Post by Purvi Shah, Director - StoryWeaver

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We must admit, we’ve been watching the number next to Reads with bated breath for the past few days.

One crore. Ten million.

However you interpret the numerals, it’s tens of thousands of reads, and it puts a massive smile on our faces to think of children across the world enjoying reading books on StoryWeaver.

It’s also a very, very special milestone to cross.

 

Special, for children like Manisha who speak Gondi (an Indian tribal language), but until recently had no access to books in their mother tongue, and who read their very first storybook in Gondi, which was created on, downloaded and printed from StoryWeaver.

 

Special, for teachers like Gangadhar, who keep their students spellbound and build their reading and pronunciation skills with Readalongs.

 

Special, for partners like Room to Read and Asia Foundation who help underserved children read.

 

Special, for community libraries like The Community Library Project in Delhi, who help dozens of children read and enjoy these books, even during difficult times during the pandemic, when they were unable to visit the physical library.

 

Special, for young readers like Vaishnavi, who haven’t been to school for months due to the pandemic, but are continuing their reading journey using books from StoryWeaver.

 

And special for us, because it captures everything we stand for: Joy, Inclusion, Empowerment and Integrity.

It’s been five thrilling years of creativity, innovation, and collaboration. And the best part? 10 million is already in the rearview mirror, as we fly on towards the next milestone.

Thank you for reading this far, and if you like our work, do consider partnering with us, and supporting us— there are millions of children still to discover the joy of reading.

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Help us continue to give children free access to books. Click here to support StoryWeaver.

If you are part of an organization that promotes reading and learning among children, and you would like to partner with us, write to us at [email protected].

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Q:  What do you usually read? Which language do you prefer to read

Fiction, non-fiction, history, mythology. I read anything I can lay my hands on. I prefer to read in Kannada and English.

Q: Do you have a favourite book / author and why is it a favourite?

Yes, 'Mankutimmana Kagga' and 'Kaanoorina Heggadati' in Kannada are my favourite books.

Q: You have contributed for us immensely. How has the StoryWeaver journey been?

It has been a wonderful journey, I have enjoyed every bit of it.

Q: Could you share with us a story or anecdote from the translations / reviews? Or one big thing that you take away from this experience?

I have loved experiencing my childhood again with children surrounding me while I read them these stories.

Q: How does it feel when your story gets published online?

Oh! It brings a smile on my face.  

Q: You have translated / reviewed a handful of stories for us. Which one has been your favourite and why?

There are two books I am particularly fond of: 'Jadav and the Tree Place' and The Wall Book.'Jadav and the Tree Place' is a very positive story showing how we can create wonders and that efforts do not go wasted. The Wall Book was full of information on human race and its civilisations, which I loved.

Q: What is your key driver in taking this up? 

I do feel strongly about my language. And I enjoy translating stories for children so that they can read in their mother tongue.

Q:  How else do you think we can join hands in taking bigger steps for children’s literature?

I think introducing story telling sessions, where the kids can narrate stories would be a good step.  

Q: How has the overall experience with StoryWeaver been?

ಅತ್ಯಂತ ತೃಪ್ತಿದಾಯಕವಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಅದ್ಭುತವಾದ ಕಲಿಕಾ ಅನುಭವವಾಗಿತ್ತು

Immensely satisfying and a wonderful learning experience.

Q: You seem to be having fun with the translations and reviews…could you share your 'secret recipe' for this with us?

I just love what am doing!

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We are delighted to host books published by the Nature Conservation Foundation, and make them available for free under the CC BY 4.0 license on StoryWeaver. We hope that our community will enjoy reading & learning more about India's wildlfe through these stories, and that they will be translated into many more languages. The first 2 books resulting through this partnership are Gyalmo, the Queen of the Mountains and  Birds That Sing Their Name.

In this post, we'll give you a closer look at the making of 'Gyalmo, Queen of the Mountains'!

About the book: Koyna and her friend Lobzang are in Spiti Valley, trying to spot the most elusive cat in the world, while Gyalmo, the snow leopard, watches from a distance as they try their best to see her. Written by Ranjini Murali and illustrated by Komal Jain.

Ranjini Murali, the author, is the Conservation Scientist at the Snow Leopard Trust. In this interview, she tells us about her fascination with the mountains and why she wrote a children's book about snow leopards.

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Tell us why you chose to write about the mountains?

This story was first written for the 'Hindu in School' newspaper supplement which was meant for children studying in Bangalore and Chennai. I wrote this story then, as I wanted to introduce children to the fascinating animals of the Trans-Himalaya.

What is the message that you hope to share through these stories?

When I was a student in Bangalore, I didn't know there were snow leopards in India, nor did I know of these stunning landscapes or the amazing biodiversity present here. Maybe children now are more aware of this, but through this story, I hope to bring a bit more awareness to these landscapes.

Illustration by Komal Jain

What inspired you to conceptualize this story?

I've worked in the Trans-Himalaya for more than 10 years now and have never really seen a snow leopard! Part of this story was inspired by my constant search to see the snow leopard. The chase sequence was inspired by an video I had seen online of a snow leopard chasing a bharal!

Illustration by Komal Jain

How did you get to know about StoryWeaver, and what prompted you to make your story available on our platform?

I knew of the amazing work that StoryWeaver was doing, making reading accessible to children everywhere, so I jumped at the opportunity when a colleague reached out to me about plans of creating books on the platform. I especially love how the stories on the platform are accompanied by amazing illustrations. I was so excited to see this story come alive through the illustrations! I also like that the stories are available to be translated, so they are accessible to more children around India.

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 Read Gyalmo, the Queen of the Mountains

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