School Visits
KOWLOON JUNIOR SCHOOL AUTHOR VISIT
SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2023
SO GREAT to be invited back to speak with the fabulous Year Fives at Kowloon Junior School without masks! I just love their library, and their librarian, and all their questions, and the fact that they asked for hugs, too! Such a treat to catch up with my cousin Rani Alwani and dear friend Minal Samtani and what an honour to be interviewed by student reporters for the KJS Times. Can’t wait to read the write-up!
FRENCH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL AUTHOR VISIT
MAY 31ST, 2023
What a MAGNIFIQUE day with the amazing Year 4's at my first-ever visit to the French International School! Bubbling with enthusiasm and curiosity, the entire year group left me inspired by their awareness of the refugee crisis in different parts of the world, their own personal stories of migration, and their desire to learn more so they can one day help someone in need. Heart full.
TAIKOO PRIMARY SCHOOL AUTHOR VISIT
APRIL 28TH, 2023
My first ever visit to Taikoo Primary School and I got to meet half the school! 300+ kids on a Friday afternoon and they were superstars! We talked about how fear can sometimes get in the way of understanding and empathy and why it’s so important to read about and know migration stories across the globe. Thank you to Bring Me A Book Hong Kong for a wonderful afternoon!
CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL AUTHOR VISIT
APRIL 18TH, 2023
Celebrating the Power of Words with the Grade 5 students at the Canadian International School of Hong Kong. We sang, watched their favorite teachers perform, reflected on how words build connections and I even got swamped with an autograph signing at the end! The question of the day was, what advice would you give to your younger self? How would you answer? I hope my answer left them with plenty to think about as they prepare for their upcoming PYP Exhibition!
ISF ACADEMY AUTHOR VISIT
MARCH 16TH, 2023
Discussing Global Politics with one hundred 16-year-olds at the ISF Academy. Great discussions about conflict, democracy, and why we see the same mistakes and tragedies repeated repeatedly in history. The perfect way to end my author visits for this year's Hong Kong International Literary Festival. Thank you to the ISF Academy for the lovely gift of appreciation and the HK Lit Fest team for a fabulous week of events and for raising the literary platform bar in Hong Kong!
CHINESE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL AUTHOR VISIT
MARCH 9TH, 2023
When not one but TWO of the teachers at your school visit are YOUR PREVIOUS STUDENTS, and the teacher introducing you is your old friend from school! Thank you to the Year 7's at Chinese International School for giving me a day filled with thoughtful questions, enthusiastic responses, and very happy reunions! SO GREAT seeing you, Jai Ignacio, Rajeev Chugani and Louise Keeping! The icing on the cake was my quick visit with my dear friend Rosh Harjani. Many thanks to the Hong Kong International Literary Festival and my fabulous chaperone Annabelle Foussier! Mala Uttamchandani - you owe me a hug!
ISF ACADEMY AUTHOR VISIT
MARCH 8TH, 2023
Celebrating International Women's Day with the Hong Kong International Young Reader's Festival surrounded by strong and dedicated women - teachers, librarians, and authors at the ISF Academy!
SHA TIN COLLEGE AUTHOR VISIT
MARCH 2ND, 2023
Celebrating World Book Day at ESF Sha Tin College with a full day of workshops for Years 7-9 on The Power of Words. We sang, laughed, and wrote the seeds of future bestsellers and blockbuster films! It was so great to catch up and grab a hug with my faves Neil Harris and Komal Nandwani in the staff room, too! Thank you to Sonia Hansen and Patrick Yuen for all the library love and warm welcome!
SHREWSBURY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL HONG KONG AUTHOR VISIT
FEBRUARY 28TH, 2023
HIP HIP HOORAY IT'S A MASK-FREE DAY at Shrewsbury International School Hong Kong! What an incredible primary school campus with equally incredible teachers and next level incredible students! We had so much fun exploring interactive storytelling and took a deep dive into discovering why writing our own family stories is so important. Thank you, to the very gracious Beth McNeilly for having me, (and for your very kind words!)
