With the rise of new technologies, the Internet etc, the death of the reading habit among children has been predicted by many a self-proclaimed expert.
However, Shoba Naidu, author of an adventure story for tweens contends: “That is not true. Stories and books continue to fascinate children in the pre-teen age group.”
The book tells the story of Mushtaq, who lives in Kashmir with his mother. He discovers a yeti and embarks on an adventure to find proof for its existence. “From childhood, we have been brought up on a diet of adventure stories written by foreign authors. I have always felt that this space needed to be filled by stories, Indian children could associate with.”
A former journalist and the wife of an Air Force officer, Shoba says that the book was the result of a news item about a yeti that she read many years ago. “I wrote a short story for my son, which was based on the news story. When the idea for a book came, I added more characters, plotlines and created a larger story.”
Is it easy to take a plunge from a lifetime of filing news items to taking up the author's pen? “It is not a very difficult task. In news, there is a need to be concise and short. When you are penning a book, you can let your imagination run riot. I felt that my grounding in journalism ensured that the book was concise and short.”
She adds, “For the layman, writing a book may seem like an easy task, but that is not true. You need to rework drafts, race against deadlines. It is fun nevertheless.”
Shoba plans more books on similar topics. “Those stories will also be set in locales like Leh and Ladakh. My husband's career has given us the opportunity to experience many beautiful places across the country. I have made an attempt to bring those experiences in the books.”
Shoba is hopeful that an e-book variant of the book will be released soon, but says that she enjoys the printed word the most. “The smell of fresh pages and the typography is a facet to reading books that I enjoy a lot. I would prefer actual books to virtual ones.”
The book has been published by Rupa and is available for Rs. 95.
