Children’s Books versus entertainment giants: how to compete?

Writing for children is not an easy task. Children’s Books have a real vocation: they bring hope, raise questions and are not only intended for young readers. This was highlighted by renowned writers Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan and Savie Karnel, during a discussion moderated by Parimala Kulkarni, professor at Osmania University, last Saturday.

In front of an audience of authors, teachers, children and their parents, on the second day of the Hyderabad Literary Festival, these award-winning authors discussed their art.

For Ms. Tharoor, “what children read shapes their adult personality.” Books not only awaken hope, but also stimulate curiosity and learning across different ages, whether through phonics, language, rhythm or openness to the world. The writer and voice-over artist shared her love of words and language.

For her part, Ms. Karnel insisted on the fact that writing for children is not unthinkable, but it requires adjustment, because the experiences of adults differ from those of young people.

“I lose my adult identity and go back to being the child I was, and then I go back to my memories to write,” she said, explaining that she draws on her journalistic experience to enrich her stories. She cited one of his unique works, ‘The Nameless God’, which addresses themes of secularism and intersections between beliefs.

Both authors agreed on the importance of the chosen themes. Although publishers and the market do not often demand thematic variations, frequent requests include short stories, retellings of classics, and characters suitable for different ages.

When they answered questions from the public, a new emerging threat was identified. The competition is not limited to other books.

“Children’s books now compete with streaming platforms and video games, while our entertainment was based on reading, crosswords and poetry,” they pointed out.