shyamala's world

It's not easy to find a copy of the latest Bala Sahitya award winner 2017, Wild Child and Other Stories. Written by Paro Anand, the book    has been reprinted by Penguin(India) with a new cover and a new title,  Like Smoke . Kahani Takbak interviewed children's author, Paro Anand to know more  about her writing and award winning book. Paro Anand 1.       How did this book come into existence? Did the characters or the plots drive you into writing this book? ​ I owe much of Wild Child (now re-launched as Like Smoke, with additional content) to Jaya Bhattacharji who was the ​​consulting editor for Puffin. She really held my hand, being gentle and firm as I needed. It was a difficult time for me while I was writing. And this process saw me retain my own peace of mind. My writing really centers me.  I am not necessarily driven by plot or character. It can come in any way. And you just hope that something comes....

Should CISCE(Council for Indian school examination) encourage books of popular foreign and dead authors instead of promoting home grown children authors as a part of their syllabus?  (Reference article: http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com//Article.aspx?eid=31804&articlexml=Now-study-Amar-Chitra-Katha-Tintin-Potter-in-24112016009050# ) Kahani Takbak asked a few people for their views. Picture courtesy : www.pixabay.com Asha Narayanan,Principal, Lodha World School, Navi Mumbai : “The CISCE has always had the freedom to pick references from the wide variety of relevant and age appropriate material around us. Now it has gone one step further in spelling out a few of these. The idea is to stimulate the reader's imagination. The move is welcome. And since this variety is from their vocabulary of books, students will take to it like a fish to water.” Paro Anand, Author of upcoming book Two (Scholastic India ): I think it is a wonderful initiative to get bet...