Children’s literature is changing at a fast pace, as books too begin to compete with their more instantaneous counterpart that is video content. Our fairytales with age-old tropes of prince saving the princess and a moral lesson at the end of it all are getting a much-needed makeover in the hands of artists and authors who are young and understand the need of the hour. Conversations nowadays have to address pressing concerns like climate change and gender roles. Enter Daffodil Lane Books, a niche publishing house that launched on October 14 with a clear aim to address these very concerns while also making the journey visually appealing and interesting for children. Founded by Sanya Podar, the aim of this boutique publishing house is to never publish more than six-seven books a year and focus on content that engages more than it preaches.
“I always found some kind of gap in the market when it came to storytelling that included certain relevant topics of the times. Especially for the world that we live in today, it is imperative to have the right conversation starters,” said Sanya.
Podar has always worked in content since graduation and now, at 29, having been an avid reader all her life, this was a passion project that took two years to build. “I always found some kind of gap in the market when it came to storytelling that included certain relevant topics of the times. Especially for the world that we live in today, it is imperative to have the right conversation starters,” said Sanya.
As of now, it’s Sanya and an illustrator working together to launch this house that has created four picture books that are available on Amazon. The process of finding the right story is organic as is finding the right author to work with. “Content is super important to our process so whenever I get a story that is worth telling, we begin the process of putting it together,” she added. And it is unlike the workings of other publishing houses where a manuscript is sent and read through and then processed into a book. At Daffodil Lane, it is a collaborative and more detailed effort.
Some of the topics that Sanya definitely wants to explore have perhaps already been discussed before but she aims to bring nuanced and layered thinking to the readers. “I don’t want children to feel scared when they learn about climate change, as if doomsday is at the door! I want them to wade in slowly instead of jumping into knee-deep water,” said Sanya.The aim is to get children to start thinking for themselves. One of their stories is on deforestation and upcycling, while another is about a little chicken with self-esteem issues! For the festive season, one of their books also revolves around a festival but from the house pet’s perspective.
Not wanting to bite on more than they can chew, the idea is to take the house forward one day at a time without a specific agenda in mind. “We want to minimise the number of books so that we don’t rush them and can do them justice with the right amount of effort that is required. Like using ethically sourced paper for the books was something we did,” she added.
The storybooks available now from Daffodil are called One More Does Matter Lana, Try Your Best Patrick, and Cat’s Diwali, while a fourth one is a book of stickers exploring adventure called Sticky Scapes. Sanya tells us that she has a very exciting list of books lined up for the next publishing cycle and that she is keen on working with fresh talent who have a unique voice to offer. We can only wait!
