Share The Joy Of Reading

I have always loved reading. It was quite natural for me to want to pass on the love for books to my son, P. I started reading to P when he was just a few weeks old. When he was a toddler, libraries became an almost-daily haunt.  Now, we have a mini-library at home that keeps him engaged, while he improves his vocabulary, and gets plenty of ideas for fun… and mischief!

Perhaps the most important outcomes to me are making learning fun, and retaining the imagination and sense of wonder that babies are born with.

As he read and read, I was always on the lookout for books in various genres, fiction and non-fiction, historical fiction, fantasy… everything under the sun. My quest led me to Saffron Tree. At ST, parents as passionate as me about children’s literature – maybe even more! – wrote about the books that had clicked with their children. There were parents with kids older than mine, so we – P and me – benefitted from their choices and recommendations. The reviews are organized well, and books on a topic or intended for an age group can be readily accessed. So, as P grows older, I keep adding more wonderful books to my wish-list.

As if this steady dose of reviews and interviews wasn’t enticing enough, there is the annual event, CROCUS, a week of festivities for book-lovers like me!

CROCUS 2012 began on Oct 23 with Math and Eco-Science as the theme.  There have been some wonderful picks, and it is sure to be great fun till CROCUS is wrapped up on Sunday.

As we read to our children, there is the nagging thought of others to whom books are not available. Shouldn’t all children be given the opportunity to discover the joy of reading? As part of CROCUS, apart from reviews, interviews, puzzles and games, this year Saffron Tree partners with Kranti India, for a book donation drive. Kranti is a non-profit organization that works to empower trafficked girls and sex workers.

Here is how you can contribute by donating books during CROCUS.

Come, share the joy of reading!

Arundhati Venkatesh

Arundhati Venkatesh is a children's writer. Her books have won several awards, including the

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