Unlike most young children who like being told stories by their parents, Ahmedabad-based Kuvam Gupta (7) insists on narrating stories to his parents! And, these stories have culminated in the release of his first book titled Elpu and his Friends published by Notion Press, a self-publishing platform, last December. Thus far, 410 copies of the book — replete with lively illustrations — have been purchased at Rs.199 per copy.

Endorsed by India’s well-known author-entrepreneur Rashmi Bansal, this book — suitable for four-seven year olds — is a compilation of five stories starring baby elephant Elpu who loves to help his friends solve their problems. All five stories featuring animal characters have strong takeaways.

The only child of a police officer and Dr. Chitra Singla, senior faculty at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Kuvam is a precocious class II student of the city’s CISCE-affiliated JG International School, and avid consumer of Enid Blyton’s Noddy tales and Italian author Elisabetta Dami’s Geronimo Stilton mouse series. Thanks to his school and home libraries, Kuvam developed the reading habit from the early age of three.

“Kuvam’s storytelling is inspired by his own experiences and conversations with peers, adults and the books and animated films he reads and watches. He spontaneously began narrating original stories after he turned four. I start making notes as soon as he starts spinning tales which he later types up on his computer,” says mother Chitra.

“Many of my stories are the result of playing with and talking to my toys,” adds this child prodigy. Fascinated by witches and wizards, this young author’s current offering to his parents and public are stories about characters with magical powers. “We intend to compile his magical stories in April this year,” says Chitra, announcing plans to donate royalty from the first 5,000 copies to Noida-based Amrit Masonic School for special children.

Power to your pen!

Aruna Raghuram (Ahmedabad)

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