Paw Things#6 – Three crazy, woofy updates from Happy

(P.S. – My older and little brother took over mom’s blog and they helped me to put together and publish this version of Paw Things!)

WOOF WOOF from Happy!

You know what, there is a man who’s making whirring noises in my basement! It’s crazy! I am currently freaking out.

I don’t know why, but mom and dad are fine with the man. In fact, they seem to have been inviting him inside. Although I hate the mind-boggling, torturous sounds he makes, there seems to be a new change in the basement every time he comes.

When he first came, our basement was all united, no room and no barriers. Next thing I know, the man waltzes in, and makes our basement full of rooms in two days.

One thing, I like about this change is the fact that the floor is warmer. I used to freeze when I lazed around on the wooden steps, even with all my fur… but now, there is carpet on the steps, which make it more comfy. Although this man’s arrival is terrifying for me, it’s worth it seeing the basement being cozy.

There is another crazy thing going on for a while now. What’s with people getting sick at this time of year? Why do people get sick so easily? Thank God, I am a dog, and I don’t get affected by circulating viruses. My brothers got sick a while back and are still unwell! My parents were discussing the newspaper and how many people in Minnesota are sick.

They were also talking about the shortage of over-the-counter medicines. I don’t want to go back to 2020, when my favorite dog parlor closed. But the good thing was, mom wrote a book on me!

Talking of books, mom is busy with some sort of new project and she has not been working on her blogs and books – that’s why I and my brothers took over her blog. Hmmm… I hope she gets time to finish the second book on me.

The third crazy thing, I want to write about is the snow. It snowed here as it always does in November but today it has melted away. I personally like the snow because it’s fun playing outside when brothers throw snow balls at me in their winter gear.

I don’t like Summer so much because it feels super hot with that extra fur which I have on my body. I always prefer cold stuff…

Anyways, I think the man in the basement has left, and I need to go! I am looking forward to eating some leftover snow in the backyard. I hope dad doesn’t catch me in the act.

Love bark until the next woofy update… stay safe and keep smiling you guys!

Why can’t an elephant go on a trampoline?

“Why can’t an elephant go on a trampoline?” Tootoo, the Indian elephant wondered.

Why was Tootoo not allowed to go on a trampoline at the Forest Book Park while his friends were having fun? It was not because of his floppy ears, large body or big teeth, then what was it?

Find out all about Tootoo and his adventures in my upcoming book – Elephant on a Trampoline!

The ebook version of the book would be free for a certain number of days. So, you will have a chance to download it for FREE from Amazon (available globally – coming soon)! Follow this space and stay tuned. Thanks for checking in 🙂

Kids Book #Alert – Elephant on a Trampoline

Dear All,

I am happy to share the cover of ‘Elephant on a Trampoline’ with you. It will be published soon on Amazon and the e-copy would be available for #free for a limited time. So don’t miss out on subsequent announcements!

Elephant on a Trampoline is a fun animal adventure book for kids between 5 – 8 years. It celebrates friendship, diversity, and creative problem-solving!

Synopsis of Elephant on a Trampoline – “Since 1934, elephants are banned from jumping on trampolines at the Animal Book Park.

But despite this, Tootoo, the elephant really wants to go on a trampoline. But will his heart’s desire lead him to danger or will he find an amazing new way for elephants to jump on a trampoline?”

Hope you like my efforts as always. Many thanks for your support 😉

Thanks,

Shivangi

#kidsbook, #freebook, #childrensbook #bookalert

Small Things#36 – Bird House with Madhubani Art

Today, the kids had fun making and painting a wooden Bird House. They used wood and wood glue to create the structure and then spray painted it with white. They left it for drying.

Next, we made Patterns inspired by Indian Madhubani Folk Art on it and they went on to paint it in vibrant acrylic colors. Thank you for taking a look!😀

Funny bedtime story of the ghost on a bicycle

One late evening, two brothers, Mahesh and Ramesh were passing through a dense forest where Balluji, the prankster ghost lived.

The ghost noticed that Mahesh wore dark sunglasses even though it was dark. And Ramesh carried small wheeled luggage on his head, although he could drag it behind him. They were into some heated discussion when the ghost hovered near them to eavesdrop.

