When Bijal Vachharajani is not reading a children’s book, she’s writing or editing one. She’s the author of multiple planet-friendly books including Puppy Trouble and Kitten Trouble; A Cloud Called Bhura, Savi and the Memory Keeper – both of which won the Auther Award, and When Fairyland Lost Its Magic, which won the Kalinga Award. One of India’s first climate fiction writers for children, she’s a commissioning editor at Pratham Books, where she focuses on picture books that celebrate diversity. Her climate writing has been published in India, the US, the UK, and Brazil.
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Different is Beautiful | Bijal Vachharajani | Celebrating Uniqueness and Standing Up to Everyday Bullying | OCLF
On 23nd Nov 2025 9.30AM To 10.40 AM
This heartwarming session with children’s author and commissioning editor Bijal Vachharajani brought young readers into an immersive storytelling experience on celebrating uniqueness and recognising everyday bullying. Supported by Penguin Random House, the session encouraged children to see their individuality as a strength and to understand how small acts of exclusion can affect others.
Bijal introduced her book Left Out with Paru, featuring a left-handed protagonist who feels different in everyday situations. Through expressive reading and visual illustrations, she helped young audiences understand how gentle stories can make them feel seen, understood and valued. Children connected instantly with the themes of empathy, inclusion and courage, learning that bullying is not always loud and that standing up for themselves and others begins with awareness.
The session blended storytelling, discussion and interactive questioning, making it engaging and emotionally meaningful for children aged eight and above. Bijal’s warm approach and relatable narrative style created a safe and inspiring space for young minds to reflect, respond and celebrate what makes them unique.