RENAISSANCE COLLEGE HONG KONG AUTHOR VISIT
FEBRUARY 28TH, 2023
Kicking off BOOK WEEK during the last 24 hours of mandatory MASK wearing in Hong Kong, with a full day of workshops with Years 4-6 at ESF Renaissance College Hong Kong! Brilliant reflections about understanding and empathy for migrants who are forced to leave their homes, and how important it is to share our stories and help each other in a world that can sometimes seem to be filled with darkness. Wonderful to have teachers come up to express how my story resonated so deeply with their own. Thank you to the delightful Shirley Chan for all the library love. Catch you next time, Christie Bryant Nee Read!
KOWLOON JUNIOR SCHOOL AUTHOR VISIT
NOVEMBER 17TH, 2022
What's better than sharing historical fiction migration stories with the lively Year 5's at Kowloon Junior School? All the thoughtful and unique questions that followed! 1. Are people in the world still forced to migrate today? (Sadly, yes they are.) 2. Do we really have refugees in Hong Kong too? (Yes, we do and it's important to find out how we can help them.) 3. Are you famous? (I will be if you tell your friends about me!) 4. Do you know my mum? (Maybe. But if not, I'd love to meet her!) The icing on the cake today, was being asked for my autograph, receiving heart-warming reviews, and grabbing a hug from my cousin, Rani Alwani and dear friend, Minal Samtani both of whom work at the school! Special thanks to librarian legend Macy Lau for inviting me!
CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL AUTHOR VISIT
OCTOBER 11TH, 2022
I asked a young boy if it was important to share migration stories about other communities. His reply was, "yes because we learn about their courage. It helps us connect to them and now you better watch out because I'm going to wave this Indian flag with pride!" Such a joy exploring the challenges and opportunities of human migration with the lovely and lively Grade 4's at the Canadian International School of Hong Kong.
SAN WUI COMMERCIAL SOCIETY YMCA VISIT
APRIL 29TH, 2022
The perk of Zoom is that you can speak to 241 students without worrying about auditorium capacity! (And the need for social distancing!) Thanks once again to Bring Me A Book Hong Kong for organizing my wonderful visit this morning with Years 4, 5 and 6 at San Wui Commercial Society YMCA of Hong Kong Christian School. Such brilliant questions about the author’s journey, writer’s block, and strategies for writing. I’ve been promised signed copies of all their published works one day and look forward to that!
(And in case you’re wondering, it was banana and walnut muffins this morning for the workers upstairs!)
QUARRY BAY SCHOOL VISIT
APRIL 21ST, 2022
What do you do if you have a Zoom school visit and there's major construction work going on upstairs? Bribe the workmen with muffins! I got pin drop silence for an hour! Thank you to the very impressive Year 4's at Quarry Bay School for a wonderful morning!
LI SING TAI HANG SCHOOL VISIT
JANUARY 11TH, 2022
And just before all primary schools in Hong Kong halt in-person classes… a very big thank you to Pia Wong and Bring Me A Book Hong Kong for organizing my visit, this morning, with Li Sing Tai Hang School (LSTHS)l! (Though sadly, due to social distancing rules, a whole grade had to watch from their classrooms.) For a local school, I was surprised to meet so many international students, and many with their own migration stories – some similar, some very different, and each they are now inspired to write!
SHATIN JUNIOR SCHOOL VISIT
NOVEMBER 5TH, 2021
I will never get tired of hearing 150 kids gasp when I say, “Gope and Meera are actually my mum and dad,” and I will never get tired of the 150 questions that rapidly follow! Thank you to Shatin Junior School for having me back for the fourth year running!
CDNIS SCHOOL VISIT
SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2021
My first author visit of the year and it felt like I was going home… Such a wonderful afternoon sharing Gope and Meera – A Migration Story with the smart and savvy Grade 4’s at the Canadian International School of Hong Kong! (And so great seeing you DJ MacPherson!) We discussed the plight of migrants, what we would take if we had to leave our only home forever and at the end, a boy raised his hand to say his name was Tarun too, and that he’d never seen his name in a children’s book! I left with a full heart, so grateful for what I get to do.