Ramesh: Mahesh, it’s your turn to carry the luggage. Don’t try to be a hero and make me do all the work.
Mahesh: Ramesh, stop complaining and walk properly or the curry tiffin for our Daadi would drop…

Balluji, the ghost was delighted. He loved curries and had not eaten them for centuries. So he planned to trick the foolish brothers.

The ghost disguised as a veiled woman and created a bicycle with his supernatural powers. He cycled near the brothers and spoke in a shy feminine voice.

Woman/Balluji: Young men, can you help a poor woman in this forest? It’s night and I am tired. I want someone to take me to the nearby village on this bicycle.

Both brothers began to fight to help her but the woman stopped them.

Woman/Balluji: Look, there is a way to decide who will help me! I will show my face to both of you. So, whoever praises my beauty first will get a chance to help me.

The brothers nodded and were eager to see her face. The woman came back to his original ghost form of Balluji.

Ramesh screamed in horror to see the ghost’s blank face with dark hollow eyes and red teeth. But Mahesh couldn’t see properly because of his sunglasses.

Mahesh: You are more beautiful than the sweetest angel…
Ramesh: What..sweetest angel??? …Mahesh, can’t you see… run, I am leaving…aaaaaa…. bhoooot…

Ramesh abandoned the cart and ran for his life. But Mahesh thought Ramesh was jealous because he had won the bet by praising the woman first. So he planned to continue his journey. He attached the luggage to the bicycle and lovingly asked the ghost to sit behind him.

As they rode the bicycle, he heard chewing and slurping sounds from behind. He turned and his sunglasses fell! What he saw was terrifying – the woman had vanished and Balluji, the ghost was slurping down his grandma’s curry.

Balluji’s red teeth were stained with yellow curry. When Balluji saw Ramesh looking at him, he made a disappointed ghost face. He even offered some curry with his skeletal hands…

Mahesh screamed with horror! And abandoning his stuff, he started to run. But the ghost chased him half of the way. “WAIT!!!” yelled Balluji.

“PLEASE LET ME GO BHOOT JI. I WILL BRING MORE CURRY FOR YOU TOMORROW,” begged Mahesh.

“I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU THE CURRY HAD TOO MUCH SALT!!!” Mahesh continued to run but could hear the prankster ghost doubling over with laughter.

(As told to my kids as a bedtime story. @stories by shivangi)

Small Things #35 – Do authors make enough money?

It was a delightful break when I went to my kids’ school for an Author Visit. I have virtually visited a class before but this was the first opportunity where I was directly interacting with my little readers. My sons have been quite proactive in marketing my children’s books in their school and most of their friends and teachers know me as a writer.

When I went to the elementary class, I found all the little ones eagerly awaiting my arrival – a real author! My son looked proud and embarrassed (I know the feeling). I felt all eyes on me and it made me smile. I knew they were evaluating and trying to understand me. They might have thought my Indian-English accent funny & different’. But most of them wanted to know – How do I put my books on Amazon? So, I chose to answer that question at the very end of our interaction to keep them hooked.

Although a little shy and reluctant in the beginning, they opened up after I finished reading ‘The Boy Named Joy’ to them. Their amazing teacher had projected the book on the smart screen and it was quite an immersive experience.

Do authors make enough money?

Almost all kids had questions for me but we were running out of time. However, one particular question by a curious kid stood out to me – Do authors make enough money?

Honestly, we all know how hard it is for an author to make a living out of books (traditionally or self-published). It’s even more difficult for a self-published author to make a set income because there is less support and validation. Unless, of course, with a strange quirk of luck, amazing things can happen and a book becomes a bestseller (Peter Rabbit and Legally Blonde are great examples).

But the problem was how to tell the kid the cold, blatant truth without discouraging him. I wanted to tell him that it’s all about perspectives. Realists would call an author a failure in terms of material gains while a dreamer would worship him for being visionary, motivational, and inspiring. It’s a truth that only a handful of people stay dreamers throughout their lives. They remain a child. While everyone around them grows up and looks at them with contempt for being ‘impractical’ in the ways of the world.

