It’s been over 25 years since the late A K Kuppuram started Turning Point, Madurai’s first book store, on Town Hall Road. The store has grown into one of the best in the city, with over 10,000 titles across genres. However, in a city that lacks decent book stores, Turning Point, has, over the years, struggled to hold its own, what with people moving online to buy books. But the store’s manager Surya Preethy has determinedly stepped into her father’s shoes to live her dream of holding story telling sessions for children.
The Chennai-based Preethy returned to Madurai to take care of the shop after Kuppuram’s sudden demise a decade ago. Ever since, she has been travelling to attend several story telling sessions with her children in Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru and has been using her experience and exposure to conduct regular story telling sessions in her Madurai book store.
A project that started four years ago with 10 members finds support from over 120 mothers in the city today, who regularly bring their kids to the shop for the fun sessions with books. “We present the Madurai Children’s Literary Festival (CLF) as an extension of this activity because I want to create lifelong readers,” says the 40-year-old.
From narrowing down on a suitable venue to finding sponsors, Preethy faced several challenges, but has finally secured a classy line up to thrill young book lovers. With nearly 40 sessions, six authors, 10 illustrators, a dozen storytellers and theatre artists, the city’s first CLF is set to begin on August 3.
Six new books will be launched during the festival that will include writing workshops, book readings, craft activities, quizzes, contests and games. It will be held at the iconic The American College.
The two-day event will provide children in the age group of four to 14 years to interact with author Khyrunnisa A, who created the iconic comic book character ‘Butterfingers’, that first appeared in children’s magazine Tinkle .
Author Niyatee Sharma, who wrote The Tomato Thief and The Tomato Flood , published by Tota books, will read from her latest book with Tulika Publishers. Titled the The Runaway Peacock , it is an adventure trail with a perky peacock who escapes from a sari.
Reena I Puri, the Executive Editor of Amar Chitra Katha, who has been working on all the titles for the group since 2008 and who introduced the Amar Chitra Katha Junior, the new range of picture books in a narrative format for younger children, will also be participating and sharing many stories.
Children will get to meet Savio Mascarenhas, the creator of literary characters Mopes and Purr, the detective duo from the Crawford Market Mumbai; Suppandi; Shikari Shambhu; Janoo and Wooly Woo, the good witch and the shy dragon. Amar Chitra Katha’s art director will fuel their imagination bringing the illustrations to life.
Animation filmmaker and illustrator Debjani Mukherjee, who is pursuing her research on ‘Indigenous Art Pedagogy’ at the IDC School of Design, IIT Bombay, will help children share their own stories through the powerful medium of art.
Children will also get a chance to meet Chennai-based theatre actor and storyteller Bhagirathy, who heads the operations of the Book Lover’s Program for Schools (BLPS) which spreads the reading habit, using storytelling, puppetry, and other elements of theatre, in schools all over Tamil Nadu.
Anuja Chandramouli, the Sivakasi-based new age Indian classicist and author of Yama’s Lieutenant , Arjuna , Ganga , and Shakti , will narrate stories from Indian mythology.
Preethy hopes that interacting and listening to authors and illustrators about their work will encourage children to strengthen their own reading and writing skills. “Nothing is as attractive as telling a story,” she says.
“The MCLF will be a unique platform for children and authors. It will fire imagination and kindle creativity among the young learners. It is a stepping stone to developing reading habit,” says Sita Krishnamurthy, retired English teacher and a regular story teller at Turning Point.
“The idea is to connect school children with the people behind the books they love.” Surya Preethy.
Storyteller Lavanya Srinivas will conduct a story making workshop for parents and teachers while Vikram Sridhar, Madurai author Preetha Rajah Kannan, theatre actor Merrin Abraham, who spreads the message of reading habit through theatre and Samita Basu, a certified special educator, are some of the other speakers.
Curating the CLF is a small beginning. “Hopefully it will gather pace in the future,” says Preethy.
The festival is aimed at school students of class I to X, who will be divided into three groups (4 to 6 years, 7 to 10 years and 11 to 14). It is free and is open to all. For details call 9789835736.
Published - July 26, 2019 06:06 pm IST