KELLETT SCHOOL VISIT
MARCH 26TH, 2021
So thankful to Valina Moolchandani and Kellett School for hosting me for not one, not two, not even three, but EIGHT author visits across both campuses during BOOK WEEK! So impressed by the warm parent community and blown away by how engaged and curious the students were, even via Zoom! Grateful for the power of connection and the opportunity to share about issues that matter in this challenging time.
PEAK SCHOOL VISIT
JANUARY 21ST, 2021
Last year, when Peak School invited me for my third visit and first-ever ZOOM author visit, we thought it would be a one-off - one to remember. We were wrong. Tuesday was my fourth and second ZOOM author visit, but with students bypassing the chat function in their eagerness to engage and call out, I truly left filled to the brim!
BEACON HILL SCHOOL VISIT
OCTOBER 7TH, 2020
Zooming from my bubble in the enchanted forest to whole classrooms with the Year 5’s at Beacon Hill School was such fun! No need for chat boxes or having to mute students and it was a real treat to visit with kids that were both charming and engaged.
KOWLOON JUNIOR SCHOOL VISIT
SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2020
I’m still beaming from my first visit to Kowloon Junior School via Zoom from another corner of the 'enchanted forest'. Was it the amazing librarian, Year 5 team and enthusiastic students? Partly. If I’m honest though, it was mostly because of what parents called to tell me after: that for the first time, their little girl or boy finally saw their history, their family, their life being represented. Whether Sindhi, Indian or from a different migration story, they saw mirrors and windows and were excited to realise that every story, especially theirs, matters. Now tell me, didn't that just put a smile on your face?
SHATIN JUNIOR SCHOOL VISIT
SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2020
Another wonderful afternoon with Shatin Junior School, though this time I visited all the way from the enchanted forest. (Zoom author visits call for a little extra creativity!) Thankfully the students were as curious and cordial as wood nymphs and fairies!
PEAK SCHOOL VISIT
MARCH 4TH, 2020
My, how author visits have changed: 2018, 2019 and today! Thanks to the Year 6 classes at Peak School for having me as their first ever visiting author via google meet. I'd no idea that learning about the challenges, risks and opportunities of migration could be so much fun in cyberspace!
KGV SCHOOL VISIT
JANUARY 23RD, 2020
"Talking about it helps me empathise with what they went through, to give me the life I have today. I shouldn't take that for granted." I ALWAYS love going back to KGV School to visit with former colleagues but never more so, than when students give feedback like this! Thanks to Years 7 and 8 for having me in for some fabulous fun and deep reflection through interactive storytelling.
RENAISSANCE COLLEGE SCHOOL VISIT
JANUARY 22ND, 2020
"It's important to share migration stories, so we can understand what different people experience and take action." What a wonderful three sessions with mixed year groups at Renaissance College, Hong Kong! Thank you for your bubbling curiosity about Gope, Meera and the Partition of India and what a lovely surprise to meet an old friend in the library and make a new one too!
DISCOVERY COLLEGE SCHOOL VISIT
JANUARY 8TH, 2020
2020 author visits kicked off to a great start this morning at ESF Discovery College! A glorious day in sunny DB - it's a wonder anyone gets any work done in such a beautiful place. Special thanks to the Year 4 students for the warm welcome and I loved that when I asked if they had any questions, their first one was "can you come back next year?" Was thrilled to grab a hug from former Island School classmate Joanne Yates Grainger and the icing on my cake today was the golf cart 'escort sevice' via Roma Wadhwani Chandiramani and Geetu Daryanani both to and from the school!
HARROW SCHOOL VISIT
MAY 17TH, 2019
'GOPE AND MEERA - A MIGRATION STORY GOES TO Harrow International School Hong Kong! Thank you to Years 6, 7 and 8 for being willing to accept, build and empathise with the victims for forced migration.
