E-NEWSPAPER FOR CHENNAI KIDS
June 10 - June 23, 2012
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Fortnightly
Electronic edition
Website: www.yocee.in
This fortnight
Bond in Chennai
Summer Fruits
Calendar
Report
Photo Feature
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6
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The celestial walk of the Venus By Kavya K G Student Reporter Many people in Chennai gathered at the beaches and Birla planetarium at the early hours of June 6, 2012. They were there to watch the magnificent phenomenon repeat itself for the last time in this century. Those few lucky people caught a glimpse of the Venus transit, that is the Venus moving across the sun.
Sun. But, Mercury transits occur more often, that is, 13 times in a century. According to the handout given at the event, the next Mercury transit will occur in 2016.
For those present at this skywatching The Venus transit occurs four times programme, it was every 243 years, so we get to experian opportunity of ence two Venus transits per century the life time. Everyand the latest, being the last one for one wonder if they People watched the rare astronomical event at Besant would live to see this century. Nagar beach. Photos by P.R. Nandhinee the next Venus tranThe photo here shows its view from sit, which will be occurring in 2117 the Elliott’s beach, where the Tamil The transit of Venus occurs in patand later in 2125, And now, do not Nadu Astronomical Society, Exnora terns – 2 transits with 8 years interval miss the Mercury transit that is due International and Breakthrough Sciand then gap of 121 ½ years and ence Society joined hands to give the another 2 transits with 8 years inter- to occur in 2016. science enthusiasts the opportunity to val and then a gap of 105 ½. The witness this breathtaking event last transit before this occurred on Interested in Astronomy? through their programme ‘Observe June 8, 2004. The only Here are a few places for Venus in Transit ‘ . other planet tranyou to check out! sit that can be These organisations arranged to observed is that of Birla Planetarium. put up many types of telescopes, the Mercury, since Phone - 24410025 big and small, including solar Venus and Mercury Tamil Nadu Astronomical telescopes, that gave an aweare closest to the some view of the transit. Society. Phone: 93828 70662
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E-PAPER YOCee
June 10 - June 23, 2012
This fortnight for you ... Contest
Music competition
How was your vacation?
Muthiah Bhagavathar compositions
Submit your best vacation picture along with a short essay and win a shaped cushion. Mail your picture and entry to peekabooprmedia@gmail.com. Last date June 12, 2012 Contact Peek-a-boo Patterns at 04424992365 for more details
Workshop
Harikesanjali Trust is conducting a music competition on kritis of Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar on June 24, 2012. It will be conducted for two different age groups, 13 to 17 and 18 to 25. It will be at Narada Gana Sabha hall, Alwarpet. Last date for registration is June17. For details call 98403 98616 or email to bharatiln@yahoo.com
Learn Photography A workshop is organised by Competition - Read & DakshinaChitra for children of ages Write 13 to 16 years on photography. You will learn various techniques of click- Know the Mahatma ing pictures indoor and outdoor, porGandhi Peace Foundation, Alwarpet trait photography and about light is organising an open book exam and shadow. cum competition on Mahatma Gandhi Date - June 16, 2012 from 10.30 The participants will have to read a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and write in the competition by having the autobiography of Mahatma Fee - Rs. 1000 inclusive of refreshGandhi ‘My Experiments with Truth’. ment & transport. Students from classes 6 to 12 can You need to bring your own camera. register. Contact the foundation at Contact 98419 77779, 2446 2435 for 332, Ambujammal Street, Alwarpet. more details. Ph: 2499 3839, 99624 79005.
For registration and more details, contact Sanjeevini Peetam, 16/45, Babu Rajendra Prasad 1st Street, West Mambalam, Phone: 2471 2231, 98406 48205 may be called.
