You Are The Star

Palak Saxena isnt an ordinary Class I student,she is a princess who lives in a seaside castle with her parents,a king and queen,and spends her evening dancing the ballet on the beach.

Children become heroes in customised books,fuelling their interest in reading

Palak Saxena isnt an ordinary Class I student,she is a princess who lives in a seaside castle with her parents,a king and queen,and spends her evening dancing the ballet on the beach.

I even have a book written on me, she says ecstatically,pulling out an illustrated hardcover called The Ballerina Princess. Indeed,the heroine of the action in the colourful pages is a six-year-old child called Palak Saxena. Look,my story, cries Palak. The Ballerina Princess is part of a growing list of customised storybooks that feature individual readers as one of the main characters. The other title that jostles for Palaks affection is Beauty and the Beast,in which she enters into the charmed garden in which lives a cursed prince trapped in the body of the beast.

Custom-made books have seen a resurgence in the past six to eight months,with at least two major web portals http://www.mypersonalizedmall.com and http://www.iandmystory.com publishing such titles for young readers.

Children are the heroes of these stories,which range from tales like Panchatantra and Pinocchio to stories drawn from everyday life, says Rajiv Aggarwal of the website i&mystory.

In Noida,10-year-old cricket-crazy Pulkit Jain flips animatedly through his personalised book. It chronicles his biggest dream,playing in the cricket team of his school. The book,called You Are The Champ begins with Pulkit feeling a bit grumpy,a bit left out because being a shy boy,he hadnt gone for the (cricket) selection matches even though he would have loved to play for the school.

Then,in a fairy tale-like twist,Pulkit not only plays but actually hits a six off the last ball to pull off a stunning victory. Feels very good, he grins,adding that You Are The Champ is his favourite read,and possibly the only one that matches his fascination with video games.

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Mypersonalizedmall,which has licenses for the Marvel and DC Comics is flooded with offers for books in which children join forces with superheroes like Batman and Spiderman. Our parent company is the US-based Best Books,which offers 40 titles,but only 12 titles work for India. Young boys love Batman and Spidey but arent fond of Mother Goose or Noahs Ark stories, says Manoj Dalal of the company.

As Pulkit points out,the best part of the books is that the characters are drawn from people around him. For example,three of his friends feature as side characters while parents,grandparents and cousins are among those that children encounter when they read the stories.

Pinocchio begins with the childs father building a puppet,while True Friends,a Panchtantra story,talks about Moms surprise lunch menu.

As Ritu Gupta,principal,Sneh International,points out,These personal touches help a child relate to the storyline.

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In the process,they begin to appreciate books and reading, she says.

Though customised books are too new to have made a deep impact on childrens reading habit,Gupta believes they have potential. Aggarwal insists that the companys research has shown that customised stories also shape childrens narrative skills.

Young children,love to read out their stories and the right diction and expression comes naturally to them.

Also,children dont like to throw away these books,so they will learn a valuable lesson in building a library.

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The books,priced between Rs 350 and Rs 500,dont come cheap,but both firms have sold more than a thousand books . Personalised books have become popular birthday gifts as well. The publishers will introduce several other titles this summer,though Pulkits wishlist,A customised storybook in which I grow up with Harry Potter will not hit the shelves anytime soon.

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

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You Are The Star

Palak Saxena isnt an ordinary Class I student,she is a princess who lives in a seaside castle with her parents,a king and queen,and spends her evening dancing the ballet on the beach.

Palak Saxena isnt an ordinary Class I student,she is a princess who lives in a seaside castle with her parents,a king and queen,and spends her evening dancing the ballet on the beach.