are 6 most famous art forms of Europe that are super cool and super famous:

1.Renaissance Painting:

Renaissance Painting

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Oil paintings have always been liked by everyone. From kids to adults, an oil painting has its charm. They are carriers of history and also tell a lot about our ancestor’s keen eye for detail. Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is the most iconic painting in the world. In many instances, the subject was taken from mythological figures and placed next to earthly figures.

2.Baroque Sculptures:

Baroque Sculptures
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Baroque sculptures captivate the viewer’s attention as they are emotionally charged. These paintings were super realistic as the primary focus was on facial expressions. Baroque sculptures also have the same qualities. The fine lines on figures create hyper-realistic humans and vividly convey emotions.

3.Pottery and Ceramics:

Pottery and Ceramics
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Greece is very famous for ceramic artifacts. The four major styles are Corinthian, geometric, red figure, and black figure. Athens, at one point, was the center of pottery. To add some more visual interest, painters used to paint these pots for extra detailing:

4.Ballet

Ballet
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An art form that needs immense dedication is ballet. The movements of the artists are controlled, graceful, and very smooth. Collectively dancing with impeccable coordination creates a beautiful spectacle for the audience. The main highlighting factor is the dancer twirling on their toes. This French art form came into existence 300 years ago.

5.Opera:

Opera
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Another form of performing arts, opera, is a dramatic way of performing a narrative. Dance, music, and drama are all performed together by expert performers who aim to arouse the emotions of their audience. This performing art form arouses emotions. Powerful vocal performances, elaborate stage decorations, and well-organized orchestrations create a powerful narrative. The origin can be traced to Italy and is almost 400 years old.

6.Abstract Art:

Abstract Art
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Abstract art forms have various variations. For instance, it is called Rayonism in Moscow, De Stijl in the Netherlands, Cubism in Paris, and Bauhaus in Munich. Clean lines and contrasting colors were preferred over floral prints. Such artworks stimulate imagination and challenge traditional norms.

Conclusion

From performing arts to hand-painted portraits, European art forms have captivated the world’s attention. With attention to detail being the unique selling point, European artists are revered all over the world. The social circumstances of an artist are reflected in these works. Therefore, not only are these paintings a reflection of the artist’s personality but are also keepers of history.

What is Science & Technology I wonder, its importance for us something to ponder?

Enabler & enhancer of life they say, shaped man’s journey in an unfathomable way.

As I look around, I see it everywhere, its absence makes life difficult to bear.

Research, Wikipedia, and Google are my buddies, aiding me in my projects and studies.

Online payment, the mode of paying fees, spares parents from hassles and long queues.

School transport with RFID tags keeps track, of our journey to school and back.

Study apps connect parents and teachers virtually, my growth cruises as all work harmoniously.

Not only for students but for all masses and crowds, its impact has increased by leaps and bounds.

Communications, food, entertainment, and traveling, life is alive and clicking.

Rapid business, information hassle-free; more time for self and pursue hobbies.

From computer designing to farming; digitalization is a blessing.

Plastic money and cryptocurrencies; it’s now easy to face emergencies.

Healthcare and nutrition are accessible for everyone; bringing the world in unison.

Yet, is life better with Science & Technology; what’s its impact on quality of life and ecology?

It’s made us lazy, impatient, agitated; and put life and our planet under duress.

Increase in cybercrimes; an incessant warning bell that chimes.

Technology is engulfing every walk of life; making the world a chaotic, tough place to survive.

The catalyst for depression, addiction, and anxiety; violence & loss of sobriety.

Too much of it is proving to be a bane; a bombardment of information causing stress and pain.

Diminishing the line between fantasy and reality; the young generation falling prey to its monstrosity.

It can be a boon if used wisely; can augment our lives exponentially.

If used for control and power; can be a weapon to make us insipid and weaker.

A Panacea or Pandora’s Box or it can be; the choice lies with you and me.

Let us be wise and make rational decisions; let Science and Technology be a harbinger of happiness and gratification.

Book reviews are a dynamic way to learn about a book, the gist of its context, and how it’s been written. They allow you to learn about the book from previous readers, their experience with it, and the emotions that they associate with it. As an avid reader myself, book reviews have been a great source of information that allows me to explore various genres and writings while sticking to the style I prefer.

This proves how much a book review has an impact on the book itself. Only when the book in itself is appealing, do the readers tend to share it with others, which effectively increases the number of people reading the book and a positive return for the author.

But, when it comes to exploring books based on their book reviews, there are quite a few things that one should look forward to, and look away from. These points help in effectively choosing a book based on its review and give credit where it’s due. I have come across these myself, which have helped me choose an appropriate book based on my liking.

The foremost thing one needs to look into is to make sure the book one is searching for suits an individual’s reading style. As an enthusiastic reader who loves adventures and mysteries, I would look out for aspects of mystery in the book. Moreover, one should also make sure the author has a writing style that one prefers to read.
A book review that is articulate and gives a balanced view of the book’s strengths and weaknesses is often a pointer to deciding whether to delve into reading the book or not.

The next thing to look into while reading a book review is to explore a host of reviews before reading a book. It gives a clear understanding of different perspectives surrounding the book, but it shouldn’t be taken too far. An Over-excessive book review reading can spoil the plot of the book beforehand, which makes it uninteresting to read.

Reviews that give some information about the author’s other works also help one in knowing the range of genres in which the author’s work exists. This helps in venturing into a new reading genre.

It is not only what one needs to look for in a book review. The knowledge of things or aspects to avoid or the red flags also helps one in maximizing the utility of a book review. While preferences might change from person to person I’m usually offended by the super long book reviews that cover the entire story into it, spoiling what is to come. Reviews that over-explain everything and tell everything about the book must strictly be avoided.

A review that has vague or generic statements does little to decide on whether to read or not. Such reviews do more harm than help by confusing the readers.

Moreover, book reviews that exaggerate about the book indeed put me off. Especially those who never point out the negative aspects. A book review must contain a well-structured viewpoint of the reader, which must include both the positives and negatives associated with the book. This gives those reading the review an understanding of what to expect.

Not only these but several other aspects push back the ability of the impact a book review has. But, we must take a moment to appreciate those well-structured and wonderfully written book reviews that help in making informed decisions for readers, including me.