Small Wonder

The Chatterjee family shifted to Plano,Texas,in 2008,from Pune. In city now to spend her vacations,Tanya wants her book to be published in India as well. “When I gave my book to my teachers in Texas,they were so happy that they put it on display for all other teachers and students to come and see. I was even awarded the best author title in my class. But I am an Indian,so I want my book to be read and recognised here as well,” says Tanya.

Tanya began exploring her authorial talents at the tender age of five,and believes she inherited the flare for writing from her grandparents,who are authors of business management books. “I started writing stories when once we were vacationing in the Himalayas. I wrote about the places we visited and also a story about a farmer who turns into a giant,which I had imagined along the way,” says Tanya. “My little brother,Ishan,loves to listen to me tell him stories about elephants. This is why I chose Dara,the elephant,as the main charater of my book. In the book,Dara teaches people to listen to their parents,not to touch other people’s things and other morals,” she adds.

Tanya is now writing a novel for children,about a family that is on an isolated and haunted island and the adventures that they have there. It should be ready for publication in a few months. “My daughter is a voracious reader. Give her a dollar and she will run to pick a book from the book store rather than buy anything else. She will be performing her arangetram in bharatnatyam soon and learns painting too. Being methodical,she has a habit of planning her work and therefore manages so many tasks,” says a proud Adity.