Author visit inspires love of reading

Ever since she was a child growing up in Mumbai, Varsha Bajaj loved to read. She first fell in love with popular Indian graphic novels and progressed to mysteries and stories of friendship and more. Today, she is writing her own stories.

During a visit to Pocantico Hills Central School District, Ms. Bajaj shared with students her excitement for reading and writing. It was the district’s first in-person author visit since 2019.

Upper elementary students have been reading her young adult novel “Thirst,” a book that has been named a Global Read Aloud Book and fits the district’s One World 2022 theme of water conservation. Younger students were likely more familiar with her first book, the children’s book “How Many Kisses Do You Need Tonight,” which the author read a portion of during her presentation.

“It’s extremely exciting to have a writer back in person,” school librarian Kerry Papa said. “Junior K through eighth graders have been reading all of Varsha’s books in classrooms and the media center.”

Having students read her book “Thirst,” fits perfectly into the school’s theme for this year, Ms. Papa said.

“That’s another interconnected way we are bringing concepts together,” she said of reading, writing and global issues.

One of Ms. Bajaj’s goals during her visit with students was to inspire them to read and write and develop their skills so they too become lifelong readers.

After reading to pre-K through first grade students from her “Kisses” book, Ms. Bajaj discussed how books become a reality, from the author writing it to the editing process, book reviews and arrival in bookstores and library shelves.

“What would happen if an editor said they did not like your story,” she asked.

“That would make you sad,” a student noted.

The good news, Ms. Bajaj said, is that while it can be quite the challenge to become a published author, it should not deter the young students from writing.

She encouraged them to become authors right in their classroom.

“It’s up to you if you want the words to rhyme or not rhyme because you are the author,” she told them, referencing her rhyming “Kisses” story.

When talking to the older students, Ms. Bajaj, discussed what makes a story one that encourages the reader to keep reading. Well, she said, it starts at the beginning.

“Every good story starts with a beginning,” Ms. Bajaj said as she went on to share details about her own beginning, growing up in India with her brother and sister and later moving to the United States to earn her master’s degree. Her story continued through the years of working as a counselor, getting married, and having children before she decided to see if she could write a book after reading so many.

“I’m often asked what I read as a child,” she said. “I was a voracious reader.”

Among her favorites as a child were The Famous Five series by British author Enid Blyton, she also enjoyed the American Nancy Drew series of mysteries and the one book that made her fall in love with reading was Canada’s L.M. Montgomery’s “Anne of Green Gables.”

“It didn’t matter to me that these stories were set in different countries,” she said. “Because the authors did such a good job of writing these beautiful books.”

Stories, no matter who writes them, Ms. Bajaj said are important because they help us connect with one another.

Her book “Thirst,” shares a story of Minni, who lives in India, who is confronted with the fact that access to clean, fresh water is not a simple right.

When Ms. Bajaj learned that today there are 700 million plus people in the world who do not have access to water, she was shocked, considering it is a commodity most of us in this country don’t even think about. She wanted to bring more attention so this situation and hoped to inspire others to do something about this crisis.

“It’s something books and stories do,” she said. “They start you thinking. I believe in the power of story. That is why I am a writer.”