BY CLARA A RODRIGUES
Have you experienced the pangs of being torn away from a book because it was past your bed time or because the school bell rang signalling the end of your library class? Many have, but in today’s times it is becoming increasingly rare. These sweet pangs are slowly diminishing.

So removed have children’s lives become from the mysterious and fantastic world of books, says educationist Jugneeta Sudan, that it is time we helped children discover books in a whole new way. She adds, “Children connect books with study and so find it pressurising. This makes them not want to read.”
Jugneeta, who has conducted workshops with children in India with the aim of introducing them to the world of books in unconventional ways, will hold a workshop on May 22-23 with a similar purpose. The workshop is part of series that is being held for members of The Pageturners - a children’s book club that will be soon launched at the International Centre, Dona Paula. 
As part of the club’s activities workshops will be conducted every month on a different themes. This time the children will learn more about the celebrated children’s writer, Roald Dahl as his works and life story will be introduced to all.  Similarly, the next month will discuss the effervescent author, Ruskin Bond.
By telling the child something beyond books in the form of throwing light on the background of the author, the times when the book was written, interesting anecdotes that took place in the author’s life that shadow his writing, the workshop hopes to bring the author and his or her book alive to the child.
Jugneeta who has worked in the past as an administrator says that their aim is to get kids away from the computer and video games.  With the help of power point presentations, team games where teams are given an hour to read and find answers hidden in books, personify characters, she hopes to bring children presently awed by technology and gadgetry to unearth the joys of reading.
Each month an author will be picked based on his body of work and the interest it can generate among children. And although children will be not be obliged to necessarily buy books discussed during the workshop, a collaborative effort with the bookstore Broadway, who will put up a stall on both the days of the workshop, will help one buy books if they feel the need to, and that to at a discount.
English works of Indian authors like Satyajit Ray, who not many know wrote a detective series for children, and works in regional languages too are themes that will soon be started. Adds Jugneeta, “We have also received a proposal to have a workshop on Goan writers as they are quite a few in Goa which we are thinking on doing, too.”
When you fall in love with books you cannot put the book down until you are have reached the last page of the book. I want to infuse children with a voracious desire to read says Jugneeta. Little wonder, they call themselves the ‘Pageturners’.