The 7th edition of the Bookaroo Children’s Literature Festival transformed the grounds of Delhi Public School (DPS) Srinagar into a vibrant hub of creativity and learning on Saturday. The festival, which runs through the weekend, brought together children, parents, and 27 renowned speakers from across the country for a day packed with storytelling, art, science experiments, music, and crafts.
With seven parallel sessions running every hour across six venues, the festival captivated around 3,000 attendees. From 9:45 am to 4:00 pm, the grounds buzzed with excitement as children moved between the auditorium, crafty corner, doodle wall, studio, and various workshops.
Highlights of the day included Nicholas Hoffland’s humor-filled sessions, Sadaf Hussain’s explorations of food and spices, Canato Jimo’s musical exchanges, prank-filled interactions with Zarin, and Adil Shaikh’s demonstrations of the power of water. Mamta Nainy’s word tangles, Niloufer Wadia’s bird show, Garima Gupta’s reimagining of cities, and DK’s fascinating dinosaur sessions also drew large crowds. The storytelling sessions by Sonia Duggal and Shefali Malhotra, along with Team Hoshruba’s captivating Qissebaazi performance, were met with packed houses and enthusiastic applause.
One of the major attractions was the appearance of Julia Donaldson’s beloved character, the Gruffalo, who wandered the festival grounds, delighting children and posing for countless photographs and selfies.
Swati Roy, Festival Director, expressed her delight at the vibrant turnout. “Srinagar has always been special for us ever since we began in 2011. Bringing the joy of books and reading has never been more delightful. This year’s spread of programs for the weekend has many interesting sessions. We thank our speakers, the publishers who supported and backed us to the hilt, as well as Delhi Public School, Srinagar, which has been home to Bookaroo for seven years.”
Nicholas Hoffland, reflecting on his session, said, “The energy and curiosity of the children here are incredible. It’s a joy to see their faces light up with each story and experiment.”
Sadaf Hussain, who led a session on food and spices, remarked, “Food is a universal language, and seeing the children connect with it through stories and activities has been immensely rewarding.”
Adil Shaikh, a passionate STEM trainer, shared, “Teaching science in a hands-on, engaging way is what I love. Today, seeing the kids’ excitement as we experimented with water was truly special.”
The Bookaroo Children’s Literature Festival will continue with a fresh lineup of sessions, promising another day of enriching experiences for young minds. Parents are encouraged to bring their children for a unique opportunity to engage with literature and creativity in an age-appropriate and enjoyable manner.
