Author Interview : Aditi Bose, author of 'Hama-Guri goes to School'

Read up, Aditi Bose's  Author of  'Hama-Guri goes to School' Interview. In here you would find, the story behind the story, what the name 'Hama-Guri' means and her personal stories behind the story. How she came up with the stories and how they could turn out to be wonderful reads are all in here Folks... 

Read up the Review right here.

 

How did ‘Hama-Guri goes to school’ happen? Could you describe the journey? 

It began with me telling a story to my child every night. Soon, she didn't want fairytales, anymore. Instead, I was given any word or object and I had to weave a story around it. 

Since she was picking up Bengali words at that time, she heard the word 'hamaguri' from her uncle and wanted a story around it. Hamaguri, in Bengali means to crawl. 

That's when I decided that I would create a character called Hama-Guri. And stories around him started. While I have written a few others on my blog www.kiddiestory365.com, these 5 are special. They all deal with an aspect that most kids in the age group 5-10+ face, nowadays.

How did the story, especially Hama and his mother’s come about? Did you have a lot of personal/ school experiences to go with it?

Being a mother, I have always had to come up with ways to deal with situations. And to do this, it has always been a mixture of fun, logic, harsh truths and also ‎constant support.

That's the same kind of relationship that Hama shares with his mother. She's a mum and his best friend. 

What according to you is different about your book?

There are innumerable stories that come with a moral. Where Hama-Guri's stories differ is that the moral is depicted in an entertaining manner. 

It also brings out the relationship that a child shares with the

mother. When the kids read the book, they will like the light and breezy tone of stories and when the mothers read it they will get ideas of how one can solve tricky situations in a pleasurable manner.

How would you relate the lives of characters to the lives today? Any similarities ? 

I think that all the stories are very relevant in today's age. But the tales are not just about issues that children face. It is about how they can easily come and share it with their parent and about how the parent and how she deals with the situation.

While a father figure is very important in a child's life, somewhere I feel that the first seed of trust and faith is sown by the mother. So, if the mother can handle various delicate situations effectively and yet kindly, the child grows up to be a trusting and self-confident human being. 

What was the most challenging part about writing this book? 

I knew I wanted to depict the morals / learning in a way that was different. So, thinking of innovative ideas was the most challenging part of writing this book. 

For example, when it came to time management, I had to do a lot of reading to get an idea that would be new and yet something, that a child would understand. I even spoke to a teacher of mine with regard to this.

Who was it that told you that you could become the author, you are today?

No one did. This is one of those things that you just know is correct. You don't need to be hand held for it. 

But yes, if you say who told me that I was a good story teller then I would say that it was my entire family - parents, brother, husband and the little one.

When will you next book be out?

Should be around August - September of 2015.

 

Which book are you currently reading?

I am currently reading 'The Last Wave' by Pankaj Sekhsaria.

Who are your favourite authors and why?

If it's children genre then Enid Blyton hands down any day. No one sees the world through the eyes of a child better than her. 

Otherwise I'm a great fan of Danielle Steel. The poignancy in her stories is incredible - she can make you laugh and cry at the same time.

What else do you do on a daily basis? 

I am a mother. (laughs). To de-stress, I swim and paint handmade cards.