Author Mitali Perkins shares her knowledge and insights
Mrs. Bose conducts an art lesson on alpana drawing, a tradition passed down from mother to daughter in the Balgladeshi culture
Students listening closely
Sidewalk as canvas
Mary Barhydt (5th grade teacher), Mitali Perkins, Mrs. Bose and Ann Grandin (grade school librarian)
View more images in the gallery.
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Introduced by PaperTigers, author of young adult novels (Monsoon Summer and The Not So Star-Spangled Life of Sunita Sen) and the just released chapter book, Rickshaw Girl, Mitali Perkins talked to 5th grade students at the San Francisco Waldorf School about her new book; the path to becoming a published author; life between cultures and her parents' life changes during and after the partition of India.
Mitali Perkins' mother, Madhusree Bose, joined her by conducting an art lesson on alpanas drawing (like the rickshaw girl in the book, Mrs. Bose is an award-winning alpana painter), the traditional patterns painted by Bangladeshi women at the home's entrance to welcome visitors.
After their presentation/lesson and some indoor pratice drawing alpanas on paper, the students eagerly took to the sidewalk, chalk and homemade colorful rice-paste in hand, to decorate the entrance of their school building. Not even the late morning gentle rain spoiled the fine hours of learning: when the mist began erasing their colorful designs, the children had already soaked in the morning's powerful message.
Between the school's warm welcome, lead by grade school librarian Ann Grandin, and the teachers and students' openness and genuine excitement, the event could not have been lovelier!
Ann Grandin's words about the event captures its spirit, and the children's feedback confirm how important these cross-cultural experiences can be.
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More on PaperTigers:
Rickshaw Girl review
Interview with Mitali Perkins (from Jul'05)
More on the web:
Discussion and Activity Guide (including information on different kinds of alpanas)
Q&A with the author
Mitali Perkins' Fire Escape website
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