Move over, fairy tales!

Strap (Page 1): The city’s children’s literature boom blends humour, pop culture, and sharp storytelling — no magic wands needed

Strap (Page 7): Smart stories, real voices, and curious minds — Bangalore’s kid-lit wave is the real magic

Blurb:

‘I think today’s parents are committed to raising readers, and we as authors need to feed it’

Vidya Vardarajan, author

Byline: Bindu Gopal Rao

AKA — short for Asha, Karthik, and Aarav — are three young children who run a Detective Club. When they hear about a missing Rolex watch, they swing into action and crack the case using a drone. But just when they think it’s over, the watch disappears again — and this time, they’re accused of stealing it.

Karthik, who has just been gifted the drone by his father, becomes the prime suspect, leaving his friends in a fix. How will the trio prove their innocence and solve the case?

Intrigued? Pick up The Mystery of the Disappearing Drone by Vidya Varadarajan and step into a fascinating world of children literature.

Bangalore has a growing community of children literature enthusiasts brimming with readers, authors, patrons, spaces, bookstores, events, et all. There are even school-hosted literature festivals, slowly becoming a movement for local authors and readers alike.

“Honestly, Bangaloreans are an exciting, open-minded lot. Parents and educators are looking for stories that are intellectually stimulating, fun, culturally rooted, and not dumbed down. The children are sharp, funny, and witty. At a book event, they would typically ask you about plot holes; about what happens to side characters and why a certain dessert didn’t get featured in your book (especially Butter Beer from Harry Potter),” says Ranjini Rao, co-author of History Dishtory with Ruchira Ramanujam.

Diverse Vistas

A thriving children’s literature community—rich with writers, illustrators, editors, publishers, book clubs, and storytellers—is a promising sign for the city

“We have bookshops like Funky Rainbow in J. P. Nagar and Lightroom in Cooke Town. City regularly sees several reading and book-related events. The annual Bangalore Literature Festival has a good children’s section. Schools too have their own literature festivals,” says Mala Kumar, author of several children’s books, including The Missing Rocks of Hampi.

Lakshmi Sankar, co-founder of Atta Galatta echoes, saying that the children’s book scene is doing better than ever in Bangalore. “We have seen parents having a keen interest in books that are done by good Indian publishers with an Indian context. Bilingual picture books are also popular, especially here in the city, where we sell everything from Hindi and Tamil to Gujarati and Assamese,” she says. 

Authors reassemble

Many independent bookshops are curating local children’s titles, and there are many storytelling and kid lit events every month. “I think today’s parents are committed to raising readers, and we as authors need to feed it,” says Vardarajan.

She meant that writing for children is becoming increasingly demanding, as it must cater to a generation that is both geographically diverse and highly tech-savvy.

“They understand pop culture references, play Minecraft, enjoy anime and yet, still get excited by the idea of a read-aloud session. To be a children’s book author, you need to tap into what it’s like to be a kid in a cosmopolitan city like Bangalore. Kids here are not afraid to ask questions. Authors must bring together their storyteller skills, have the timing of a stand-up comedian, and of course, know the lingo,” adds Vardarajan.

A dual challenge

That said, visibility and shelf space remain key challenges in marketing children’s books – not just in Bangalore but the world. Most Indian children’s authors lack formal marketing expertise — and yet, promoting books in this genre is doubly difficult, as it involves appealing to both parents and children.

Beyond book fairs and word-of-mouth publicity, what authors truly need is a stronger bridge between creators, educators, and the mainstream media.

Ann Thomas, author of Take Your Time, said that one of the persistent challenges in the children’s publishing space is that it can still feel like a closed, somewhat elitist circuit. For newer writers, she explained, it’s often difficult to find platforms to collaborate, test early work, or connect with others in the field.

“Many good books — especially those outside the commercial loop — still don’t reach readers easily,” she noted. While self-publishing has opened some doors, she pointed out that managing everything independently — from working with illustrators to marketing and distribution — can be financially unsustainable. School libraries, she added, are often understocked and may not reflect the diversity or relevance today’s children deserve.

Bangalore offers a beautifully eclectic mix of people and moments. You could be sitting in a café in Banaswadi or in a park and overhear something a child says — and it lingers for days.

This city offers authors many quiet moments that unexpectedly turn into stories. And that’s why it’s a win-win for both author and audience.