Manisha Mathews’ new book ‘Manu and Mia’ with illustrations by Ubitha Leela Unni.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Writing for children is no child’s play. Authors do not always judge the intelligence of their readers correctly. Some mistake their youth for gullibility, while others talk down to them. Manisha Mathews avoids such pitfalls in her engagingly written and beautifully illustrated book, Manu and Mia, that takes one back to innocent early years, when going to school meant a free bicycle ride with your elder sibling and weekends were spent playing marbles under trees.
The book could not have come at a better time. After a prolonged lockdown and online classes, children are rediscovering their reading habits while soaking in colours of nostalgia.
“Manu and Mia is a collection of short stories set in a small town about two siblings and their everyday adventures,” says Manisha. “These stories originated from my lived experiences and from those around me who inhabited the small town where childhood was spent running around mango orchards and flying kites on rooftops.”
Manisha Mathews.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Unlike many children’s authors, Manisha is clear about her target readers. “The book (with playful illustrations by Ubitha Leela Unni) is for children in the age group six-10 years. Children whether city bred or from small towns will be able to enjoy this book that narrates stories from Manu and Mia’s childhood. Manu and Mia revel in the simple joys of life like the independence of cycling to school with friends, the freedom of roaming around in mustard and sugarcane fields, the joy of bathing in the open, and the happy sights of mango, mulberry, and jamun trees. Life is uncomplicated yet happening and fun.”
The book is also about how differently children react to different situations. “It reveals some children to be curious, adventurous and creative while others tend to be conformists. The stories in the book bring to the fore two different personalities and how each should be celebrated, nurtured and loved unconditionally,” notes Manisha, who worked in publishing for a couple of decades, and is now all set to devote more time to penning books for children.
“I am working on a sequel to Manu and Mia — another short story collection to be released in 2023,” says Manisha. She gets a happy nod from Juveria, a pre-teen. “I loved Manu and Mia. It was too good. I enjoyed the story of the naughty girl and her simple brother, particularly, their handpump misadventure. I cannot wait for the sequel,” says the child.
Even as her new book makes waves among schoolchildren, Manisha has just wrapped up a General Knowledge series titled Knowledge Horizon for classes 1-8. Published by Mangrove publishers, it hit the market in December.