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL VISIT
APRIL 11TH, 2019
Thanks to the awesome Grades 2, 3 and 4 at American International School for a full day of roaring laughter, interactive storytelling and reflections on migration through 'Gope and Meera - A Migration Story.'
SHATIN JUNIOR SCHOOL VISIT
APRIL 2ND, 2019
"I'm Sindhi too. Thank you for telling my story." Thank YOU Ahana and the Year 4's at Shatin Junior School for the warm welcome back to share about the Partition through 'Gope and Meera - Amigration Story.'
KENNEDY SCHOOL VISIT
MARCH 28TH, 2019
Thank you to the Year 4's at Kennedy School for a wonderful afternoon, exploring the push and pull factors that impact migration. So much fun journeying through 'Gope and Meera - A Migration Story' with you!
BEACON HILL SCHOOL VISIT
NOVEMBER 28TH, 2018
Thank you to Beacon Hill School for the warm welcome back! Such a pleasure to discuss the impact of migration on people and society with the example of the Sindhi journey in 'Gope and Meera - A Migration Story.' The knowledge and insights of your Year 5's left me impressed to say the least!
KIANGSU AND CHEKIANG PRIMARY SCHOOL VISIT
MARCH 13TH, 2018
Thank you to Kiangsu and Chekiang Primary School for inviting me in for three Drama Workshop sessions - the learning and laughter was endless! So great to meet KCIS teachers Megha Lahori, (who I didn't realise was a student at KGV when I worked there,) and my friend, Daisy Samtani.
ROSEBUD PRIMARY SCHOOL
MARCH 8TH, 2018
What a creative afternoon at Rosebud Primary School! Thanks to the Year 3's and 4's for eagerly developing drama tableaus and improvisation based on 'Gope and Meera - A Migration Story,' to gain a deeper understanding of the plight of refugees. Thank you to the Hong Kong International Young Reader's Festival and Hong Kong International Literary Festival for making this possible. #HKIYRF2018
ISLAND CHRISTIAN ACADEMY SCHOOL VISIT
MARCH 2ND, 2018
WOW! What a welcome from Island Christian Academy! Such a surprise to be greeted by posters of me and my book around the school and an extremely thoughtful gift and card. Wonderful to engage with both lower and upper school students, who impressed me with their international mindedness. Delighted to also meet with my dear friend and ICA teacher, Becky Faubion Chau and now I know why she loves this school so much!
PEAK SCHOOL VISIT
THURSDAY, MARCH 1ST, 2018
A very big thank you to Peak School and especially the Peak School Library for welcoming me to their lovely campus for an interactive session with Year 6. What a wonderful morning of lively and reflective discussion!
QUARRY BAY SCHOOL VISIT
FEBRUARY 6TH, 2018
Thank you to the students of Quarry Bay School for the warm welcome this morning! Thanks especially for being so curious about and receptive towards 'Gope and Meera - A Migration Story,' and for being such an engaging audience. I was sorry to miss my old school friend and QBS teacher, Emma Guest, but had a great time meeting her colleagues and having a picture taken with her class! Catch you on the next visit Em!
GLENEALY SCHOOL VISIT
OCTOBER 26TH, 2017
A very big THANK YOU to the students and teachers of Years 4, 5 and 6 at Glenealy School for inviting me in to speak about why people migrate and for giving Gope and Meera - A Migration Story, such a warm reception!
BEACON HILL SCHOOL VISIT
OCTOBER 18TH, 2017
THANK YOU to Emily Jeves and the Year 5's at ESF Beacon Hill School for such a warm welcome this morning! It was a pleasure to share about the challenges, risks and opportunities involved in migration through the book Gope and Meera - A Migration Story.
KOWLOON JUNIOR SCHOOL VISIT
SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2017
Thank you to Kowloon Junior School for giving Gope and Meera A Migration Story, a cosy spot in your library's New Books section!
