shyamala's world

Author and illustrator Ashok Rajagopalan's has arrived with a new adventure for his adorable elephant, Gajapati Kulapati. It's the fourth book in the popular picture book series from Tulika Publishers.If you have enjoyed the previous books, you will love this one too!       1. Has Gajapati Kulapati aged in the new story? No, Gajapati Kulapati never ages. In fact, nobody in the series ages. That village exists in a timeless dimension, you can say. 2. Did the popularity of the previous GK books make you more conscious in choosing the right plot for this book? Yes, I always have the fear of the story not living up to reader expectation. The theme is easy to choose; it's usually something to do with issues kids or their  parents have: colds, tummy aches, allergy to baths ... But the way the story is to be told is most important. It has to create a laugh-out-loud funny, noisy, feel-goodexperience. That requires some work. 3. Do some/all of the minor characters from the pr...

It's never too late to save our environment. Meghaa Gupta is out with another book  for children- Unearthed- An Environmental History of Independent India . Published  by Puffin, this nonfiction book takes a look at the fate of our forests since the day  of our country's independence.                                                1. Why did you choose to explore environmental history for your book? In 2013, I was commissioned to compile a guide on courses and careers in the environmental field for students in India. As I went about speaking to a slew of professionals working in this field, I was fascinated. History seemed to be coming at me from all directions. Whether it was MC Mehta who spoke to me about his pioneering work as an environmental lawyer or Mike Pandey, who shared his spellbinding accounts of being a wildlife documentary filmmaker at a ...

  Author Revathi Suresh is out with her second book for young adults, In Now& Then . A sequel to Jobless,Clueless, Reckless , the book delves into the latest challenges in Kavya's life. Revathi shares more about her latest book.                                        1.Your second book has arrived after many years. Readers of the first book are no longer teens. Do you think they will connect with Kavya easily? I should think so…Kavya has grown with them, too—she’s no longer 15/16. I also hope new readers will connect with her. In Now & Then is a standalone novel, about that I’m very clear. The older Kavya’s experiences are very relatable too, but that’s for readers to discover for themselves. 2.  Was your mom as cool as Kavya’s mom when you were a teenager? My mother was nothing like Kavya’s mother, but she was very cool in her own way. 3 .  Your...

Author of award wining book, Kittu's Mad Day Out, is out with her next book for kids- Friends Behind Walls. Published by Puffin and richly illustrated by Krishna Bala Shenoi,  Friends Behind Walls is sure to entertain you! Harshikaa shares more about the book: Your second book has arrived after three years. Are you happy with the way the book has turned out? I am thrilled with the way Friends Behind Walls has turned out! I had initially visualised it as an illustrated book for younger readers. But Smit Zaveri, my amazing editor, called me one December afternoon and pushed me to think of it as a novella. She woke up this sleepy writer who thought the story was done, and she asked her to explore more. (When you read the book, you will know what I mean.) So that sleepy writer listened to her, and here it is! How long did you take to write the book? In the last three years, I have been doing a lot – running a book club, facilitating the library programme at Akshara High – a school...