Five Things: The habit of a notebook; summer workshops at Prithvi Theatre; how to tell a story, and more

Recently, English naturalist Charles Darwin’s missing notebooks, of the 1930s, returned home to Cambridge University, 22 years after they were last seen. His pocket-size books carried notes on the Galapagos Island that would inspire his theory of evolution and natural selection.

Even as New Delhi hosts the India Art Fair, in Venice, Italy, the world’s oldest art fair has just opened. There too, a notebook, has inspired the theme for the entire exhibition. Themed on British-Mexican surrealist painter-novelist Leonora Carrington’s 48-page book, The Milk of Dreams, the exhibition had artists from all over the world presenting art through various mediums. Carrington’s book has been inspired by her notebook in which she drew and wrote about magical characters – one who eats walls and his head turns into a house; a boy who makes friends with a crocodile; another who has wings for ears.

(Photo: Amazon.com)

The notebook, therefore, allows for the opening of so many worlds, which we never imagined exists, where we can all be transformed and be something or someone else. Be sure to carry one with you at all times, you never know what will inspire the world.

Write Turn

Carrying forward the idea of writing, is the Collins-ACK Online Creative Writing Workshop for children (8+ years) starting in May. Through the six-day, hour-long sessions, participants will learn the basics of writing, how to create characters, build a world around them, and find new ways to tell their stories. Organised by publishing houses HarperCollins and Amar Chitra Katha Pvt Ltd, these workshops will help children enhance their communication skills and give them the confidence of self-expression. For details, mail: workshops@ack-media.com or marketing.collins@harpercollins.co.in or call +917093131854.

All Work and More Play

Starting May 1, Summertime@Prithvi is back, with a host of workshops for children, age group 6 to 16. For nearly three decades, Mumbai’s Prithvi Theatre has been engaging with children through these sessions of dance, acting and storytelling. Primarily conducted in English and Hindi, these two-hour sessions will be anchored by theatre personalities. Look up this fun one called ‘Ride With Newton’, where science meets art. There are engaging demos and experiments in art that will help a child explore the real world artistically. Don’t forget to pick up membership cards for your child, who can get free entry into the theatre for all of their plays. For registration, visit: http://prithvitheatre.org

What to Watch

Can there be anything more endearing than a young robin who is raised by a family of mice. She feels completely out of place and her only wish in life is to be a mouse. While it was inspired by Christmas baubles and pushes the boundaries with felt animation, Robin Robin also has songs about slime and toenails and all things mice! Streaming now on Netflix.

Books and More

Meanwhile, if anyone thinks libraries are dead, let your fears be put to rest. Shefali Malhotra, founder of bukmuk.com, has been getting children from toddlers to teens to read again. For a free sign-up you can see their entire collection of over 20,000 books. Their subscription plans are Rs 899 for a month and Rs 2,499 for three months. You can get up to six books at a time, anywhere in India. For more details, contact: 8130286286, or visit them at: http://www.instagram.com/bukmuklibrary

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