Children’s Literature Foundation Nepal, under their initiative ‘For Children by Children’, released a new book written and illustrated by young writers amidst a ceremony on Saturday at Nepal Art Council, Babarmahal.

The book ‘Karan and the Cartoon’, written and illustrated by nine-year-old Ashriti Shrestha and Sameer Kju, 18, was unveiled by centenarian Satya Mohan Joshi.

“This is a new dawn for children’s literature,” said Joshi, unveiling the new book in the presence of other children writers, students, academics and artists. “This drive [For Children by Children] should reach from Mechi to Mahakali because every kid is creative and there is a lot of possibility for this branch of literature to blossom; children just need the platform, but right now they are deprived of opportunities,” said Joshi.

The story, which flows parallel to the illustration both in Nepali and English, shows how children of today’s age are addicted to mobile phones and its psychological impact over them.

The interesting part of the event was that even the commentary of the book was done by child critic Soina Dahal.

Speaking at the programme K K Karmacharya, member secretary at Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, welcomed the move, saying, “Today’s event was special because the youngest pupils created literature and the country's oldest chief guest unveiled it,” said Karmacharya.

Meanwhile, Kartikya Ghimire, chairman at Children’s Literature Foundation, said the foundation is taking children story writing competitions all across the country to unleash their hidden talents.

After the book launch programme was over, Joshi also inaugurated a one-day drawing exhibition by Shrestha.

“We didn’t realise when our daughter started drawing; it may have been the impact of our work on her,” said Ashriti’s father Abin Shrestha, who is a well-known artist. “The pictures we have kept in the exhibition are those which she drew since the age of two.”

He further added how art helps kids to express their emotions in the most easy and effective way and how it can be an effective medium for adults to learn from in everyday life.