The Wall Friends Club

28th October 2025

The world needs more children's literature to get us back to basics. Adulting is a trap we all fall into, where we forget the importance of kindness, compassion, inclusivity, and love.

I read The Wall Friends Club by Varsha Seshan after my son forced me to. And I am glad he did. He has read it thrice and still picks it up on the days he feels low. Sriya and Anandi are now his friends. His intensity of laughter at the humor has been the same. As a child, there were multiple things this book normalized for him. They are:

1) It is okay to make mistakes. People who love you and care for you will either overlook those or help you correct them in a way you don't feel guilty.

2) Not everyone he meets will like to be friends with him. And that is okay, friendships are chosen relationships, and when thoughts and vibes align, friends meet and stay, friendships thrive.



3) Those who prioritize social status are not bad; they are different, and that is fine. We may find our tribe.

4) Secrets are not bad if they are shared with everyone. (I don't know what this means, but he took 5 minutes to explain this, and I only agreed in the end without understanding!)

5) Sharing too much information with strangers can be unsafe; share gradually, as and when you are convinced. Only you decide when you are comfortable doing that.

For me, the list is shorter because he has shared many of them above on my behalf, too. I love the way this book focuses on friendships and inclusivity. The art of writing letters has been beautifully revived in the book. The fonts and overall presentation keep you engrossed, so a shoutout to Denise Antao for her work as an illustrator.

Arish’s letter to the Author
Dear Varsha Aunty, (I hope it’s okay to call you aunty) (I have started using more brackets, just like Sriya.)
After reading the acknowledgement, I realised I don’t have any pen pals. So I thought I might make you my pen-pal.
I loved your book. I started writing little notes to my mumma and my friends after reading it.
Since you took so many efforts in making this book creative, and Mumma, we together came up with the idea of writing a different type of review for the book. Please let us know if you like it.
Thank you.
Bye.


This post is a part of Blogchatter HalfMarathon 2025