An exhibition of arts, crafts and painting was held in the town hall. Write a report about the exhibition in 100 words for a newspaper

READING these children’s stories reminds me of an article published in Spectrum about three years back. It was a long write-up by Juhi Bakshi, lamenting that most of the FAIRY takes that children read have lost their relevance. Quoting a few, she had made a case for tales that are more REALISTIC and contemporary, tales that entrench a value system, glorify inner beauty than external APPEARANCE and focus on truth, honesty and compassion.

Well! For Juhi this book might be a little late, for her three-year-old daughter must have grown up now. But children are children, and Asha Nehemiah has something different for them.

An advertising copywriter and a freelance writer, Asha has the rare sensitivity to understand a child’s mind. In her stories, she dwells upon the fears and fancies of a child and the world it lives in. Her characters are ordinary and not well-to-do princes and princesses. Take for instance, Seema and Sushil of The Vampire Next Door who take a scientist for a vampire, a vampire without fangs and claw-like fingernails yet capable of SENDING a chill down your spine. Then there is VINAY Mathur who takes pride in his otherwise bad handwriting and whose "nose" reads "rose". It is only after a harrowing experience that he vows to improve it.