On Sunday 25 October, Akshara Theatre in New Delhi filled up with parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters and friends. Fourteen young authors walked up on stage, one at a time, and held up a book with their own name on the cover. The youngest was 5. The oldest was 15.
Every story in these books was written by a child, and every one kept the child's own voice. We edited just enough that a reader never stumbles, and never so much that the young writer starts to sound like an adult.
The day
Each author was called up by name and told the room about their book. Some told us where the idea came from: a dog called Coco who loves treats, a summer at day care, the question of how the moon got its shape. Then they collected their certificate and posed in the "I'm a published author" frame.
One grandmother told us she had only got in at one in the morning, and came anyway, just for her grandson. A mother said the confidence her son has now is "not matchable". That is what a launch is for.
See more photos from the day, and from our earlier launches
The books
Here they are, from our youngest author to our oldest. Every one is on sale now, on this site and on Amazon. Tap a name to meet the author, or a title to see the book.
The Friendly Frog in the Fort
By Vihaan, age 5. One rainy weekend, a boy goes to a very old and beautiful fort with his mumma and daddy. When the rain stops, he finds a little frog in the courtyard.
I Wish I Was ...
By Aria Krishnaswamy, age 6. Cupcake is a unicorn who slides down rainbows and sleeps on a bed of clouds. Flamey is a flamingo who lives in a beautiful lake.
Mageton's Big Adventure
By Avish Jain, age 6. On a peaceful farm ringed by golden fields and tall trees lives Mageton, a handsome brown horse with a fluffy black tail and bright green eyes.
Wiggle Wiggle… There She Goes Again!!!
By Aadveka Chopra, age 6. Glitter Heart is a small North Pole elf who loves Christmas, cookies and, most of all, glitter. She has two big problems: she cannot stay out of trouble, and whenever she tells a lie, her long pointy ears wiggle, and the bigger the lie, the wilder the wiggle.
Aarya and her Big Quest
By Saarya Malik, age 7. In the wide open ocean, every bubble hides a magical gift of feelings. Aarya is a kind, brave and very pink fish who loves to paint: on shells, on her friends, anywhere her brush can reach.
Brownie and the Mysterious Box
By Gauraang Mahindru, age 7. Brownie is a dog so small he fits comfortably in a grown-up's hands, and so brown he has been mistaken for a piece of chocolate. His joys are simple: treats, his owner Mr. Whity, and the safety of home.
Muddo the Troll
By Saanjh Ajmera, age 7. Muddo is a troll who lives in a mossy cave next to a jungle. He is very good at making dungballs, but he often gets lost, and the forest scares him.
Yoyo and the Haunted School Trip
By Atharv Singh, age 7. On Friday the 13th, Yoyo boards the bus with her best friend Mimi for a school trip to the old science museum. The principal insists it will be a perfectly normal day, even as thunder rumbles overhead.
A Sneaky Christmas
By Tiyansh Mittal, age 8. Mike has a plan: trap Santa and keep the whole bag of gifts. His first trap is a bell on the door, his second a room full of dart turrets, and his third a giant robot called Redclaw, which is when things really start to go wrong.
Love Has No Language
By Shayra Dhawan, age 8. Lily lives in the only rainbow-coloured house on a black-and-white street. On a school camping trip she wakes up alone, climbs into a mysterious little boat, and drifts all the way to a magical land of snow.
My Boring Amazing Life
By Shanaya Dutt, age 8. Trishka's summer holidays were going perfectly well, until her mom said the worst sentence in the world. YOU ARE GOING TO DAY CARE!
Lucy and the Magical Book
By Riya Sharma, age 9. Lucy has had a long, busy day helping her mum, and her reward is the book she has been asking for. That night its pages begin to glow, the characters leap out into her room, and the book offers her a choice of magical adventures.
The Sea of Gold
By Veer Singh Rajpoot, age 9. A mysterious sage brings three best friends in Delhi some shocking news: the sea has turned to glittering gold, and its water is no longer safe to drink. Veer, Ekambir and Rishaan set off into a strange, dangerous world to break the curse and save the sea.
The Diary
By Aditya Mishra, age 11. Aryan has just moved from India to Spain, and all he wants is to go back. At his new school, El Instituto, he keeps quiet, and two boys, Diago and Pedro, laugh at his Indian accent every chance they get.
The Magical Crystal
By Saanvi Sharma, age 11. The river in Linda's small desert town has dried up overnight, and the neighbours are whispering that someone is out to steal the temple's crystal. With her pet squirrel Sofy by her side, Linda sets out to solve the mystery before it is too late.
Roborav Saves the Future
By Taksh Agarwal, age 12. Roborav (RR-01) is a unique robot built to think, learn, and help others. When he awakens in the Advanced Robotics Lab, he is eager to discover the world beyond the laboratory walls.
Woven with Starlight
By Naintara Sitaram, age 13. All across the world, glimmering and gleaming at night, the moon twinkles and illuminates the sky. But how did it get its shape?
The Museum of Unseen Futures
By Saaransh Kumar, age 15. A teacup, a dollhouse, a phone at the back of a closet: in these twelve pieces an ordinary object turns out to be a door into another version of the world. Eight stories and four poems in rhyme, written between the seventh and ninth grade.
Once Upon Many
Eight authors, one book. Stories by Aviraj Aggarwal (7), Aaryavir Gaur (8), Niraamaya Vatsa (8), Samayra Nahata (8), Atharva Sood (9), Pavi Gupta (9), Suhani Sekhri Gupta (10) and Aaditya Bakshi (11). Eight worlds you have never visited, from a dog with one big ear to six magic peacock feathers.
Want your child to be next?
Every one of these authors started with a single idea and a parent who said yes. If your child has a story in them, see how it works, or message us on WhatsApp. We would love to meet them.
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