MAGAZINE

International Children’s Day

Dear Children,

This is a very significant week for children and elders, as we in Sri Lanka mark International Children’s Day and Elders’ Day on October 1.

Children are often described as the country’s future. We also should recognize the services of the elderly or older persons for the country’s development and progress and say ‘thank you’ to them.

Sri Lanka plans to celebrate International Children’s Day in a unique way.

The Child Development and Women’s Affairs Ministry is organizing the National Children’s Day 2011 ceremony which will be held at President’s House with the participation of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and other special guests.

Among the special goodies on offer are the issuing of a Children’s Day memorial stamp, flag and a national anthem for children.

The theme for the Children’s Day is ‘Me Daru Kage Numbage Apage Surakimu Rata Daya Wage’.

So, children while giving due respect to your elders, don’t forget to have fun on October 1. Afterall, it’s your day.

The wonderful world of animals

Do you have pets at home? Most of you must be animal lovers. Some of you might be raring dogs, cats, birds and fish at home.

Animals form a special part of our world and are an integral part of our lives. The world would be a dull and boring place without the sounds of animals.

Do you know children that October 4 is World Animal Day? World Animal Day had its origins in Florence, Italy in 1931 at a convention of ecologists.

Just imagine how dull it would be to wake up in the morning without the chirping sounds of birds, the mewing of a cat or the barking of a dog.

Eventhough it is said that human beings are more advanced than animals as we have the ability to think - the sixth sense, there are a few things that we can learn from animals, that some humans lack.

Let us look at some of the special abilities and qualities of animals.

Dogs are grateful and always show their gratitude to their master. Cats like to always keep themselves clean by licking themselves.

When we talk about speed leopards and Cheetahs take the prize. The Cheetah is considered the fastest animal on earth.

When it comes to the most active animals - ants, deer and bees take pride of place.

Crows are a very united species. They always eat together and are always to the rescue of each other during times of danger.

Elephants are known for their communication ability. They always know how to avoid danger. Elephants are also known to have a long memory. Haven’t you heard of the saying ‘Elephants never forget’.

I am sure most of you children are very smart or cunning. Foxes are thought to be cunning and shrewd. Heard of the saying ‘As cunning as a fox’.

We should always take care of animals. They play an important role in our eco-system. Please remember that animals too have a right to life.

Have a nice week.

Bye for now.

- Aunt Anjia
 

READ A BOOK WITH ME...:

Classics for Children

Dear friends,

Did any of you visit the book fair at the BMICH? I went once, but unfortunately I couldn’t spend much time there. In fact, many people come to the book fair just to buy textbooks prescribed for schoolwork and stationery. Most stalls were crowded with people who came looking for these items and it was very difficult to leisurely walk about and find a good book.

I seriously think there should be a separate section for schoolbooks and stationery because such overcrowding becomes a nuisance to people who really want to spend time and find something good and interesting to read. I know this is not easy as the stalls are arranged according to different publishers and not different categories of books. However, unless something is done about this, the Colombo book fair could become a nuisance to book lovers.

Anyway, this week I thought of reading a popular classic with you. I’m sure many of you have heard of the Bronte sisters. If you area a fan of English literature you probably won’t find Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte and Anne Bronte strangers. And you may have already read novels such as Wuthering Heights (by Emily Bronte) and Jane Eyre (by Charlotte Bronte). However, I thought it would be a good idea to read Jane Eyre this week as we haven’t read a classic for sometime now.

As I always tell you there are so many books that are enjoyed by both children and adults all over the world. Jane Eyre is one such novel. If you need there are simplified versions of the book, some especially written for children. The simplified versions usually lack most of the details in the original book, but you can always read the original when you are ready to do that.

In Jane Eyre, similarly to Wuthering Heights, the first few chapters are about the childhood of the main character (another name for the main character/role is the protagonist) in the story; Jane Eyre. Then the story gradually moves beyond, Jane grows older and we meet a young Jane in the rest of the story, not a child. It’s mostly Jane’s story, but it’s also Mr. Rochester’s story, another main character in the novel. Apart from them we meet several other people also. Can you see their stories in the novel?

If you like Jane Eyre, you probably will like Wuthering Heights too. So try to read that as well. I prefer Jane Eyre to Wuthering Heights. Tell me what you feel.

I’ll be back next week with another good book for you.

Bye for now.

- Gayathri