Chandigarh:
Well-known authors of children’s books and renowned storytellers are participating in the ‘Paper Trails Literary Fest- 2025’ organised by FirstSteps School at the school’s Sec 26 premises.
The children’s literature writers and storytellers interacted with the media on the side-lines of the lit fest which is on till Dec 17. Those who spoke to reporters included prolific children’s literature writer Asha Nehemiah, Meghaa Gupta whose children’s books have been critically acclaimed, Vidya Mani – who creates children’s books and magazines for publishers and the versatile writer & storyteller Shyam Madhavan Sarada Aka Greystroke.Deeptha Vivekanand a renowned storyteller too was present. The children’s literature experts were joined by Japji Cheema, Chairperson, FirstSteps School, who shared the school’s perspective on the lit fest. The school’s Principal, Jasbir Kaur also interacted with the media.
Japji Cheema said, “This Literary fest aims to bring books, authors, and young readers together, turning solitary reading into a shared experience. The festival will see story telling sessions, illustration activity for book covers, book readings and more, by leading children’s literature authors and storytellers.”
Principal of the school Jasbir Kaur said,“We are an International Baccalaureate(IB)school. We move beyond rote memorization to deep conceptual understanding and real-world application. The lit fest is an activity in the direction of making children aware about the importance of reading & writing through interactions with real world experts. I am happy to announce from this platform that we are soon coming up with an IB School in Panchkula too.”
Asha Nehemiah who has authored a bevy of children’s books like ‘The Rajah’s Moustache’; ‘Granny’s Sari’; ‘Mrs Woolly’s Funny Sweaters’; ‘Thieves and AHA! Adventures’ among many more shared her views about the importance of lit fests focused particularly on children.
Meghaa Gupta who is known for her history series on Independent India published by Penguin Random House expressed her joy at being a part of ‘Paper Trails’.
Vidya Mani who is an editor and children’s writer, runs a content and design studio called ‘Melting Pot’. She has edited children’s magazines like Chatterbox, Quest, Junior Quest, Hoot and Toot. Vidya spoke about her interactions with children about the importance of literature to build a strong foundation.
Shyam Madhavan Sarada Aka Greystroke who is an illustrator, cartoonist, art director, publisher and his book Wailers Three, published by Pratham Books, is a CBSE recommended reader for English for the Kendriya Vidyalaya schools. An established writer & storyteller he said that the lit fest is a great way to popularise the habits of reading and writing among young learners.
On Dec 15, Vidya and Greystroke conducted a magazine illustration workshop. There was story telling by Deeptha Vivekanand – a professional storyteller and educator On Dec 16 Kapil Pandey, an international storyteller, will conduct a storytelling session. On Dec 17 Greystroke will do a story-telling workshop and Dec 17 itself Punjabi day will also be observed. Asha Nehemiah and Meghaa Gupta too conducted literary sessions during the festival. Shiraz Saini, a multifaceted and naturally gifted storyteller, too participated in the lit fest.
It is noteworthy that school students have participated in poetry and writing activities all month long and have also prepared a showcase to exhibit their enquiry cycle based on literature. What’s more, a Travelling Children’s Bookshop by Funky Rainbow has put up books – especially of the authors, illustrators and storytellers visiting the school for the lit fest.
