College Lecturer Launches ‘A Collection of Bright Dreams’

The ‘bright dream’ of City College Plymouth lecturer B. Venkat Prakash was that he wanted to do something useful with his summer holiday in 2011.

Venkat found himself in Dharmashala, North India, teaching Tibetan children who had travelled across the Himalayas as refugees. He found them amazing and learned a lot from them. He then had the idea (or ‘bright dream’) of helping them further by producing a collection of short stories.

Venkat enlisted the help of his friends who are located all over of the world, including Lithuania, France, China, Slovakia, Sweden, India, Malaysia, Poland, Spain, and Italy, and in the UK. They each contributed a story or a striking illustration and the resulting book, edited by Venkat, was launched in the UK at Plymouth University in August.

Venkat said: “The short stories and accompanying tasks (including creativity orientated assessments) will help extend the children’s English and also develop their awareness of social and historic happenings, human geography, and science as well as develop creativity, imagination and the ethical dimensions of learning.

The short stories are fun and informative for adults, and children, to read but are also based on extensive educational research.

The book is very both educational and entertaining. Stories cover a wide range of topics from fairy tales to basics of astronomy! They will help readers of all ages dream their own ‘bright dreams’.”

The book had already been launched in North India by the Tibetan Prime Minister in Exile, and also in South India. The book is available in hard copy, e-mail acollectionofbrightdreams@gmail.com for more details.