The Urgency of Engaging Young Readers
At the Bindwel Roundtable 2024, leading voices in publishing gathered to discuss the future of children’s reading habits in India. Among them, Mallika Ghosh, Product Director at Oxford University Press, provided invaluable insights on the evolving landscape of children’s literature and the steps needed to cultivate a strong reading culture. Engaging young readers is critical in ensuring a lifelong love for books.
With a career dedicated to digital transformation and strategic content creation, Mallika has spearheaded projects that bridge educational publishing and market needs. Her deep understanding of editorial strategy, content innovation, and pedagogical advancements made her an ideal speaker on the pressing challenges of engaging young readers and the shifts required in India’s publishing industry.
Why Some Children Become Lifelong Readers – And Others Don’t
Reading is more than just an academic skill—it’s a habit, shaped by accessibility, environment, and engagement. Mallika emphasized that reading habits are culturally embedded and must be nurtured early on.
- Children need accessible and relatable books—content that resonates with their cultural and social realities.
- Exposure and encouragement matter—parents and educators play a key role in making reading a natural activity, rather than a school-mandated task.
- A gap exists in relatable content—India has historically lacked children’s books featuring Indian characters, names, and settings, but this is changing.
“It’s accessibility. The content itself should be something they relate to. The content should be exciting, easy. It’s obviously the level of difficulty, something that is in their context.” – Mallika Ghosh
The Missing Link: Culturally Relevant and Engaging Books
For decades, Indian children were either reading imported Western literature or education-heavy textbooks. The gap? Imaginative, fun, and engaging young readers with relatable storytelling.
Why Western Markets Succeed
Countries like the UK and the US have built strong storytelling ecosystems that allow characters like Harry Potter or The Gruffalo to thrive. These books combine local cultural elements with universal themes, making them both engaging and marketable worldwide.
“We all witnessed the whole reading revolution that one series like Harry Potter created. None of these kids were readers, and suddenly they were lining up outside shops to buy that story. The content just connected with them.” – Mallika Ghosh
What India Needs to Do
- Encourage more Indian authors to write original children’s stories.
- Develop characters and storylines that reflect the lives of Indian children, their schools, festivals, and everyday adventures.
- Support regional storytelling—leveraging India’s vast linguistic and cultural diversity.
Case Study: The Success of Sudha Murthy’s Children’s Books
Sudha Murthy’s books, such as Grandma’s Bag of Stories, resonate with young Indian readers by incorporating cultural nuances, folktales, and everyday experiences. This model proves that engaging young readers with familiar themes fosters a deeper connection to books.
Revolutionizing Book Formats to Capture Young Readers
Mallika stressed that publishers must innovate, not just in content but also in format. Today’s children are digital natives, exposed to bite-sized, visually rich content. Books must adapt without losing their essence.
The New-Age Book Must Be:
✔ Shorter and visually engaging – Think Diary of a Wimpy Kid but localized.
✔ Interactive and immersive – Augmented reality (AR) books, hybrid formats.
✔ Built for shorter attention spans – Fast-paced storytelling, engaging narratives.
“Instead of forcing kids to read the way we did in childhood, we should design content that works for them. One chapter should finish in 20 minutes—beyond that, the kid is not going to sit and keep reading.” – Mallika Ghosh
Data Point: Children’s Reading Preferences
According to a 2023 Scholastic India survey, 68% of Indian children prefer books with visual storytelling elements, reinforcing the need for illustrated and graphic novel formats to keep engaging young readers.
The Role of Technology in Enhancing Reading Culture
Modern children are engaging with stories in short bursts, influenced by platforms like YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels. Publishers must embrace digital innovations to ensure books remain appealing.
- Interactive eBooks and audiobooks enhance comprehension and engagement.
- Augmented reality (AR) storytelling can create immersive experiences for young readers.
- Digital reading platforms make books more accessible to children from diverse backgrounds.
The key is to merge technology with storytelling while maintaining the integrity of engaging young readers through printed and digital formats.
Call to Action: What Needs to Change Now?
Mallika laid out a clear roadmap for publishers, educators, and parents to ensure they are actively engaging young readers:
For Publishers:
- Invest in Indian storytelling, developing original characters and narratives.
- Innovate in book formats—pop-ups, AR-enabled books, graphic novels.
- Market children’s books aggressively, just like toys and entertainment.
For Schools and Educators:
- Integrate leisure reading into curriculums, not just textbooks.
- Develop library initiatives that introduce diverse, engaging books to children.
- Promote fiction and storytelling as a core part of education.
For Parents:
- Normalize buying books regularly—make them a part of birthday gifts, rewards, and home libraries.
- Encourage reading beyond school assignments—let children pick books based on interest, not just academics.
- Utilize storytime routines to foster engagement in younger children.
The Future of Engaging Young Readers in India
Mallika Ghosh’s insights at the Bindwel Roundtable 2024 underscored the urgent need to reimagine children’s literature in India. With culturally relevant storytelling, innovative book formats, and strategic parental engagement, India can cultivate a thriving reading culture for generations to come.
The publishing industry must act now—to not just produce books but to build a lifelong relationship between Indian children and reading by truly engaging young readers at every level. Expanding outreach through digital and print formats, investing in regional authors, and creating visually captivating narratives will be the driving force behind India’s evolving children’s book industry.
