When children’s dreams and fantasies become books

Khaleej Times speaks to two young published authors to find what it was that inspired them to put pen to paper.

When 2016 was announced as the ‘Year of Reading’, the driving force behind it was to consolidate the UAE as an active and sustainable knowledge hub.
Aside from the impressive reading-related statistics revealed when the year came to a close, the biggest feature of the policy was the introduction of the National Reading Law, in November 2016.
A first of its kind in the region, the leadership laid down a legislative framework that now aims to support the development of human capital in the country, making a powerful statement on just how important reading is to the UAE.
Now that we’ve been ushered into the ‘Year of Giving’, reading is still at the forefront of everyone’s mind — most of all with the youth.
Here, Khaleej Times speaks to two young published authors — one of whom will be appearing at this year’s Emirates Airline Festival of Literature — to find what it was that inspired them to put pen to paper.
Authors: Anaahita Chauhan (AC); Pritvik Sinhadc (PS)
Age: 9; 12 (they were 8 and 7, respectively, when their books were published)
Names of book/s published: The Mystery of the Lost Plant (AC); When Dinosaurs Roamed The Earth; Planet Radioactive: A Mutant World: Impact of Nuclear Waste on Marine and Land Species; Walking With Prehistoric Beasts; Rare Dinosaurs; The World of Paleo-Science (PS).

What is your book it about?
AC: It is about two sisters who accidentally land up in a magical world with butterflies, a butterfly queen, dragon, a tunnel that screams and flowers that talk. The sisters go through many adventures and end up saving nature.
How did the idea come about?
AC: Nature is something we all share. I read about global warming in school and realised how important nature is, but it is also endangered. I wanted to encourage children to care for nature, but in a fun way. Once I knew I wanted to write the book, new ideas kept popping up every day, even in my dreams.
PS: My interest in palaeontology took extreme proportions when I started enlightening my teachers at school. My parents were called by the school and made to understand that I was not autistic and instead extremely ‘gifted in the science of palaeontology’ with an IQ of 165.
At six, I started writing my first book, and at seven I published it, making me the world’s youngest author in palaeontology.
When did you first get published?
AC: In September 2016. It took me about 6-7 months to complete the story. But the completion of the book took much longer, another 6-7 months. The biggest challenge was finding a publisher. Many of the publishing houses my parents contacted said they did not accept manuscripts from children, that’s when we decided to self-publish.
Describe those initial feelings when you first got published.
AC: Proud and happy. It was very exciting and unbelievable to the extent that I screamed.
PS: Definitely a feeling of satisfaction of having being able to put my thoughts on paper for the world to read.
If you could be one other author for the day, who would you be and why?
AC: JK Rowling, because I’d love to know how her brain comes up with such amazing ideas, like Quidditch; I mean how cool is it to think of a game that’s played on a broom!
Which is your favorite book?
AC: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. I am fascinated by it and I wish some of the things were real, like Mr Wonka’s ice cream that never melts and the blue bird eggs which leave baby birds on the tip of your tongue. This would have certainly made all the children in the world happy if it were real.
PS: Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species. I consider Darwin as the father of modern biological sciences today, including future evolution.
If you could sit in a room and surround yourself with five books, what would they be?
AC: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (by J K Rowling); 7 Habits Of Happy Kids (Sean Covey); Classic Series: Moby Dick (Herman Melville); Classic Series: Journey To The Centre Of The Earth (Jules Verne); Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Roald Dahl).
PS: Origin of Species (Charles Darwin); A Brief History of Time (Stephen Hawking); Cosmos (Carl Sagan); The Elegant Universe (Brian Green); Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History (Stephen Jay Gould).
How do you feel when you read and write?
AC: When I write, I feel my imagination flowing. It’s like the pen and paper are my friends. When I read, I feel like I am watching TV; I can see it all playing out. If I could, I would do both these things non-stop, all day.
PS: Like I can breathe freely in my own world, where I can give life to my thoughts, my imagination and my power to create a better future.
Complete the sentence ... “If books ceased to exist, I would feel…”
AC: ...like there is no fun in life anymore. It would be like losing a close friend, a friend I thought would be with me forever.”
PS: ...miserable beyond measure, because if books cease to exist, science would be crippled, language would lose its meaning and hum-anity and its history would be lost in the ravages of time. On a lighter note, I would seek the help of our modern-day buddy: the Internet.
Why should kids read and write?
AC: As Dr. Seuss said: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.” The best way to gain knowledge is through books. If you read good books, you’ll never stop learning.
kelly@khaleejtimes.com
How to get kids hooked on to the reading habit
> Read me a story!
Whether snuggled under the covers or sitting around the house in their free time, reading together is a powerful tool in motivating your child to read.
> Beyond books
Reading material comes in many different shapes and sizes. Video games, magazines, and comic books all provide opportunities for reading practice.
> Keep it fun, for everyone
If you want kids to love reading, the experience has to be enjoyable. As you read with your children, keep them involved by asking questions and let them fill in the blanks.
> Look at what I did!
Motivate your child with a visible record of achievement. A chart or graph that marks the number of books a child has read gives him or her a sense of accomplishment.
Source: www.readingrockets.org

• Dubai