@iamreadomania
Crafting Books Enriching Lives
"Written words can trigger our imaginations so much more than TV can..", Author Monika Bhatkande on writing for young readers.
Could you tell us a little bit about your book In The Wolf of Time and its many colorful characters? I would really love to know what really sparked the thought that culminated in this delightful little book. My second question is this most adults tend to write children's stories in one of two ways they either try to write the kinds of books they love their children, or they try to write a story based on their idea of what a child is like
Hi, Ramya. Thank you so much for having me here. In The Wolf of Time is an adventure book for middle graders that is to say, eight to twelve year olds. And honestly, I just wanted to write an out and out suspense book for children in which a group of kids attempts to solve a mystery
So it's safe to say that like a lot of kids growing up in Mumbai in the, was surrounded by Enablitons, Nancy Drews, Akitha Christie's. And so, yes, I've always veered towards detective fiction and adventure, even as an adult. But spending so much time with my son and his friends during the lockdown, discussing tons and tons of books, allowed me to evil that not only those classics, but so many newer authors, both Indian and foreign
It's obviously different with each child and our hand holding needs to suit each temperament. I feel that somehow if we can help make that transition smoother for the children from being read to to reading by themselves and parents, I think it's okay if we continue to read to them far beyond the acceptable age till they are ready to take over. And at some point you'll realize that the child is an avid reader by themselves
And remember, the only person you have to please is yourself. I must confess, it's taken me a while to realize that I've attempted writing for over ten years now, and I have some manuscripts that are left unfinished or kept away on the back burner. But I managed to see this one through to completion. Also. For years, I've sort of been insecure about my art or worried that I'm not good enough. But hey, I illustrated this book
Thank you so much for a fun conversation, Monika. I really enjoyed getting to know how the book club you host for your son made you come up with this cool idea for the book, and it made me smile so much, and I'm sure the book will be enjoyed by very many young readers. Thanks again for joining in and taking me behind the scenes of your creative process. I was totally fascinated
