The Very Little Princess: Rose's Story -...

Rose finds a china doll hidden in the attic. Her mother is afraid she will break it but Rose says she won't. When Rose has been teased at school she runs from school crying and the doll comes to life. She is a princess and lets Rose know it. They go on adventures and Rose grows up but will she leave her princess doll behind?

What a delightful story! I loved how there is a narrator who throws asides out to the reader. That is fun. I liked Rose and how she and her brother reconnected over the doll. He has a story to tell and she learns it. She knows that the princess is there for her but sometimes she forgets that she needs to be there for the princess. A wonderful read for those 6 and up.

Sofia runs a blog on the school computers. She listens in the girls' room to get her gossip. Naturally she only hears part of the story then adds what she wants to make it sound juicy. She is upset when Mia, the most popular girl in school, likes Andrew, Sofia's crush. Then just when she thinks it cannot get any worse, her mother starts substituting at her school. What will she do?

I found Sofia a hoot. She is exactly like the girls who aren't popular but want to be and since she has access to blogging she hopes that she will pick up more followers for it. She also has a lot of gossip about Mia. She practices for her blog with a notebook which she loses at times. Not good because who has it, who sees it, who reads it! Fortunately she finds it but who has read it? She hopes no one but she does not know for sure. I remember Mias from my school days and it was no different back then as now.

This is fun. I enjoyed the format of a notebook as she tells her story. I also enjoyed her artwork, especially the snarky comments. They are the most truthful and school is still the same.

India has excelled in every genre from ayurveda to diamonds to curry. Indian food is for sure a promise of Indian ecstasy. In India, curry is the most famous and it is a spicy gravy dish, which has variety of ways to be served. Indian curry and food is not only loved by Indians but from people all across the world. Almost every Indian dish has its curry from a malai kofta to a butter chicken. Indian food plays a huge part in Indian culture and festivities. Different parts of the country have their own specialties that come out during their festivals or otherwise and celebrated throughout the country. Indian food surely is what unites the country despite many disparities. Whether it is lunch or dinner, the meals in India are an elaborate one. It is a sit down affair where two to three things are served.

There are main course dishes along with pickles or chutney and then sweet dishes. Indian women also love cooking and trying out new stuff. Serving good Indian food in a nicest way possible is a true sign of hospitality in India. Some Indian dishes are full of oil and ghee, but there are also innumerable healthy options and ways of cooking here in India for the health conscious breed of people. Though anything eaten in moderation along with some physical work or yoga is easily digestible. But, for all those who are weight conscious, there are many healthy options in the Indian food that cannot only help you maintain but also lose weight.Every household has a different way of cooking the same dish, therefore the taste can certainly vary.

Thinking of Indian food as elaborate, many paople avoid cooking it outside India. But it is not so. With the easy availability Orange Crepe Paper of spices and readymade masalas, it is very convenient to cook delicious Indian food without any hassle. Some lovely Indian restaurants serve authentic Indian food that one can savor till the last bite. If well cooked with the right proportions of all spices etc, the food can taste amazing. Whether cooking at home or ordering in or going out to a restaurant serving Indian food, there are a certain must-haves like the butter chicken, malai kofta, daal makhni, palak paneer and many more.

When one is cooking Indian food, you can get experimental with it too. If you think you can handle more spices, put in some red chilies. If you feel you can add some more butter, go for it! Apart from some fixed rules, the others can be changed according to ones taste and preferences. This makes Indian food the most amazing one to have as one can surely alter it to suit their taste buds. While you are going out to eat, be sure of tasting the above-mentioned dishes along with exploring the ones you think you are going to love. A few nice Indian drinks like lassi, chaach can also be tried only to enrich the experience.