Isolation, derision and rejection are an integral part of an author’s life. And authors often feel pulled in two different directions – the classic money vs dreams story.

He sat there with his question, eager to get an answer. And I was weighing the pros and cons of my answer.

After a pause, I told my little reader – Authors may or may not make enough money but what they do is meaningful – they touch lives.

As I headed home after explaining to the kids about publishing on Amazon through the Kindle Direct Publishing program, I was smiling. It was a smile borne out of sheer joy and meaningful interaction.

Images courtesy Google

Paw Things#5 – The Bridgerton Connection

“A Visa holder and the Green Card make a lovely couple”…that’s my mom talking. She has been binge-watching ‘Bridgerton Season 2’ on Netflix and finds a ‘Bridgerton’ connection to everything.

I don’t know what Visa holders or Green Cards have to do with that drama series. But she finds a bizarre connection.

“Just like the lead couple in the Bridgerton romance series, where the hero and heroine are at odds with one another, visa holders play the ‘love-courtship-delayed romance’ game with Green Card all the time.”

Hmmm… woof! Funny, how mom gets influenced by TV shows and movies and finds a personal link. My brothers totally get annoyed when she puts on her ‘fake’ British accent and pretends to be a ‘Lady’.

But I like her like this – in ‘doing nothing’ mode. These days, she is not in a hurry to finish assignments or dive into research. She seems on some kind of break.

It has been a cold Spring this year. Punxsutawney Phil, the Groundhog has seen his shadow, meaning we’re in for 6 more weeks of winter. Thanks but no thanks, Mr. Groundhog! We’re all itching to go out to play.

I am blogging after a long time through ‘Paw Things’. And I have a lot to share with you but I will restrict myself to Bridgerton season 2. We are loving this season because of Kate Sharma, an Indian character played by Simone Ashley. Mom says it’s the first time a South Asian character is playing the lead in a British period drama. It’s an entertaining and inclusive show.

The story is quite gripping and we love Lady Whistledown’s letters, scheming mamas, Queen Charlotte’s whims, grand costumes, vibrant settings, elaborate mannerisms. But my mom does not quite like the make-up of the lead actresses. She thinks the makeup is too glossy…sort of oily and the foundation is not right. It spoils the natural charm of Kate (Simone Ashley) and Edwina (Charithra Chandran).

Hmmm…I do not have much idea about make-up.

For me, the star of the drama is Kate’s dog – Newton, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi. I like him. He is sass and adorable, like me. He has a ‘Happy’ face. We do look similar, don’t we?

Apart from the ‘Bridgerton’ craze affecting my mom, there is another exciting news. Happy’s Hairy Tale – Part 2 is in the making! Yay bark!

Guess, what? Mom likes to write about me in her books and I like to write about her and my family in ‘Paw Things’.

If you want to check out my first book – Happy’s Hairy Tale – The Corona Cut, please go here. My second book is based on some real-life incidents and my brothers have been brainstorming on it.

I will be back again with more great news for you. Till then, love bark from Happy Singh!

Small Things #34 – Dog Man and Cat Kid Club series books are super hilarious

I enjoy reading funny, giggly books with my kids, and Dav Pilkey’s books frequently make them laugh aloud. These are fictional, entertaining, and informative graphic novels for kids and tweens.

The latest in these fan-favorite series include Dog Man: Mothering Heights, Cat Kid Comic Club, and Cat Kid Comic Club: Perspectives.

Published by Graphix (an imprint of Scholastic), Dog Man series books are based on a “crime-biting canine who is part dog, part man, and ALL HERO!”. On the other hand, Cat Kid (Li’l Petey) books have the secondary protagonist of the Dog Man series – a smart but innocent orange kitten as the main character.

What I like about these books – The books make kids laugh and have a good time. I often see kids going for these books in the library or at book fairs. I overhear my kids laughing while reading the books. Although it may seem these books have no educational purpose, the books have lovely and inspiring messages. The illustrations are innovative, informative and these books just resonate with the kids.

