Language learning starts early
I'm Anu Anand, a BBC and Guardian journalist currently based in New Delhi with two young children. Ever since my son was born six years ago, I've been determined to teach him Hindi, in which I'm fluent. But I soon realized that even living in India, he wasn't going to pick it up unless he heard it constantly. I'm sure as a parent, this is a familiar scene: it's bedtime, your child is clean and in their pajamas; a hectic day is coming to an end. You desperately want to read him or her a story in Hindi, either by making it up, or translating an existing favorite English title. But by the time you sit down, ticking over all the chores waiting for you, you can barely keep your eyes open.
Wouldn't it be such a gift to find simple, original, beautifully produced books suitable for toddlers in English and Hindi: with lines in Devanagri for those parents who can read Hindi and in 'Roman' for those who only understand spoken Hindi? What if these books had beautiful and imaginative hand-made illustrations that were a joy for you to savor, as much as for your child?
A tiny dose of beautiful India at bedtime, no matter where you might be...!
Maybe you've looked for these books, but can only find bilingual titles in French, German, Spanish, and the odd one in Chinese? Or if you've picked up a few books while in India, they're either too complex for babies and toddlers, or badly produced?
They say babies begin to discern languages when they're only a few months old. What better intellectual gift can you give a child than his/her native language right from the start?
What I Need & What You Get
I've already produced the first book, 'Meri Bindi' or 'My Bindi'. A bindi, of course, is that iconic Indian symbol of adornment worn on the forehead. Everyone loves bindis, and in this book, young readers can follow along as the bindis turn up in enchanted places!
The illustrations, created by Lavanya Karthik in Mumbai, are sumptuous, detailed, whimsical and charming! You've got to see the way they pop off the page - computer screens don't really do them justice. Each detail on each page, from the boy's curls to the tiny dots on the ladybug's back are individual pieces of paper, torn or cut to size by hand!
I've also got a highly reputable children's publisher interested in distributing the book and in creating a series called 'Meri Duniya' (My World). However, because it is an untested market, I have to pay for the first print run of a thousand books. My aim is to start a new movement in bilingual children's literature. Wouldn't it be wonderful to see books in Indian languages from Assamese to Urdu and every wonderful language in between? Imagine being able to share your love of Punjabi, or Bengali, even if you're raising your child in Arizona or Birmingham?
- All donations fund the first, high-quality print run of Meri Bindi. I personally get no money, just the satisfaction of seeing these books in print finally.
- Donations of $8 or more get a free, signed copy and a packet of bindis!
- Donations of $30 also get an artwork print from the book
- Donations of $100 also get you an acknowledgment in the next volume
That's it! This book is 20 pages (including two pages of easy Hindi vocabulary with pictures). With your help, children all over the world will be able to cuddle up with a beautifully produced book in a language spoken by at least 1.2 billion people. I'd also like to develop a YouTube channel with original content, as well as expand to other Indian languages... and who knows, if all goes well, the next step will be Hindi/Spanish books.
¡Qué ilusión!
Other Ways You Can Help
If you can't contribute, but want to help:
- Spread the word to interested parents.
- Read to your own baby/child in Hindi (and other native languages).
- Have a 'Hindi only' day at home, once a week.
- Make a YouTube playlist of favorite Hindi kids songs to play for your child.
- Have a Hindi play date with other children, with songs and stories.