(Continued on page 8)
A Fortnightly Newsletter from
(www.yocee.in - news website for Chennai’s young people)
Founder - editor Revathi R
Student reporters team for this issue Adrian Joseph David Kavya K G Nandini P S Smruthi S Sruti S
Guest contributors P.R. Nandhinee
Circulation •
Free circulation - online at www.yocee.in/category/epaper/
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Circulated through email to individual subscribers
Play
Recitation competition
For children and young adults
Recite the Hanuman Chalisa
Perch, a theatre group based in Chennai is hosting a play for children titled ‘Jujubee’ this weekend and next weekend at two venues in Chennai. The play is in Tanglish (Tamil and English mixed)
To commemorate the birthday of Tulasidas, poet and author of Ram Charita Manas Sanjeevini Peetam will conduct a Hanuman Chalisa recital competition for school students on Saturday, July 21, 2012.
Readers are advised to exercise caution and use their discretion to visit the external websites mentioned in this newsletter.
Dates and venues: On June 9 and 10, 2012 at 6 p.m. At Goethe Institut, Max Mueller Bhavan, 4, Rutland Gate, 5th Street, Nungambakkam. Phone: 28331314
Students in the age group of 5-10 years will have to recite the first 20 poems and those in the age group of 11-16 will have to recite the entire Chalisa.
Editorial office:
On June 16 and 17, 2012 at 6 p.m. At Spaces, 1, Elliots Beach Road, Besant Nagar. Phone: 98410 99435
The number of participants is limited and registrations will be accepted on first come first served basis.
For Advertising Contact phone: +91 9840544629
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The content of the advertisements are as furnished by the advertisers. YOCee does not vouch any of their claims. New no. 15, ‘Sri Padma’ Karpagam Garden First Main Road Adyar, Chennai - 600 020 Email: editor@yocee.in www.yocee.in Phone: +91 9840544629
June 10 - June 23, 2012
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CONCERT IN THE PARK Varshini K, a student of The Hindu Senior Secondary School, adyar performed a Carnatic music concert at the Nageswara Rao park on June 3, 2012. She was accompanied on the violin by T. Kishore and on the mrudangam by Karthik. The concert was held as part of the Concert in the Park series hosted by Sundaram Finance on the first Sunday of every month.
World Environment Day at Bamboola Children gathered to celebrate world environment day at Bamboola Play school and activity centre in R.A. Puram on June 5, 2012. The event was led by Shruti Devi, member of Shakespeare Society, Delhi. Children staged a play, did gardening with organic seeds and craft activities using recycled material.
NEWS IN PICTURES
Exhibition of Seven Wonders Spellbound, an event management company along with the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department hosted an exhibition with the replicas of the seven wonders, Taj Mahal, Leaning tower of Pisa, Statue of Liberty, Christ the Redeemer, The Great Wall of China, Egyptian Pyramids and the Roman Colosseum. The exhibition was on till Junee 8, 2012
Want to pursue a hobby? Grab a copy of CHENNAI KIDS DIRECTORY All the places and resources of after school activities for the school going children
Just Released! A resource guide with more than 100 pages of useful information
Details at www.yocee.in
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June 10 - June 23, 2012
Picture Perfect Sky Monkeys By Smruthi S Student Reporter A king who dreams about jalebis, a donkey who sings through the night in the cucumber field, an alien sky monkey that creates a ‘hullaballu’ on Earth. These are characters that can be found in the three books written by the popular children’s author Niveditha Subramaniam. Ms. Niveditha, who is associated with Tulika, a renowned publishing house, has done a witty series of short stories called the ‘Amazing Miss Shinnies’ and ‘Interval’ in Chandamama. She has also been a part of the anthology – Water Stories. On 24th May, Niveditha launched her latest picture book- ‘The Sky monkey’s Beard’. With Priyankar Gupta’s whimsical pictures, this is a gently happy story that talks about a group of Sky monkeys who like nothing better than floating on clouds for hours. Followed by the book launch was an interesting story telling session by Jeeva Ragunath, who was dressed as a character in the story - Grandpa Monkey. Her mere presence tickled all our funny bones. Held at Ashvita, an art gallery and garden cafe on Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai in Mylapore, the book launch was a fun-filled session for all present at the venue.
Below are excerpts of the interview with Niveditha Subramaniam, who opens up and talks to us about her childhood, interests, favourites and more.
as I told earlier. Role Model….
