Colors and Candy Priced Books with a Vision: A book in every child's hand

"What will you like to have on your birthday?

A book! Few months back I got this reply from my 10 years old niece. I gifted her Alice and Wonderland much to annoy her younger sister.

It hasn’t got any pictures! Who reads these many words, was her reaction to one of the Best children book ever written.

Now this story had everything, a cute girl, an out-of-this-world set, extra ordinary league of characters – complete wow and awe factor! But, where it failed my younger (6yrs old) niece? Definitely, problem wasn’t with the story, but the book – it was all just words, negligible cartoons and no color (except the cover page). This tells the story that though the kids like and devour those stories which have creative characters that may bring a wow affect in the story – it’s not worth reading if it’s just words! Not so sanely, but yes it could be analogues to the fact that kids tend to eat a sandwich or a trendy roti-roll stuffed with spinach then the bare spinach (green and mushy!)

Listening to Rohini Nilekani, Founder chairperson of Pratham Books, on http://www.ftideacaravan.com/ I recalled the above told story. It made me realize as she presented her idea, it’s not that kids don’t want to read – it’s that they want it in an interesting flavour that can attract them. Colors have always been kids’ favourite and characters drawn as caricatures always invite them to voluntarily participate in the party of learning. Their Concept of Story Cards worth Rs 2/- is revolutionary, it has got so much potential to draw children, and the unprivileged ones too, to a fantasy world of reading.

Suggestions
I, as a traveler generally carry candies with me on my trips to befriend with kids. And, now I know that there is an option worth just 2-candies together which would rather sweeten the deal I want to do with those kids. With those story cards, I won’t just be getting close to the community but will also be able to do a little bit of my duty towards society. Similarly there are so many travelers for whom travelling is not just fun but a lot more than it, who could be taken help of, or better be associated with, expanding the horizon of Pratham and ultimately spreading the wisdom of knowledge. In fact, these books at small souvenir shops will do wonders if the regular tourists can be taught and roped in into the cause.

An association with organisations like Library Without Borders and NGOs working to set up Community Computer Centres at villages, this concept of reaching out to the root level readers of society with Colorful Books and also eBooks can do wonders!
Last but not the least, a more Social presence (G+, Facebook, Twitter) will for sure help Rohini and team achieve the goal they have set! Best Wishes!

About Pratham
I came to know about Pratham when I was planning Leh trip, with that failed plan I forgot about it. Now thanks to Indiblogger and FranklinTempleton Investment Idea Caravan initiative bringing us the videos from TEDxGateway Mumbai in December 2012, I could learn more about this novel Cause of Spreading Knowledge with Story Books!

Pratham is a not-for-profit publisher with a mission is to see a country where every child wants to read, is able to read, and has something good to read, and a vision to reach 200 million children in India, and to put 'a book in every child's hand'.

Till date, they have published over 215 titles in English and 10 other Indian languages, i.e. more than 1500 books, most for less than Rs 25. They have printed over 8.5 million books, over 10 million story cards and claim a readership of about 25 million.

To know more about how Pratham Books came into being and the Read India Movement, click here. To support by buying books, click here.

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