Sales high for children’s books this year: Publishers
The stalls which sell books for children were also crowded with parents and their kids.
47th Chennai Book Fair at YMCA Grounds in Nandanam. (Photo credit: Hemanathan M)
CHENNAI: Though it’s believed that smartphones and digital gadgets have diverted children from reading, the sale of children’s books at the Chennai Book Fair tell a different story.
After 11 days, organisers say that the highest number of sales came from books for children and history books.
Even the number of children who accompanied parents in the fair was larger in number than the previous years, they noted. The stalls which sell books for children were also crowded with parents and their kids.
“Books for kids have had a higher sale this year. Parents get books on General Knowledge for their wards. History novels and historic fiction have also been selling like hot cakes,” said SK Murugan, secretary, Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI).
Out of the 900 stalls, over 500 have books for children in both English and Tamil. “Activity books for children including cards, drawing books etc., have been popular at the fair. Most students who come here study in English medium schools. They speak in Tamil but are unable to write in Tamil. For them, there are charts, books and Tamil writings. Books on English grammar are also selling well,” said Moideen Abdul Khader, Thazhaiyan Pathippagam stall.
When compared to the previous generations, the number of young people reading books has decreased. And, parents are trying their best to cultivate reading habits in children. Sukanya, a mother, concurs, and adds: “Children prefer story books and puzzles. When the child has reading habits, we motivate them more by getting them books.”
Most publications at the fair also have historic books in both Tamil and English. “A lot of our customers are senior citizens who love historical fiction and history in general. Kids prefer colourful books with pop-ups and crafts, and their interest and understanding of history is less,” opined V Subramaniam, Vanathi Pathippakam.
The 47th Chennai Book Fair at the YMCA Grounds, Nandanam, will go on till January 21
