Young scribes take to book fair

New Delhi, Feb 6 (UNI) They will roam around, have a detailed look at the books displayed, talk to publishers and book lovers and cover a variety of cultural and educational programmes being organised during the nine-day 18th World Book Fair in Pragati Maidan.

They are not scribes rushing to take bytes and file exclusive stories for their news organisations but young kids between the age of five and fifteen years having a brush with reporting.

National Centre for Children's literature in partnership with National Bal Bhavan is bringing out a daily bulletin -- Akkad Bakkad Times -- for children that would provide information about the developments in the Children pavilion along with poems, articles and stories written by the budding journalists.

Twelve children have been selected in the editorial team which brings out the two-page bulletin.

''The idea has been taken from the summer newsletter of Bal Bhavan and our bulletin is based on the same layout,'' editorial member Ishan Wadhwa said.

''The young editorial members are trained and know all about 'five W's and one H' besides having a wide knowledge on publishing, photography and printing,'' another member Mohd Anas said.

The bulletin would help the children to link with the ongoing activities in the Fair and give an honest feedback on the special arrangements made for them, NBT director Nazhat Hassan said.

It was in 1985 that the NBT began to organise book fairs and exhibitions exclusively for children on regular basis.

'Children's Literature' was the theme of the 14th New Delhi Book Fair, 2002, when the trust envisaged the setting up of exclusive pavilions for children to promote creativity, familiarise and encourage interest in them towards reading.

These pavilions not only showcase the activities for and by children but also serve as a forum for cultural exchange for writers, illustrators and activists working in the field of children's literature.

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