Category Books

Recognition

At the Karadi Tales and Karadi Path offices in Chennai, the mood is ebullient ever since news came in that both – the publishing house and the education firm – have been shortlisted for three London Book Fair International Excellence Awards this year. The award, new in their sixth edition, is held by the London Book Fair in partnership with the UK Publishers Association. There is enough and more reason to celebrate. As many as 29 countries are represented in this year’s shortlist, and all three shortlists from India are from the Karadi Company. Karadi Tales has been shortlisted for Audio book Publisher of the Year, the other nominee being Penguin Random House, the U.S. Karadi Path has been shortlisted in two categories: the Education Initiative Award and the Educational Learning Resources Award. This is the second consecutive year Karadi Tales has been shortlisted for Audio book Publisher of the Year while Karadi Path is the only organisation shortlisted for awards in two categories.

Shobha Viswanath, co-founder and publishing director, Karadi Tales, says, “It goes saying we are delighted. We were very strong contenders, but to be shortlisted in three categories is very special.” For a company that started in 1996, the 24 years have been a roller-coaster ride. Karadi Path, the education arm of Karadi Tales, for instance, was envisaged in the year 2000 and research and development began almost immediately. The company formally came into force only a decade later. “It’s actually validation for a lot of things,” says C.P. Viswanath, co-founder of Karadi Path, adding, “That’s about two decades of work speaking.”

Filling a void

Shobha and Viswanath, along with the latter’s Brother Narayan Parsuram, founded Karadi Tales to fill the obvious lacuna in the children’s audio books space. “We were in Detroit (the U.S) when I used to take my son Kaushik to the nearest community library and get back audio books for him. He started reading by about two years. But when we came to India, we sadly saw no quality audio books available,” she says. Their son was five by then and the entrepreneurial bug had bitten them. “We thought of a music publishing house given that the entire family was so passionate about music. But the idea that finally took shape was of a publishing house for children’s books with a strong focus on audio books.” They got voices such as Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak, Tom Alter, Gulzar, Girish Karnad and more to join them, and soon Karadi’s became the most sought-after books and audio books around the country. The company was named Karadi Tales only in 2000 after the narrator became very popular; earlier it was named Sky music India.

Focus on learning

That very year, they also started exploring avenues to revolutionize English language learning. “We responded to a Dharavi-based NGO’s feedback and that helped us take the initial steps towards Karadi Path. They were using a lot of Karadi books to teach the English language and we realised the children were responding to the non-verbal drama in the story. When we went there to see how we could teach them English, we realised they already knew three or four languages. Nobody sat down and taught them these languages. Likewise, English can’t be really taught.” Karadi Path took the route of prediction and discovery to facilitate language and learning. “We realised that just like Artificial Intelligence, language learning depends heavily on these two principles.” The learning programme is running successfully in 3,500 schools across the south and the west of India.

While they are waiting eagerly for March 10 for the awards to be announced, there is a bigger party planned for the next year when they celebrate their silver jubilee. Plans are underway for newer products and delivery innovations for audio books. An app is being tested for launch next year. “It is good to go!” says Shobha viswanath.

The challenges

Asked about the challenges faced by independent children’s publishing houses in India, she says it is the lack of support. “Take parents’ awareness, government support, library support, price points, marketing, distribution… independent publishing houses are being hit everywhere. But the heartening thing is how established publishers are starting off children’s imprints. We need that right now.”

 

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In this award-winning story of hope, Jessica Carlisle, a born runner, loses her leg in an accident that also kills her classmate. The doctor thinks that the young and athletic Jessica will make a complete recovery. But for Jessica, the loss of her identity as a runner is devastating. She spirals into depression, gets addicted to painkillers, and becomes resentful of her friends and family. Trying hard to cope with her handicap, she returns to school with her disability. People are kind but obviously awkward around her, not knowing whether or how to react to her disability. Her best friend Fiona never leaves her side. Her coach and track team really want her back. Rosa Brazzi, on a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy and with a razor-sharp mind, offers to help Jessica with Maths. The new friendship changes Jessica’s outlook to life. Soon, Jessica undergoes therapy and tries out a prosthetic leg. Slowly, she begins to walk and eventually, run in it. Soon, she is thinking of participating in the 10-mile River Run. But not alone. She wants Rosa with her. She wants to teach Rosa to love running the way Rosa taught her to love Maths. Together, they draw attention to differently abled people as people rather than their disability.

 

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Andrew (Drew) Lawson is an African-American who leads his high school basketball dreams. It’s his ticket to an admission in college because his grades aren’t great. Growing up in Harlem, one of the poorest and most dangerous suburbs of New York, exposes him to challenges and various bad influences. Drew, however, is focused and committed. His dream is to play in the college team and eventually be drafted into the NBA. This dream blurs when his coach begins favouring a new player recruited to the team and cuts out Drew’s playing time. How does Drew protect his dream and his future? Does he win the place he thinks he should?

 

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Nate Brodie is called “Brady” because he’s every bit a star like his idol Tom Brady. Because he’s the most talented player in the team, his team relies on him to win games. But the 13-year-old is grappling with more problems than other kids his age. With a moody, distant and inaccessible father and a mother working two jobs just to put food on the table and keep their house, Nate feels insecure and lonely. Adding to his misery, his best friend Abby is slowly losing her eyesight. The only bright spot is Nate’s chance to win a million dollars for throwing a football through a target at one of the games. Will Nate, crack under pressure and lose his touch or will he make the money his family desperately needs?

 

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Every four years, 12 of the best female gymnasts from the U.S. compete with each other at the USA Gymnastics Women’s Olympic Trials. Those who win make it to the U.S. Olympic team. “Tumbling” follows Grace, Wilhelmina, Monica, Camille and Leigh over the two days of the trials. The story is told from the these five women who are at different stages in their careers. Some of them are veteran athletes while some others, seemingly from nowhere, are vying for Olympic glory. For Grace, gymnastics is her very life breath. But success eludes her. Every single time. On the contrary, for Leigh, her best friend, everything seems perfect both in gymnastics and in school. And perfect it will remain until her secret remains a secret. Camille is in gymnastics to please the people around her while Wilhelmina has a score to settle with her previous self. She would not allow what happened four years ago to repeat itself. And Monica? She is terrified because nobody believes in her. Which of these has what it takes to make it to the U.S. Olympic team?

 

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