Alphaverse at MBIFL 2025: Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan takes young minds to magical world of stories

Alphaverse at the Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters came alive with the magic of storytelling as renowned author Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan ignited young minds through a captivating session. 

Best known for her children’s books, including the award-winning 'Indi-Alphabet' (Mango and Marigold), 'Prince with a Paintbrush: The Story of Raja Ravi Varma' (Westland), 'It’s Time to Rhyme' (Aleph), and 'Parvati the Elephant’s Very Important Day' (HarperCollins), Shobha has made a significant impact on children’s literature. 

Her first book for adults, 'Good Innings' (Penguin), is currently being translated into Malayalam.

During the session, she shed light on the different types of children's books, many of which are often misunderstood or overlooked. She emphasized the importance of reading and how her writing style has evolved over time to remain engaging in an era dominated by various forms of entertainment. 

She discussed the transformation of storytelling, making it more appealing to children through innovative formats.

She introduced young readers to poetry books, 100-word stories, and picture books-genres that are particularly engaging and visually stimulating. She also spoke about her book on Raja Ravi Varma, which incorporates comic-style speech bubbles and fun facts to capture children's attention and make learning more enjoyable.

For this session, she chose 'Treasure Trove of Timeless Tales', a collection of short stories that retell old classics such as 'Kayamkulam Kochunni', 'Aesop’s fables', and 'Tenali Rama' in a more engaging and visually appealing manner. 

Shobha beautifully summed up the essence of storytelling by saying, 'One world, many stories, many stories pointing to one world,' highlighting the crucial role of reading in shaping young minds.

The session concluded with an interactive Q&A segment, where curious young readers eagerly asked about her writing process and creative inspirations. Her dynamic storytelling-marked by engaging modulations, expressive tone, and immersive narration-captivated the audience, drawing a lively crowd of young book lovers to the Alphaverse stage, where they eagerly stepped into the enchanting world of stories.