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Blog AUTHOR PRESENTATIONS BY MITALI PERKINS LIFE BETWEEN CULTURES
Using a personal, humorous slide show, Mitali shares candidly about her experience of growing up between two cultures, exploring some of the tensions immigrant kids face, and introducing some of the richness of Bengali culture. Students are encouraged to ask questions, and discussion throughout sparks lively responses from participants. Read some wonderful letters from kids responding to "Life Between Cultures." STORIES ON THE FIRE ESCAPE During the teen years, one thing's for sure: your heart's bound to get chipped in places. Good stories have the power to heal those broken places and provide safe places to explore the questions we start asking about our lives. In this personal, engaging presentation, students listen to three tough questions Mitali asked as a teen between cultures, and discover that stories might help us all survive. Read some wonderful thank-you notes from teens who participated. A WHOLE NEW WORLD Writing well about place intensifies plot and brings characters to life. In this workshop, students consider how good writing engages all five senses, underlines a literary theme, and takes readers on journeys to other places. A directed exercise allows participants to apply and demonstrate what they've gained from the workshop. Download an article from Weekly Reader's Writing Magazine for more details about this writing exercise, read samples of great writing produced by eighth-graders during the workshop, and enthusiastic student responses to the presentation. BANGLADESH 101: RICKSHAW GIRL AND ALPANA ART LESSON During this one-hour session, students learn about the author's Bengali heritage as featured in Rickshaw Girl, and how the lives of girls in Bangladesh are changing for the better. They participate an alpana art in lesson prepared by the author's mother, Madhusree Bose, a California Teacher of the Year and expert alpana painter. Teachers may prepare for the visit by using this study guide, and see an example as sponsored by PaperTigers. TRAVELING COMPANIONS In an informal, intimate setting, participants come up with three "traveler's tips" for mothers and daughters who want to journey together through the years. If the group chooses to read one of Mitali's books before the event, discussion and sharing may circle around the novel. BOOKS BETWEEN CULTURES What are the tensions facing kids growing up between two worlds? How does pop culture squeeze against them as they try to keep from stumbling? What can stories offer and why? How do we pick the best books for kids caught between two or more cultures? How can we serve them as teachers, parents, and librarians? Get equipped and inspired to offer story to transplanted kids trying to feel at home in our communities. This popular talk was presented at the American Association of School Librarian's National Convention, the Public Library Association's National Convention, and the American Library Association's Annual Convention, among others. VIRTUAL AUTHOR VISIT Classrooms or groups can chat with Mitali about writing in general, any of her books, life between cultures, or any other topic under the sun. She sits in front of her Mac web cam with a cup of tea, you're gathered in your venue, and the discussion flows from there. |