The occasion brought together thoughtful and engaging children’s literature books, leading children’s authors and storytellers, and young readers for a shared reading experience, a welcome departure from the routine solitary reading.
The first day of a 3-day ‘Paper Trails Literary Fest – 2025’, organised by one of Chandigarh tricity’s first International Baccalaureate (IB) schools – Firststeps School in Sector 26 Chandigarh – on its campus, witnessed absorbing storytelling sessions, illustration activity for book covers, book readings and more.
The purpose of the lit fest – to reinforce the importance of reading and writing among children – was served well with accomplished visiting children’s literature writers of the likes of Asha Nehemiah, Meghaa Gupta, Vidya Mani, Shyam Madhavan Sarada aka Greystroke and storyteller Deeptha Vivekanand admirably firing the imagination and curiosity of the students.
Students also remained glued to a travelling children’s bookshop, arranged by Funky Rainbow, India’s only independent bookshop with an exclusive focus on Indian children’s books, showcasing a range of books, especially those authored by the visiting authors, illustrators and storytellers.
The bookshop, which has outlets in Bangalore and Mysore, claims its collection of books is hand-picked by writers, illustrators and editors for children between ages 0 to 18 years. The collection is curated to represent the best of Indian children’s writing because it believes that books by Indian writers work well for children in terms of connection, discoveries and experiences.
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Interacting with your own news portal LifeInChandigarh.com on the sidelines of the literary fest, the visiting writers gave insights into how the children’s literature books are curated to attract their attention, enjoy what they are reading, inculcate a love for reading and also encourage them to start exploring their thoughts and eventually weaving their own stories from their own environments, thoughts, reads, and experiences. The catch phrase of the writers during the entire media interaction was “one who reads well, writes well”.
The authors and storytellers emphasised that now there is no dearth of good original Indian children’s books. The need is for greater number of parents and children to be made aware of their availability and persuaded to access these as per their choice, in print or digital form. Interactive literary fests, like this one in Firststeps School, are a good way of inculcating reading and writing habits among children, and these are increasingly becoming popular in schools which are in tune with contemporary times, they added.
“Let children be children, natural and free flowing. Parents and teachers should consciously avoid giving stress to children by badgering them about perpetually being in competition and instead create an enabling environment in which they grow organically, explore and indulge in whatever interests them.
“Let them be curious about things, ask as many questions as come to their mind, that will bring out the originality in them. And children’s literature books with elements of interesting characters, humour, mystery, adventure, and more, are their best friends, sparking curiosity, critical thinking, empathy for others, finding inspiration from characters and situations to understand societal issues and find solutions,” was the visiting writers’ collective parting message.
Principal of the school, Jasbir Kaur shared that Firststeps is an International Baccalaureate (IB) school where “We move beyond rote memorization to deep conceptual understanding and real-world application. It offers IB Primary Years Programme till Grade V and Cambridge International Examination from Grade VI onwards.”
Prior to the literary fest, school students participated in poetry and writing activities all month long and have also prepared a showcase to exhibit their enquiry cycle based on literature, she added.
She also announced that the school management will soon be opening an IB School in Panchkula as well.
Brief profiles of some of the visiting authors
Asha Nehemiah: Has authored a bevy of children’s books like ‘The Rajah’s Moustache’; ‘Granny’s Sari’; ‘Mrs Woolly’s Funny Sweaters’; ‘Thieves and AHA! Adventures’ among many more.
Meghaa Gupta: Is known for her history series on Independent India published by Penguin Random House.
Vidya Mani: Is an editor and children’s writer. She runs a content and design studio called ‘Melting Pot’. She has edited children’s magazines like Chatterbox, Quest, Junior Quest, Hoot and Toot.
Shyam Madhavan Sarada aka Greystroke: Is an illustrator, cartoonist, art director, publisher. His book ‘Wailers Three’, published by Pratham Books, is a CBSE recommended reader for English for the Kendriya Vidyalaya schools.
