I have an M.A. in Children’s Literature and M.S. in Media Studies and a love for writing stories! I am blessed with two first-generation (Indian-American) kids that are my constant inspiration. This is my STORY...

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In 2010, I enjoyed interacting with Linda Simensky (then Senior Director of Children’s Programming) during my internship at PBS KIDS. She mentioned raising her kids and the state of children’s programming in the country. So as a mother, she vowed to make shows that truly matter. Today PBS KIDS is recognized as the most trusted educational media brand in the US. Her aspirations and achievements continue to inspire me.

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Growing up in India in a progressive but devout Hindu household was like blending into two extreme cultures. At school, we spoke and wrote in English (British-inspired), and at home, we spoke in Marathi.

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In time, reading and writing in English became second nature. My father, who traveled a lot, bought us books in English. Local libraries carried some collections as well. I grew up on the staple of Fairy tale versions, Little Golden Books, Enid Blyton’s work, Nancy Drew, TinTin, Hardy Boys, etc. I enjoyed reading these a lot. Particularly, the kids had the freedom to cycle in the backyard and solve mysteries or catch tadpoles from nearby rivulet or butterflies from the meadows.  Besides the characters and plots, the 7-year-old me noticed the wonderful paper and print quality while the “bibliosmia” was extra fragrant due to the export quality. And even though this experience was special and privileged, the characters (predominantly Caucasian), plots, settings were “foreign” to me.

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Indian English literature was developing.  Much work was translated from regional languages. A big chunk was mythology-inspired that generally ended with a lesson to learn. Besides mythology, hundreds of books on the lines of Aesop’s fables ended with a moral. Stories of Akbar Birbal was another popular series based on Birbal’s wit. Champak, a magazine subscription, used anthropomorphic characters to reach out to kids with didactic stories.

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Apart from the cautionary tale series, something I looked forward to reading was Tinkle and Chacha Chaudhary. Tinkle was a fortnightly magazine with many types of stories, some with stock characters. However, some stories were based on (Indian) life-like characters with storylines exploring various themes such as mystery, aspirational, or stories that perpetuated the joy of reading. Chacha Chaudhari was another fun comic book series. A smart, elderly uncle or Chacha with an outer space sidekick, Sabu, helped common folks with their problems. I enjoyed reading about their adventures.

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The availability of this literature instilled a love for reading, but that wasn’t enough. Great reading experience comes from developed, local characters and settings and intriguing plots.

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Even though a lot has changed now, and many options are available, we still have a long way to go. I want to start “Stories” to develop localized stories inspired by our South Asian lives. Stories is my effort to stand up for what I believe in. Just like Linda Simensky, I am a mom on a mission who wants the world to view her South Asian heritage in its full glory!

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And yes, not to forget the main essence of Stories derived from the dandelion. Most people consider dandelion a pesky weed. To me, it’s a pretty flower that spreads its millions of spores (read love) to keep the green cover intact. Yet such an underrated herb. Stories is dedicated to telling stories of people like the dandelion.