The nine-day children’s book festival organised by the Kerala State Institute of Children’s Literature concluded at the Kanakakkunnu Palace grounds here on Monday.
The festival was not just about books and included cultural events such as magic shows, interaction with celebrities, poetry recitation, and storytelling.
The festival brought together more than 60 publishers and offered the public a wide variety of books.
Reader interest in fiction was evident but stalls that sold spiritual and religious texts also saw a handful of buyers.
There was good demand for non-fiction works, especially for the autobiographies of famous personalities.
Some of the most sought-after books included Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai’s I am Malala , Adolf Hitler’s autobiography Mein Kampf, and Helen Keller’s Story of My Life.
The stall of the institute welcomed children with a rich collection of children’s books and was one of the favourite hubs of budding readers.
Institute Director Nedumudi Harikumar said the scope of the festival would be expanded next year.