Tell us about your childhood and parentage…
Books are my biggest inspiration. I love looking at picture books especially. Interactions with people I know well as well as strangers, things that I’ve seen while travelling to a new place or something that I noticed while walking down a familiar street inspires me. I think through pictures and sometimes visuals get stored in my mind and sometimes they lead to form part of a story I write.
I had pop-ups and Russian picture stories as a child and poured over them in some corner of the house and these images have a way of lingering in your mind and memory and coming back years later! Which is your favourite book? My grandparents, parents and family Definitely can’t pick one but here are my favourites: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble – William Steig Opa’s Engel – Jutta Bauer His Dark Materials – Phillip Pullman A Series of Unfortunate Events – Lemony Snicket The “Secret” series – Enid Blyton (not to be confused with The Secret Seven) How does it feel about your book ‘Mayil Will Not Be Quiet’ having had great response? also encouraged a love for reading; aside from the books that were bought for me, my brother and I got to visit Higginbothams and Landmark and take our picks. What was your childhood ambition? When did you actually decide your career? I wanted to be a gymnast, actually! Nadia Comaneci was my biggest inspiration. I guess I actively knew that I wanted to write and draw them when I came to college but I think it has a lot to do with my childhood too
Great! Because of the encouraging response to the first book, my friend and co-author Sowmya Rajendran (who has published many books with Tulika) and I are going to be working on a sequel. Tell us about your lastest one – ‘The Sky Monkey’s beard’. What is it all about? What is so special about it, according to you? (Continued on page 5)
June 10 - June 23, 2012
E-PAPER YOCee
What do you think about the influence of books and Sky monkeys like nothing better than libraries in today’s kids? Do to float above the clouds for hours… they have some positive impact One day, a curious little sky monkey on kids? Or today’s kids have decides that she wants to fly down to long forgotten books and don’t know anything else apart earth and see what it’s like and she creates a hullaballoo up in the skies! from computer? What do you It’s a whimsical story about how the think? very first monkey on earth came to be. I think children will like Priyankar I read lots of books when I was a child, I also enjoyed video games. I Gupta’s expressive and playful illusthink those who enjoy reading will trations. pick up and read. If reading is How do you think the response encouraged at home and they have a membership at a good library, it for picture books are among helps, of course. And today, there are kids and parents today? many more libraries, reading clubs I didn’t have any Indian picture books and play centres that play an active role in making reading fun for growing up. But, nowadays children (Continued from page 4)
have a wide range to choose from. Gauging by the number of parent bloggers who review children’s books and other products for children, and the growing number of sites that are exclusively for children, the response is good. How do you spin humour into a story?
Humour works best, when it’s inspired by day to day things that happen to you or people that you know. When it’s real, there can be intelligent and original ways of expressing it, otherwise it can often appear contrived or overdone.
JUST A SHOT
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What are your other interests? Photography. I studied photojournalism and hope to make photo books for children sometime! Your motivating factor always is your ... Pictures. As I said before, I think through pictures and sometimes visuals get stored in my mind and sometimes they lead to/form part of a story I write. And my parents, who’ve always been supportive. Your message for budding authors? I think there is opportunity everywhere. There are a lot of people who think that writing for children is the easiest thing in the world. But children’s writing is not writing for adults simplified. With such a notion, you can get nowhere. Respect your audience and understand them.
Illustrated by Priyankar Gupta, the book is available in nine languages such as English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati and Bengali. The book is available for purchase at children. It doesn’t mean if a child watches TV or surfs on the computer major outlets and also from Tulika’s that she won’t pick up a book. Lots of website - www.tulikabooks.com children can do both comfortably.
Shot at Aminjikarai on June 1, 2012. The signboards are placed down for carrying on the Chennai Metro Rail project. Now, they point the wrong direction. Photo by Adrian Joseph David, Student reporter
E-PAPER YOCee
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Nandini P S Student Reporter
Bond with children Well-known Children’s writer Ruskin Bond was in Chennai launching his latest book. He enthralled the children during his humorous interaction with them.