What I don’t like about the books – The humor borders on crass sometimes. 

What my kids have to say – According to my second grader, “I love the books because they are funny and easy to read. My favorite book is Cat Kid Comic Club Perspectives and I like Li’l Petey because he is weird. This book teaches you how to draw as well. “

According to my fifth-grader, “I love the illustrations and the unique idea behind them. It is supposed to be written by George and Harold – characters from Captain Underpants. There are stories within stories which is really awesome. These books have some great messages.”

My kids are excited for Dav Pilkey’s next – Cat Kid Comic Club: On Purpose, which is coming on April 5th! I hope it has all the ingredients that guarantee a hearty laugh!

Disclosure – Review copies of the books were provided by the publisher.

#bookreview #books #scholastic #bookblogger

Small Things #33 – What’s the meaning of HAND?

A while back, I asked my kids to write something interesting. I felt the children were being too comfortable with digital writing and ‘dear old’ handwriting was taking a backseat. After a little protest, they finally agreed.

So, the older one decided to write a letter to his cousin sister telling her about his summer vacation while the little one began to write the story of a dog.

After giving a long lecture on cases, grammar and punctuation to the older one, I turned towards the little one. He was frantically editing his work to escape my lecture. I took his copy and read the story of the dog-

“One day a small dog was HAND when he saw something.”

“What is the meaning of this? I don’t understand the sentence.”

“Mumma, what’s there to not understand?

“What’s this HAND doing in the middle of a sentence?”

“Mumma, it means the small dog was HAVING A NICE DAY (HAND) when he saw something. There was no space to write so I used short form. You understand short form, right?”

This was hilarious and the older one gave a thumbs up to lil bro. I told him short-forms are not acceptable in formal writing.

But would it be acceptable in the future? I thought.

English is changing so much, digital texting language may become more acceptable in formal English by the time my kids grow up. Good or bad, I don’t know (IDK).

Although many are not happy with the changes in the English language, some linguists say kids, far from destroying English, are innovating and enriching the language. This adaptability is the greatest strength of English. Words change forms, names becomes ACRONYMS and best of all English takes on local flavors. Don’t you agree?

This episode also made me realize – I need to keep up with the new lingo of this generation before I start receiving lectures.

Well, G2G at the moment, will BRB soon! LOL.

Image courtesy Google

The Man Who Sold Happiness – A Bedtime Tale

One day, an old turbaned man arrived at a colorful, bustling bazaar in India. He set up a signboard at a corner – I Sell Happiness for Two Paise.

Many dismissed him as a con man, but a lot came out of curiosity. A man selling happiness was rare! “Hmmm, happiness for two paise? Can you show me happiness?” One mustached man said sarcastically.

“Sure, come sit by me”, said the happiness seller. By now, a small crowd had gathered to see the “tamasha”.

The customer threw two paise at him. The seller took out a carved mirror from his “potli” and put it in front of the man. The customer’s face contorted at first, and then he burst out laughing.

“Bravo! It’s strange, but he does sell happiness!” The customer announced.

Another customer came, and he went away laughing too. Some customers smiled, some laughed and, many rolled on the ground with laughter. Everyone thought the happiness seller was a magician.

One little orphan boy watched the seller from far, and thought – “The mirror seems magical, but what does it show?”

By evening, the crowd around the seller lessened, and he noticed the boy.

“Son, do you want to buy happiness, too?” he called out. The boy nodded but explained, he had no money.

“Well, I can always barter,” the seller said.

“Seller, I have just hardship and sadness to offer!” said the boy.

“Well, no harm in offering that to the magical mirror. Let’s see how it conjures happiness for you,” the seller said, kindly.

The boy sat and offered his hardship and sadness to the mirror…

What ensued was laughter… unrestrained laughter… from the child! His infectious laughter came from his pure heart, and soon, it spread all over the village. No one knew why everyone else was laughing.

The happiness seller had no idea the mirror could give THAT kind of happiness. After the boy stopped laughing, he asked – “Son, I am amazed. I am 100 years old now but I never saw anyone experiencing such BLISS! What happened, tell me?”

