A new children's book, narrating the story of a youngster on an adventure-filled journey, has been released with the option to be personalised in any three different locations from Iceland, Turkey, Egypt, Mongolia, Bolivia, and the Western Ghats.
The Unusual Adventures of a Gutsy Explorer, published by Merlinwand, is an illustrated tale of an inventive youngster from a picturesque Indian village who has a longing to go on unusual and exciting adventures in different parts of the world. It is written by author and teacher Pujita Krishna, and illustrated by Bengali artist Abira Das.
"The fancy-free, young protagonist in my story with a thirst for adventure, pretty much materialized on its own! The travels to far off destinations were a semi-deliberate attempt to also educate the young readers about lands and cultures they may be unfamiliar with, in a fun way, without seeming to be instructive. The bigger challenge though was to write it all out in verse and have it fall into place without any loose ends," said the author.
In the book, according to the illustrator, the main character cycles down the world’s most dangerous road, travels to the land that dates to the time of the Pharaohs, walks through mesmerising bazaars and dramatic landscapes, and rides atop Bactrian camels.
"The hardest part was to illustrate these amazing places with all the complex details, yet keep it simple enough for kids. Incredibly grateful to Merlinwand for giving me the opportunity to work on this and create this amazing book which can reach curious minds across the world, with an added element of personalisation," said Das, the illustrator of the book.
The publishing house, which gives children the unique option of having the protagonist on their own name, aims to "help kids explore the world where they can learn and create in a fun and engaging way".
"We have another interesting story in the pipeline, titled The Land Beyond the Moon, which is about a child who is coping with the loss of their pet. Apart from this, we are in the process of tying up with corporates to create customised story books," said Sudarshan Vig, CEO, Merlinwand.
The book, priced at Rs 1,499, is currently available for sale on the website of the publishing house. Merlinwand's previous books include The Climate Ninja, The Tingling Finger, and The Music Band.
(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline and strap have been changed.)
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