June 10 - June 23, 2012 bullies be buttered on toast; If a song brought a shower And a gun grew a flower, This world would be nicer than most!” He went on to read ‘The Hip-Hop Nature Boy’ and then sat down to a shower of questions by the little kids and the older ones as well.
In Bhubaneshwar, a group of tiny little boys were dancing the hip-hop. A silent spectator who terribly wanted to join them in their dance was Ruskin “What are the two most essential Bond! The presence of a few things that a person must have to teachers and parents deterred him from dancing the hip-hop with them. But what he did was, he put himself as one amongst them in his poem titled ‘The HipHop Nature Boy’! This was the tiny little story, with which Mr. Ruskin Bond introduced his new book at Landmark, Nungambakkam, Chennai, on the evening of 8 June, 2012. His latest book titled ‘The HipHop Nature Boy and Other Poems’ was launched on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Landmark and Penguin Books India.
The illustrated book holds within its covers, old and new poems on everything right from nature, love, friends to school, and books. The audience consisting of three different generations, waited with enthusiasm for Ruskin Bond’s arrival.
become a writer?” one asked, to which he promptly replied “Pen and paper!” Then a young boy wanted to know where Ruskin got his ideas from to which he replied that most of his ideas came from observing the world and the people around him, and sometimes, even from his dreams!
The next questioner wanted to know Ruskin’s opinion about sharing his last name with the fictional James Bond. Interestingly Ruskin did have an uncle named James Bond! “But he was not a secret detective. He was just a dentist!” he said. He even wrote an epitaph for him which read “Stranger, On his arrival he was greeted with applause and namaskarams. His witty approach this spot with gravity. James Bond is filling his last cavity!” lines and ready smile put everyone He then immediately at talked ease. “Well, I about thought there was Uncle Ken going to be a cake who to cut. But where is apparently it?” he smiled and was his the kids joined him, real Uncle! which later broke “My poor into a laughter. uncles He then unveiled his always got new book to and included in read out some of one or the the poems in it to other of the eager audience. The kids were my stories,” he said. extremely delighted with one of the One amongst the audience wanted to poems which goes like "If a tortoise know when he would write a mystery could run And losses be won, And
June 10 - June 23, 2012 or a crime story. “I already wrote one a long time ago. But the problem was, the readers found out who the culprit was in the Third Chapter itself!” he said. Bond had an important tip for young writers. “Maintain a journal and write down every character and everything that you see or hear each day. It will help you later with your stories,” he said to the young faces which were filled with rapt attention.
E-PAPER YOCee After this interesting session, Ruskin Bond cut the cake along with a whole lot of children alongside him. He personally signed each child’s copy of “The Hip-Hop Nature Boy and other Poems” much to the delight of the children present. Adrian Joseph David writes: I had been to Landmark, Nungambakkam on June 8, 2012 to witness the arrival of children's author and poet, Ruskin Bond in Chennai. It was an event to commemorate the silver jubilee of Landmark book store and Penguin Publishers. I reached there at 5.30 p.m. an hour before the program hoping to catch the first seat but to my surprise, almost all the seats were occupied by people eagerly waiting to see the good old man.
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Bond also said that anyone can be a writer regardless of the background of his/her profession. Another senior citizen said that Ruskin Bond is an upstart to James Bond which was also written by renowned children's author, Ian Fleming. There was no age limit for his fans as there were people from their 6's to 60's. It was a memorable evening with the author. If you haven't read his stories or poems, I must recommend to fetch a copy and start reading as it involves fun, solitude, kindness and the beauty and glory of nature. Photos by:
Nandini P S A senior woman in the audience men- Adrian Joseph David tioned that she used to read his >> More pictures on www.yocee.in books when she was young and now her kids have started reading his books too.
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June 24, 2012 Read archives on www.yocee.in ~~~~~~~~
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Page 8
This fortnight ...
