Literature for children and young adults are just not the same anymore

BENGALURU: Plot lines now revolve around globalisation, changing family dynamics, disability, adoption, sexuality and war.
Till the 1990s, literature for children and young adults -think Enid Blyton, JK Rowling or Amar Chitra Katha -was largely didactic, with generous doses of moral education. As the world negotiates new realities - and children are overexposed to them, thanks to technology -children's literature is broadening its range of plots.

"The world is changing at an alarming rate, with stories of terrorism and violence being a part of our daily lives. Stories are a great way for children to have access to multiple perspectives," said Suzanne Singh, chairperson of Pratham Books, a city-based non-profit publisher of children's books. Plot lines, therefore, revolve around globalisation, changing family dynamics, disability , adoption, sexuality and war.

A recent example is 'Invisible People: Stories of Courage and Hope', a collection of short stories for teens. Written by Harsh Mander, it spoke about abuse, violence, death, disease and politics. We often underestimate a child's resilience and ability to understand the world, feels author Anita Nair, who trains prospective authors on writing for young adults. "We should never talk down to them. They have the lowest threshold for boredom. So ideas should be conveyed in an appealing manner, with a good sense of humour," she said. "Children pick up dissent or disapproval very fast. So while talking about sensitive issues like adoption or LGBTQ community , the writer should never have a judgemental tone."

What's more, books are available across languages to reach even underserved children. Publishing hous es like Tulika, Duckbill, Puffin Books and Pratham are focusing on creating content for children. Pratham Books, for instance, published over 450 books in more than 18 Indian languages last year. Catering to the tech-savvy , their digital media platform StoryWeaver published over 2,500 stories in 53 languages since September 2015, including tribal languages like Santali, Gondi and Lambani. Experts feel that diversification is incomplete without the child's involvement. "Love for literature should be organic, which cannot only be instilled through workshops or sessions," said Shailaja Menon, associate professor at Azim Premji University . She spearheads the university's annual children's literature festival KathaVana, which will be held in the city today and tomorrow. "There should be more reading spaces in the city . Parents and teachers should be trained to encourage reading habits among children."

Author Samhita Arni, author of Mahabharata: A Child's View, said: "Somehow, there's this idea that reading more translates into scholastic achievement. Children should also just read for fun. That's the best reason to read -because one enjoys it."