The boy smiled and said, “Dear seller, thank you for this great opportunity. Let me explain the reason.

The first man’s happiness came from jealousy. The mirror showed his enemy falling into the ditch. So, he laughed. The second man’s happiness came from ambition. He saw himself traveling to a new land and earning wealth. So, he laughed.

Everyone’s happiness came from something they wanted – their desire! They got happiness in the same proportion.

My happiness was based on the act of surrender – of my hardships and sadness. I let go of my burden, stress…and what stayed in me was …nothing…just peace. This inadvertently filled me with ecstatic laughter. The mirror showed me so free and joyful, and I laughed. And it spread everywhere.”

The turbaned man folded his hand and said – “My child, a divine being told me I will meet my successor here. And I found you! All my life, I sold happiness, became rich but never understood it. Today I saw it. So, will you be my companion in spreading real happiness…?”

The boy smiled and nodded.

The next morning, people from far and wide rushed to the bazaar to buy a fresh dose of happiness. Who doesn’t want happiness for two paise? What they didn’t understand was the priceless truth – real happiness does not come from what we GET but what we LET GO of…

Villagers desperately searched for the happiness seller. But he had already left with his successor.

Story & Images – @storiesbyshivangi

Why is the Sky so up above the Earth? – A Folk Tale

Here is a very imaginative bedtime folk story to spark your kids’ imagination!

Once upon a time, the Sky was very close to the Earth. You see, they were married! They were so close that humans could actually touch the clouds in the Sky. 

Since there was little space between the Earth and the Sky, humans were smaller in size. They were so little, that they used rats to plow the field instead of oxen. And they kept ants as pets.

Sometimes life would become inconvenient for men and women. If they jumped, their heads bumped into the clouds, causing rain. They could not even lift their hands while dancing. The trees could not grow big because there was no room to grow. And the Sun was too close, causing extreme hot weather.

Although, some kids loved having the Sky so close at night. You see, they could check out the stars closely! But on moonlit nights, it was difficult to sleep since the Moon glowed so much that all of them had to cover their eyes.

One day, a very old, grumpy granny was sweeping her courtyard with a broom. Accidentally her hand hit against the Sky. This made her lose her temper. Angrily, she gave the Sky a very hard push. 

The Sky was already scared of the granny’s temper. And it went up like a rocket, and reached where it is today to be safe. 

The Earth began to weep since her husband had gone far from her. But the Sky said they could always meet when the rain would fall! They would also be together, somewhere in the horizon. He was not ready to come down because of the angry granny.

So, the Sky stayed up and the Earth down. Also, this was convenient, since there was more room for everyone to grow taller. The grumpy granny lived longer than two hundred years and came to be known as – The angry granny who pushed away the sky.

-Inspired by a folk story of Muria Tribe from Madhya Pradesh, India

Graphics – @storiesbyshivangi

Small Things #32 – Summer of 2021 (in pics)

The Summer of 2021 brought hope, normalcy and fun after a grim summer last year. The kids went for camping and on a vacation up North in Minnesota – a getaway, they cherished because it felt divine after the gloomy, uncertain and restricted time they had spent during the Summer of 2020. Here are some Summer fun pictures, which makes the idea of ‘normal’ so real.

I Can Camp – Minnesota’s I can Camp program is great for the first-time campers. All the equipments and support is provided to put up a tent, make food, go hiking and other camping activities. We went there with our friends and had a thrilling time. Here are some pictures of the camping trip.

• 

• 

• 

• 

  Beach Time

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

  Night Time View

Duluth – Here are some vacation pictures from along the shores of the mighty Lake Superior – the largest fresh water lake in the world. We also went up to the Lutsen Mountains with family friends and tried the Gondola – an amazing experience to say the least.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

  Split Rock Lighthouse

• 

• 

• 

  Gooseberry Falls

• 

  Aerial Bridge, Duluth

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

  Lutsen Mountains

• 

• 

• 

Jumping Time – The Summer of 2021 also brought fun birthday parties, jump time and Soccer.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Here is a prayer and hope that soon we will get to see more pictures of kids laughing and having fun everywhere in the world!