Children's Day Special
Winners of Children's Day Special Writing Contest -
1st Place Winners -
Ojas Bansal
My favorite character is Nate the Great from the book Nate the Great.
Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag
One day, Nate the Great and his dog were swimming at the beach when Oliver swam up behind them. Oliver always followed Nate, so Nate said, “Not again!” This time, Oliver needed help finding his boring blue beach bag, which held his clothes and shoes.
Oliver showed Nate his beach ball and said his bag had been right beside it, but Nate noticed there was no mark in the sand. They searched the beach and asked a lady who was selling sandwiches and soup with her four black cats, if she had seen the bag, and she said no.
After Nate’s dog returned from delivering a note to Nate’s mom, he sniffed a wet spot near the water. Nate suddenly figured out the mystery: Oliver had gone somewhere and someone had accidentally kicked his beach ball down the beach. When Oliver saw his ball in the new spot, he got confused. They walked further down the sand and found Oliver’s beach bag safe where he originally left it.
What I Learned:
From this story, I learned to always keep track of my things. It is also important to stay calm, look closely at the clues, and think wisely instead of jumping to conclusions.
Sajini Varadharajan
Dear Nancy Drew,
How are you doing? Just sitting on my chair with a Nancy Drew book in my hand and a cup of hot chocolate.
I had a question – how do all your sense organs work so perfectly? They are in perfect sync while solving mysteries and never betray you. Especially considering the fact that the dark is your favourite place, where you venture daringly with a flashlight.
Jokes apart, I must be honest about this - the best teenage amateur detective I have come across is you. You are that independent streak who had an aim, a job, drove a car and even knew how to fix it.
And even after so many adventures, you still maintain the reddish-blond hair, blue eyes and never let go of your clothing choices. I had the dream of seeing your wardrobe one day! That go-getter spirit is what I admire the most - you drive around River Heights solving mysteries and catching criminals.
My shelf is full of Barbie Dolls and you are such an inspiration in that world. You have abandoned the stereotypical view of a heroine and have proved the phrase – ‘beauty with brains’.
You are a role model for me because of your intelligence, courage and sense of justice. When I grow up, I dream of becoming adventurous and influential like you. Being an author myself, your mysteries have added wings to my imagination.
When my friends ask me about Nancy Drew books in school, I just say, “You better keep a cup of coffee and keep the lights on, for this book is going to keep you reading all night. Once you start, you’ll never feel like putting it back on your bookshelf.”
That’s all for now. Hopefully, one day, I will be able to solve a mystery with you myself, for Nancy Drew’s location is always tracked by a mystery!
Awaiting your letter.
With Love,
Sajini Varadharajan
Babla Munshi
Tintin’s Gift: The Boy Who Taught Me to Seek Truth
I'm Babla Munshi, 58, going down memory lane and visualizing my reading 'Tintin'....
The year was 1976. I was eight, sprawled on the cool red oxide floor of our Kolkata flat, the monsoon rain drumming on the tin roof. In my hands lay a slightly worn English paperback of ‘The Secret of the Unicorn’, its pages smelling of ink and adventure. Tintin stood on the cover, quiff perfect, eyes bright with purpose. That first panel pulled me in like a tide.
From then on, every Sunday, after the newspaper was read and the fish curry simmered, I vanished into those clean, precise lines. Captain Haddock’s colourful curses made me giggle until my stomach hurt. Snowy’s clever antics and the Thompson twins’ bumbling symmetry turned ordinary afternoons into pure delight. I raced through the Sahara with Cigars of the Pharaoh, shivered in the snow of Tintin in Tibet, and held my breath as the rocket rose toward the Moon. The English words were clear and musical; they taught me new phrases while the pictures told stories faster than any textbook.
What began as pure fun slowly became something deeper. Tintin never swaggered. He listened more than he spoke. When injustice appeared—opium dens, crooked officials, greedy treasure hunters—he simply refused to look away. He kept asking questions. He kept going. That quiet courage stayed with me.
Years later, when I faced a difficult choice at work—whether to stay silent about a mistake that would harm others or speak up and risk my own position—I remembered the boy reporter standing firm against the villain Rastapopoulos. The lesson was simple and stubborn: truth is not always comfortable, but it is always worth pursuing. Friendship, loyalty, and a stubborn sense of right can carry you farther than cleverness alone.
Even now, when the world feels noisy and grey, I sometimes close my eyes and see that red-and-white rocket again, or hear Haddock roaring “Blistering barnacles!” The pages still hold the same magic they held for the eight-year-old boy on the floor. Tintin gave me laughter, wonder, and one lasting gift: the habit of looking a little harder for what is true.
At fifty-eight I still keep a few of those old English volumes on the shelf. They are more than comics. They are the first graphic novels that showed me a hero does not need to be loud— only honest, curious, and kind.
Anushree Bhattacharya
A Character Whom I Admired & Learnt a Lesson From 
When we think of figures who taught us life’s greatest lessons, we often look for legendary warriors, ancient scholars, or superhero icons. But the character who captured my heart & taught me the most profound lessons life is just a few inches tall, sports a smooth brown coat, & lives in a cozy little hole in the wall: ‘Jerry’, the iconic mouse from ‘Tom & Jerry’.
To the world, Jerry is the ultimate symbol of quick wit, cleverness, & an unbeatable presence of mind. No matter how large the trap, how terrifying the opponent, or how cornered Jerry seems, there is never a moment of panic. Instead, Jerry takes a breath, assesses the situation, uses whatever tiny tool is available, & brilliantly turns the tables. Jerry taught me that size, status, & physical force does not determine the outcome of a struggle—composure, sharp thinking, & quiet courage do. You do not need to be the biggest presence in the room to stand tall & hold your ground.
However, beneath all the chaotic chases with Tom, flying pans, & clever strategies lies something much sweeter: A heart of gold.
Jerry could easily treat Tom as an absolute, bitter enemy, but whenever Tom faces genuine danger, heartbreak, or disappointment, Jerry is always the very first to set aside the rivalry. Whether it is keeping Tom warm in the bitter freezing snow, offering comfort during moments of trouble, or teaming up to protect their shared home, Jerry proves that empathy is the highest form of strength. Jerry shows us that while it is vital to fight fiercely for self-respect, keeping a ‘warm’ & ‘compassionate heart’ is what makes a ‘true winner’.
Through every classic chase, Jerry taught me that life is not about avoiding conflicts, but about navigating them with a smile, a brilliant mind, & unwavering grace. Jerry remains a timeless reminder that even the smallest presence can etch the biggest mark on the world, teaching us when to stand firm for ourselves & when to extend a helping hand.
As Swami Vivekananda wisely noted, "Strength is life, weakness is death." Jerry embodies this spirit completely, proving that true strength lies not in physical stature, but in the unyielding resilience & presence of the mind.
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