When Ashim Sharma went to buy a Nepali book for his 12-year-old, he was taken aback by the limited options available. Sharma’s daughter has a keen interest in reading, and eager to nurture that passion, he aimed to introduce her to Nepali literature. However, the disappointing quality and limited choices of books left him dissatisfied with the available options.
“She enjoys reading English fiction, and, seeing her interest, I wanted to introduce her to Nepali books as well. I was searching for some light-hearted fiction to help her grasp the language better since she mostly communicates with us in English. However, I was shocked to find that we lack quality books in that genre,” says Sharma.
With not many options to choose from, Sharma bought her a copy of the Muna Madan by Laxmi Prasad Devkota.
“She was not too keen on it and has asked me not to get her books like that,” he says.
The current state of Nepali children’s literature is disheartening, to say the least. While these books serve as crucial stepping stones for children to engage with Nepali literature, there is a lack of initiatives to encourage writers to create such content. Additionally, these books often struggle for adequate shelf space, hindering their accessibility and impact on young readers.
