'Don’t ever write ‘down’ to your audience'

It is only by making books fun, beautiful, intriguing or desirable objects that children will associate reading with pleasure rather than seeing it as a chore, says Anita Roy, editor of children’s publisher Young Zubaan.

Is there a need for Indian-authored children’s books?
Absolutely, yes! There are many excellent, innovative, fabulous books for children being imported into India, from old favourites like Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, AA Milne et al, to newer writers like JK Rowling, Philip Pullman, Lauren Child, Stephanie Meyer, Francesca Simon and others. Yet, if you were asked to name an Indian children’s author, you are unlikely to come up with anyone other than, perhaps Ruskin Bond.

Is there a demand for Indian titles?
Many parents and teachers are desperately keen to get Indian children’s books for their kids. They realise the importance of introducing their children to a literary/imaginative world with which they can immediately identify and in which they recognise themselves. It’s much more than simply changing ‘Janet and John’ to ‘Ravi and Seema’.

How are your books different from those we’ve been getting all these years?
Young Zubaan publishes books that challenge the traditional gender stereotypes: mother in the kitchen; father going off to office; nice, well-behaved, cute girls; boisterous, adventurous boys, etc. We encourage authors to write adventurously, to think inclusively, and to never, ever write ‘down’ to their audience. 
 
How has the market responded? Do most major bookstores keep your books?
The market has responded well, and we have seen good sales for most of our titles. There’s a long way to go, though. Bookstores generally need to organise their children’s sections better and train their staff better. But we also need to explore different ways of marketing children’s books, such as on the internet, and promote them via festivals and book fairs such as the Bookaroo Children’s Literature Festival, which is an annual event in Delhi. Authors are a vital component of this mix, and involving them in events at bookstores, schools and other children’s venues is critical. 

What has been the response from readers?
Generally very positive, although there’s still a lot of price-resistance. Parents still lay a lot of emphasis on whether or not a book will help their child at school, or improve their grades, rather than whether they will enjoy the book per se. The growing swathe of middle-class Indians is still happy to shell out 300 rupees on a pizza or a trip to the movies, but not for a book.

What are the common problems you have noticed with Indian-authored titles?
There’s a definite tendency for Indian children’s books to still lay too much emphasis on the ‘moral lesson’ of the story. Indian authors too often also ‘talk down’ to their audience, and seem to decide, in advance, what they ‘can’ and ‘can’t’ write about. This kind of self-censorship is crippling for a writer, and often results in bland and cliched narratives. Publishers also need to think harder about the design, production and illustration of their books. They need to involve illustrators in the creative process and in thinking about the physical end product, so that they can produce a book that children will be attracted to. It’s only by making books fun, beautiful, intriguing or desirable objects that children will associate reading with pleasure, rather than seeing it as a chore.

In the words of children’s literature expert Wendy Cooling, “We are marketing books like green vegetables, whereas we should be selling them like ice-cream.” 

Are there talented children’s writers in India ?
Yes, names like Anushka Ravishankar, Subhadra Sen Gupta, Siddharth Sarma, Vandana Singh and Ranjit Lal spring to mind. And we are always on the look-out for new authors.