Talking with Authors: Chitra Divakaruni, One Amazing Thing
20:23
Grades: 9 - 12
Video Description: After penning her 17th book, award-winning author Chitra Divakaruni talks about what inspired her novel “One Amazing Thing.” The book’s characters will intrigue the reader with well-developed, thoughtful stories that are revealed as they struggle to survive following a deadly earthquake. Divakaruni explores cultural differences and human behavior in an uncontrollable situation. “One Amazing Thing” is an enjoyable, fast read as her characters’ stories have a broad range of emotions that will have readers crying on one page and laughing on another. In this conversation, she reveals some secrets of the book as well as her own One Amazing Thing.
Type of Video: Interview*
Unique Video ID: Literature-43**
Quick Ideas for Using the Video:
- Use the video in conjunction with a student activity that has them focusing on character development. What insights from the author can they use as they develop characters in their own stories?
- Provide the video for students who like books by this author, in this genre, or are doing independent projects related to the writing process, a particular author, a particular book, or a related topic.
- Use the video as inspiration/example for an activity that has your students interview each other on writing they have done. Use the video to show interview styles, types of questions, and how a finished interview video could be edited together.
*Interviews feature extended conversation exploring fascinating topics with fascinating people in the area of study.
**The unique Video ID can be used to quickly locate a single video in the ET collection. This search function is designed to let teachers assign students to watch a specific video and have only that video appear as a search result. Just click on Search and choose “By Video ID.” Then type in the Video ID as it appears above. Be sure to include the dash.
