Writing is very challenging. More so when one has to write for kids!

People may think what is all the fuzz? After all, they are kids.

Well, but kids are not some casual and inconsequential readers. They are extremely talented, smart, choosy and picky about what they read.

It requires a LOT of creativity and patience to please this special category of readers.

Unless you have a plot that was going to keep them glued, one may not pass colorful in writing for kids.

Here is a book series which takes lovely day to day activities and creates plots for kids to get glued on to.

About Tania’s Adventures

The series portrays a little girl ‘Tania’ as the protagonist. As Tania grows, the plots also change thereby the language also gets tougher. What started as “The Tania Quartet” expands to become “Tania’s baker’s dozen”!

The first four books, the quartet, are for tiny tots – 2 to 5 year olds. The plots include kitten, pancake, cycle, treasure hunt, giving birthday gift to mom etc. These plots for sure will remind everyone of the time they spent with their kids, or as a kid with their parents.

From the very first book, Tania sails through simple experiences which every kid can relate. For example, the treasure hunt book focuses on the treasure hunt played by her parents with Tania.

My daughter related this book to her last birthday when we played this game with 7 gifts. She got excited and had decided to write a story just like Tania’s!

Tania grows up to think big. Tania’s attempt to please her mom by giving a birthday gift is a touchy and cute story. It helps to build a bridge between dad and daughter too. And then there is another story that helps to develop a quality that was going to help the kids in future – learn to say ‘no’ without hurting the feelings.

There is yet another fascinating story where the kid gets to play Nancy Drew to find her lost doll. Then comes a costume party for her friend’s birthday. I could feel the adrenaline flowing through not just the kid but for the mom also as they sit together to decide what to wear, how to prepare the costume, etc.

Then she is really growing up to use a big word like “Narcissist”  Of course, just at the story level. This one will definitely help the current generation which is getting addicted to gadgets forgetting their talents and qualities! Read this to your kids and help them understand.

And there is a touch of our culture where our heroine celebrates Diwali. This story takes her through the customs that are being followed there by touching upon the food and celebration part too.

About the Author, Kanika G

The author of the series, under pen name Kanika G, is a mother of two. She has spent enough time in the USA to get influenced with both Indian and American culture and writing style. The author has a Ph.D in Physics and had worked as a postdoc.

After the first baby, she yearned to do something creative. When her angel was close to 2 years old, she wanted to introduce her to the world of books. But the little one got bored and kept running off.

This kindled the creativity in Kanika, she collected few pictures of cats and dogs as her little one was interested in animals. Then she put on simple sentences and made out a story on these. There was no specific ‘plot’ as such. That is how the first book “The Poor Bedraggled Kitten” got started and Bingo!

Tania loved it!

Yes, Kanika has named the protagonist after her own little daughter “Tania” for the character, after all this character is modeled after her! When little Tania loved to help her mom in the kitchen, the second plot was out – “Tania Makes Pancakes”.

Tania started loving these stories and she was open to listening to longer stories as well.

Then the author wanted these books that are being loved by her daughter to spread to other kids too and she decided to epublish them. As Kanika was neither keen on making money out of this nor was longing for some Pulitzer, she self-published them.

Once she got good feedback in ebook forums she got encouraged. Maria Schneider from Bear Mountain Books helped her in putting these in kindle edition. Thus the books are available in Amazon too with the bear minimum mandatory charge of $0.99.

It is lovely to realize that the author has not cared for royalty and all she wants is a lot of kids to read and like them. She has in fact sent free printed copies of “Tania Quartet” to libraries across Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Gurgaon and have got positive feedbacks.

Available Locations

Here are the details of where the books are available –

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/GeeKanika

Also on Amazon in print and kindle formats –

www.amazon.com/Kanika-G/e/B00MVP4FAI

And the libraries where the books are available in India –

Mumbai –

Curious Kids Circulating Library

Kidos Library Edupark at http://www.kidoslibrary.com/

MCubed at http://mcubedlibrary.com/

Chennai –

Little Spark library http://littlespark.in/

Readers Club http://www.readersclub.co.in 

Gurgaon – The treasure Trove a Library for Kids http://thetreasuretrove.in/

Bangalore – Rainbow Club Kidz Library

Trivandrum – Schoolkutti children’s library http://schoolkutti.com/

Delhi – Learning Square library and play centre

The Little Reviewer

OK now let me give you an honest feedback from a real customer – my DD!  Now in her own words –

“THE BOOKS WERE VERY INTERESTING. I LIKED THE STORIES VERY MUCH THAT I WANTED TO FINISH THE ENTIRE SERIES AT ONCE INSPITE OF MOM’S SHOUTING AT ME!! PRETTY GOOD STORIES! MY FAVOURITE STORIES ARE TANIA TALES.”

PS – There are other stories posted under Tania’s Blog as well.

Acknowledgement

I would like to thank Viswamitra sir for reviewing my draft and providing helpful suggestions and edits.