A gift for little ones

Mona

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Children haven’t changed – the world around them has. Their basic natures haven’t changed. They like ice-creams. They like to have fun, play games if they get space… says Ruskin Bond. And, children continue to love reading… despite Elisabetta Dami (Geronimo Stilton), Jeff Kinney (Wimpy Kid) and Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson) crowding the book shelves lately, Bond retains his place in children’s hearts. He continues to delight readers of all age-groups with his writing; as he says, “Whenever I run out of people to write about, I cook up a few ghosts, or they appear before me!”

New spin on fairytales, morals and manners, cultural diversities to mysteries and whodunits…. engaging children in reading is one challenging task. This International Children’s Book Day, let’s take quick tour of the authors and how have they won children world over. As we try to beat the lockdown, who know, you may find a new best friend for self or your children…

Power of picture books

Ira Sisodia, festival director for Kitaabo, a children’s literature festival at Jodhpur, is amazed at the new authors who are writing for children in the country today. “I grew up on Bond and Jerry Pinto, though my favourite remains The Diary of Anne Frank, who wrote in hiding for two years with her family during the World War II. The world through a 13-year-old’s eyes was a big revelation for me.” Lately, Ira is intrigued by the current Indian children’s authors, who are effectively been able to weave issues in their picture books. “I never knew the power of picture books till I actually read a few.” Be it I Need To Pee by Neha Singh, which talks about something as simple as peeing in public places or Vinitha Ramchandani taking kids on a trip into the history of our cities, these are quite remarkable.”

New breed of authors

Then there are big names… “C.S.Lewis, Dr. Seuss, J. K. Rowling and Roald Dahl, who have won children forever now. In the new hits are Elisabetta Dami, Jeff Kinney for young readers and Rick Riordan amongst older kids,” shares Rajiv Choudhary from English Book Shop, Sector 17, Chandigarh.

Ensuring what she writes is current and relatable for children today is author Vaishali Shroff’s major concern. “Childhood today is not the same that I lived; the scene has moved from rural to urban with the concerns completely different,” says the award-winning author of more than 100 published stories and seven books, including The Adventures of Padma and a Blue Dinosaur, Ari and Raindrops and The Missing Bat.

Brave new world

Fantasy and humour are the best to win over young hearts, says Shroff, who loved reading poetry while growing up; Ogden Nash and Sarojini Naidu being her favourites. “Fantasy remains one popular genre with children today; Harry Potter happened 20 years back and has set the bar too high. Humour remains a close second, which works in any plot.” Even when it comes to a rather serious concern like The Strange Case of Nayantara, Shroff’s latest book that speaks of touch without consent, it uses humour to tap the interest of children.

Funny to fantastic, there seems to be a brave new world waiting for kids to dig in!

Know the day

Children’s Book Day is celebrated to mark famous author Hans Christian Andersen’s birth anniversary (2nd April 1805 – 4th August 1875) His popular fairy tales The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Pea, The Snow Queen, The Ugly Duckling, and Thumbelina are still adored by children the world over.

mona@tribunemail.com