June 10 - June 23, 2012
Twin Stokes
(Continued from page 2)
Arts Exhibition Painting contest for kids The annual exhibition of the arts and paintings done by students of Usha Arts & Paintings will be held on June 16 & 17 from 5 p.m to 8 p.m in Asiad Colony Park, Anna Nagar, near Tirumangalam. There will also be an on-the-spot painting competition for all children who visit the exhibition on the two days. Open to all. Usha arts is at Syndicate Bank Colony, Anna Nagar Western Extension. M. Anandan
Coaching Prepare for KVPY
The twins M. Anandhan and M. Aravindan, both students of Sindhi Model School, Kilpauk have won laurels in swimming in the recently concluded State-level swimming meet.
Now prepare for the prestigious Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojna Scholarship Examination conducted by Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, for the students of Classes 11 and 12. While Anandan won the first prize in 50 meters freestyle and third prize in Nehru Children’s Cultural Association 100 meters freestyle events, commences the preparation programme on June 16 and continue till November 18. The classes will be held on all Saturdays (from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.) and Sundays (from 8 a.m. to 12 Global Organization for Divinity noon) at P.S. Higher Secondary India Trust is organising an interSchool, 215, Ramakrishna Math Road, school and inter-college heritage Mylapore. fest ‘Samskruti’ on July 21, 22 and Students will be taken to University of on July 28, 29. Madras, IIT-Madras and Anna University for attending lecture demonstrations. Contact M.R. Sugumaran. Phone: 8144416484, 2445 3014.
M. Aravindan
Aravindan won third prize in 50 meters butterfly event. The swimming meet was conducted by the Tamil Nadu State Aquatic association in Velachery from June 1 to 3, 2012.
Heritage Fest, contests for college students photography, short film making, cookery, quiz and poster designing.
Hosting events for kids? Mail details to
editor@yocee.in
We will publish in this ePaper
& on the website www.yocee.in
The contests are for children studying in classes 6 to 8 include pot painting, dress designing, drawing, handmade gifts, greeting card making and villu paatu. For students of classes 9 to 12, the contests will be held in skit, group dance, temple treasures, traditional treasures, quiz and T-shirt painting;
Prizes for the best school team and college team will be awarded. Registrations close on July 10. For details, contact at 98845 94869 or at 99404 49082 or at 98941 84802.
June 10 - June 23, 2012
E-PAPER YOCee
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Photos by Smruthi S, Student Reporter
When the mercury levels shot up, Smruthi went around to capture these cool pictures!
Delicious mangoes
Sweet Jackfruit
It is hot and dry. Yet, there are so many varieties of fruits that substitute the artificial ice-creams. For those who complain about the power cuts and sticky weather, these fruits should bring some respite.
>> More pictures on www.yocee.in Ice-apples a.k.a Nungu
Read news online at
www.yocee.in Updated daily
Reach us . . . Email: editor@yocee.in Phone: 98405 44629
Colourful grapes
Page 10
BOOK REVIEW By Sruti S Student Reporter
E-PAPER YOCee adoptive nation which he believes has denied his American dream. As a former technician in Soviet Union he knows how to cause havoc in his new home.But before he executes his masterpiece of vengeance, he experiments it on select targets. The sudden & mysterious deaths of a rug dealer Jason Paparis & an obese Afro-american woman Connie due to respiratory disease leaves The forensic pathologist Dr. Jack Stapleton puzzled. When an unexpected coincidence suggests Jack that these seemingly unrelated deaths are actually connected murders, his colleagues and superiors remain skeptical.
Title : Vector Author : Robin Cook Publisher : Pan Books Price : Rs. 195
Meanwhile he is taking himself deeper into the deadly danger. Can he reach the heart of the puzzle before Davydov and his associates unleash into the streets of New York the ultimate terror? A modern bio weapon?
One of Robin Cook’s best sellers, the story revolves around a New York Cab driver, a disgruntled Russian immigrant ready to lash out at his
An excellent book of fiction dealing with bioterrorism. The author’s best selling book after Coma, Mind Bend, Fever & Invasion.
June 10 - June 23, 2012
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