"I have always been interested in reading books and wanted my daughter to have the same habit. This [younger] generation does not prefer touching a book [laughs] and are always stuck to their e-devices. So, I thought if she joins a book club, it would help,” shares Bengaluru-based Jagannathan Ramanan (41) whose daughter Lakshita (11) has been a part of the Faridabad-based WeeRead—a reading group based on the concept of shared reading—for “close to two years now”.
It is not uncommon to find most parents like Ramanan mither about the time their children spend being glued to their gadgets. In a post-COVID world—where OTT media consumption and virtual interactions have become the norm—most children will probably never perceive the musty smell of old pages that intrigues an avid reader, experience the joy of buying a book before another classmate gets their hands on a copy, or feel the happiness after a book discussion with a peer. Thankfully, there are book clubs that are helping children discover the joy of reading and nurturing the habit in them, gradually hoping to transform them into bibliophiles.
A happy zone for kids
As a former English teacher who later worked in the corporate sector for a few years, launching WeeRead—it will complete five years in September—was just the expected step to take for Faridabad-based Nidhi Aggarwal (40). Talking about the structure of this book club, Aggarwal says, “In a session, we usually read books page by page and then have an overall discussion.
The idea is to make the children think about the next pages [they are yet to read]. I usually see that, at every point in the story, they [children] start to think ahead.” Talking about how the format slightly differs for older children, she adds, “They usually read the books at home and come back for discussions. Such interactions are based on the book, and we get to understand their [children's] thought process; they ask questions like why did a character do something, or have a different take on the same book, etc.”
The reading group—Aggarwal charges Rs 4,500 per month; and conducts two sessions per week—is for children aged between six and 10. She mentions that she meets the children prior to joining the group to understand their reading levels and personalities and figure out which group they’d be best suited for. Keeping the structure hybrid—youngsters from Bengaluru, Mumbai, etc., are also part of WeeRead—Aggarwal’s reading group has an average of 15 children in a month. Talking about how she thinks the group has helped children, Aggarwal says, “Apart from improvements in their language, writing and reading abilities, the children also have a better understanding of diversity in general. I think the discussions really open them up and allow them to see the world differently.”
Ramanan’s daughter Lakshita, whose “book collection is far bigger than mine [Ramanan’s] today” only reinforces Aggarwal's thought, “It is not just about reading the book; her mind has become more analytical. She wants to get into understanding why a certain character is doing something, getting into the context of it, and trying to analyse what exactly is going through the character's mind.”
Amp up the emotional quotient
On finding a dearth of children’s libraries in the city, Gurugram resident Arvinda Bhatia (49) decided to start the Treasure Trove Library in 2010. “When I started the library, it was basically for my children. I wanted them to have the resources and access.” The idea of starting a book club came to her after her own experience of being part of one. “Participating in a book club has helped me with how I explore different books, how I understood people's perspectives and how they read the book, etc. So, I thought, why not do the same for children.”
Over the course of the decade, Bhatia started the book club ‘The Bookyardigans’ on a small scale a few years ago. “However, with COVID, I received a good response and decided to re-start the club.” After about five seasons of ‘The Bookyardigans’—the three-month seasonal book club (Rs2,400 for six sessions) comprises of a 15-day reading gap, after which the children have a two-hour session to discuss the (same) book that they have read. To provide a better experience, Bhatia ensures that she limits the participants to not more than 10 children per reading group—each season has sessions for age groups six to nine, nine to 11, and 11 to 13. She shares, “We limit participants so that every child gets a chance to speak while discussing a book. You need to give each child the power to share their thoughts, to speak up, and let others listen to them.”
Giving us a nuanced idea of the role a book club plays in the lives of children, Bhatia says, “I am very particular that I want the children to read something, which adds value to their character and to the discussion, and which gives them [an understanding of] a new facet of life. Children know particular sets of books because their peer groups are reading it and they also know the popular titles. But, there are many amazing books that children are not aware of. And that is the task of a book club; you must recommend them books that add value to their character, personality and thought process.”
Gurugram-based Shruti Bhatt (35), mother of Rivan Bhatia (7), says that her son was always fascinated with books—“he fell in love with books very early”. Talking about Rivan, who is a home-schooler, she shares, "Rivan wanted someone apart from me to talk about books. He was a member of the Treasure Trove Library, so when Aravind started ‘The Bookyardigans’, we were certain he should join. I have seen that he has become more imaginative. Also, his bond with children has increased thanks to this club."
The benefits of participating in a book club are manifold, especially for children. Bhatia says, “Books build confidence in children. And they also read about different cultures, different people’s thoughts, challenges, struggles, and what they value. Then, they also read about the challenges that the protagonist faces, and how they come out of these challenges. Apart from knowledge and perspective, the worldview that they gain is immense. Books also make children think and make them emotionally strong. And, if you are emotionally strong, you can handle anything in life.”
Rivan, who is currently reading a book by Sudha Murthy, concludes, “I like the discussions; we discuss a lot of interesting books in the book club. We mainly discuss the things we like, the things that can change [in a book]. And sometimes, we also make our own stories and tell them; I like making stories."