The National Book Trust (NBT) has launched two book series aimed at children and adolescents to introduce them to the timeless classics of renowned Hindi writers, including Premchand, Jaishankar Prasad, Mannu Bhandari, and Subhadra Kumari Chauhan. The two series feature stories by pioneers of Indian literature and are being published with colourful illustrations and book designs, NBT said in a statement.
Aimed at connecting children aged eight to 12 with their literary heritage, the book series, titled "Modern Classic Stories for Children", includes Premchand's "Mitthu" and "Nadan Dost", and Bhisham Sahni's "Chamgadad ka Ras" and "Do Goraiya".
Illustrated and presented in simple language, these stories will help children understand the emotions and nature of living beings, while Jaishankar Prasad's famous story "Chhota Jadugar" will introduce them to a child who, despite being small, becomes great through the fulfillment of his duty.
The series also includes stories by writers like Phanishwarnath Renu, Vishnu Prabhakar, Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, Sumitranandan Pant, Kamleshwar, Amritlal Nagar, Yashpal Jain, and Mohan Rakesh, among others.
"Indian Fiction for the Young" series is aimed at bringing to adolescent readers the best stories selected from India's diverse languages and literary traditions.
The series includes Narendra Kohli's "Jhabri evam Anya Kahaniyan", Subhadra Kumari Chauhan's "Kadamb ke Phool evam Anya Kahaniya", and Mannu Bhandari's "Trishanku".
"These compilations are inspiring and impactful as they capture the true feelings, concerns, and doubts of young adults in a simple yet impressive manner. These stories help in the character building and also inculcate the values of Indianness," the publisher said.
The two series are being developed in different Indian languages, including Assamese, Bengali, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, and Marathi.
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