Today is World Children's Day - a time to reflect upon and renew our commitment to protect children's rights.  Here is a selection of books that showcase some of the principles listed in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

We hope that these books will be a useful resource for educators, parents, and caregivers, and that they inspire our young readers.

 

Ikru's First Day of School | Article 28: The right to education

What will Ikru's very first day at school be like? This heartwarming, wordless book brings alive the unexpected delights and quiet fears of a child's first experience of going to school.

A Level 1 storybook written and illustrated by Sunaina Coelho, and published by Pratham Books.

 

Just Like Me | Article 12: The right to form and express views freely

It’s Rahah’s birthday party. Mum wants to know who she will invite. Will they all fit in?

A Level 2 storybook written by Hani du Toit, illustrated by Mary Anne Hampton, and published by Book Dash.

 

Your Body is Yours | Article 19 & 34: The right to be protected from violence and abuse

Your body is unique and it belongs only to you. Get to know it, and learn to take good care of it. A book that aims to start open and healthy conversations around our bodies, and our right to say no to anyone who does not respect boundaries.

A Level 3 storybook written by Yamini Vijayan, illustrated by Aindri C, and published by Pratham Books.

 

I Know My Rights | Article 42: The right to know and exercise your rights

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child lists out the basic rights that children have. It doesn’t matter where you come from, what colour your skin is, whether you practice a religion or not, what language you speak, whether you are a boy or a girl or haven’t decided yet – you have the right to these rights! This poster book lists out some of the rights of the child.

A Level 4 storybook written by Menaka Raman, illustrated by Sunando C, and published by Pratham Books.

 

SUPPORT STORYWEAVER

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states that all children have the right to an education that helps them fully develop their personalities, talents, and abilities. The ability to read is the ability to learn, explore, and imagine.

StoryWeaver is deeply committed to the goal of literacy and giving children open and free access to the reading resources and opportunities they need to succeed in school and beyond. With your help, we can do even more. Visit https://storyweaver.org.in/donate.

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"Reading aloud is one of the most important things parents and teachers can do with children. Reading aloud builds many important foundational skills, introduces vocabulary, provides a model of fluent, expressive reading, and helps children recognize what reading for pleasure is all about."

- readingrockets.com

Reading is also a fantasic opportunity to spend quality, one on one time with a child. Plus, books can be the starting point for some great conversations with children too. 

It's never too early to start reading to your child, and at StoryWeaver you'll find hundreds of stories for children at different reading levels. Also the stories are in multiple languages so your child can read (or be read to) a story in her mother tongue, a language she is trying to learn or just a language she is already proficient in.

Our 'Growing Up' series are fun, colourful, read-aloud books which are perfect for children who are just beginnging to read, and are also lovely to share with toddlers. Little ones will identify with the young protagonists of these stories as they go about their daily routine creating, climbing, carrying things and even confronting their fears. The books are written by Mini Shrinivasan and illustrated by different artists who imbue each story with a unique charm. Best of all? They're all available in multiple languages!

I Am Not Afraid  Mini Shrinivasan and Rayika Sen 

We've all been afraid of the dark, and some of us still are! In this story, a young girl steps out of the house at night and confronts her fears with aplomb!

I Can Climb! / मैं चढ़ सकता हूँ!  Mini Shrinivasan and Deval Maniar 

Who hasn't met an adventuruous toddler who can climb up things but doesn't quite know how to get down? In 'I Can Climb' we meet a young man with just that very problem. What happens to him? Read this bilingual English-Hindi book to find out!

ನಾನು ಏನೇನೋ ವಸ್ತುಗಳನ್ನು ಮಾಡಬಲ್ಲೆ!  Mini Shrinivasan and Tanvee Nabar 

Little hands love to keep busy - drawing, writing and making things! Keep some paper and colour pencils handy for when you've finished reading this book!  (Available in English, as 'I Can Make Things!')

I Can Help! / मी मदत करते! Mini Shrinivasan and Aman Randhawa

Little children love to help out around the house. Why not read this book with a child, and then give them some simple, fun chores to help with? Watch their faces light up and chest puff up with pride as they do.

 

We hope you enjoy reading these books to and with the children in your life! For some great tips on how to raise a reader, here's something from Reading Rockets! 

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K. Suresh likes to be known as a translator and has several books published for adults as well as children. He is one of the founders of Manchi Pustakam, a Trust for publishing and distributing children's books in Telugu. The organisation has more than 200 titles published by it and distributes an equal number of select books by other publishers. His emphasis is on books that create interest in and love for books among children. He feels that there is a great need for graded books that help children to increase their reading capacities. He has translated many stories to Telugu for Pratham Books including 'The Cat in the Ghat!' and 'What If?'. You can read his stories Mouse in the House and Lost and Found on StoryWeaver.  

Q:  What type of person do you think makes the best translator for children’s stories?

A person who loves books, likes children and respects them.

Q: Do you have any advice for anyone interested in becoming a translator?

A: The person should have good command over both the languages and should know the nuances. S/he should also know the cultural context and usage of idioms and phrases in both the languages. One should also read a lot.

The language for children should be simple. While translating one should use available vocabulary, though English words are commonly used. After completing the translation, give some gap and read it again without the source language text. Read it objectively, as if it was done by others and your job is to find errors in it.

Q: A book you'd like to recommend to other translators?

I suggest that the translators start with what they like and should feel that the children in the other language would miss a lot if that book isn’t translated. Obviously, I would suggest a book that I love very much.

Q: What is your personal relationship to language and/or translation?

I love to read books. I have started my work as a sub-editor in a Telugu newspaper, which involved translation and cultivated it over the years. I am not a creative writer, so I take pride in translation!

Q: When you’ve been given a story to translate, what’s your process, and how long does it generally take?

Sometimes I jump into translation. Sometimes, I read the entire story and sleep over it. While reading and in the free time, I think about the appropriate words and how it will be in Telugu.

Q: What do stories in translation bring to young readers?

It opens up their world! It introduces a new culture.

Q: You’ve translated stories for us. Which has been your favourite to work on?

I had the fortune of translating, reviewing and being a Guest Editor for Pratham Books. I liked translating The Cat in the Ghat!

Q: What is the hardest thing about translating from English into Telugu? How do you navigate words or phrases that are tricky to translate?

The structure of English sentence is complex; it can take several adjectives and be very long. Breaking the sentences while translating sometimes results in losing the emphasis. The rhyming and punning with English words is difficult to translate. After the first translation, I explore simpler expressions and choice of vocabulary.

Q: How do you feel when your story reaches the child?

When we get to know that a child has enjoyed a story/ book we are very happy.

Q: Translating stories must have required research when it came to STEM related terms and concepts. How did you explore new objects and concepts?

For some words, I look up the dictionary. Sometimes re-writing helps. Constant reading will add to one’s vocabulary.

Q: How else do you think we can join hands to take more stories to more children in more languages?

Pratham Books and Tulika are doing excellent job in multi-language publications. StoryWeaver is providing a platform for exchange of books in various languages. Arvind Gupta is encouraging multi-language translations of children’s books and posting them on internet archive. Earlier there was considerable direct translation in regional languages, now English has become the connecting language. A publishers’ consortium for exchange of rights would be beneficial.

Q: As a publisher and translator what do you think is the best way to approach a child?

The general tendency is to preach to children, which I do not subscribe to. We expect lot from children without practising/ following them. The best way is to make a range of books available to children from which they can choose. We should not be overly worried about what they learn from a book. They will definitely learn from books and the society at large.

 

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