One book that inspires you...

On World Book Day, youngsters tell Asra Mavad why books are their best friends

Geronimo Stilton

An Era of Darkness

Harry Potter

World Book Day is celebrated on April 23 every year by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote reading, publishing, and importance of copyright. Globally, it is also known as the World Book and Copyright Day or International Day of the Book. It was first observed in 1995 and is celebrated in 100 countries across the globe. On this occasion, we asked youngsters across Karnataka about one book that inspired them.

Harry Potter

Author: J K Rowling

The globally popular series of seven novels by British author J K Rowling is a favourite among youngsters. Sana Faizal, a 10-year-old, says the characters of the fantasy novel inspired her to write a book. “The fantasy and the mystery in the novels pushed me to be creative and write a book. Maya, a character from my book, was inspired by Harry. She has many of his characteristics,” the Bengaluru-based girl tells Open Sesame. Likith S also finds Harry Potter exciting. “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is my absolute favourite. I find Harry and his friends very interesting. I aspire to be the same way with my friends. The book also helped me improve my vocabulary,” says the 13-year-old from Sira. He believes the book teaches the importance of love and friendship.

An Era of Darkness

Author: Shashi Tharoor

Allen Philip Rasquinha, 13, is a voracious reader. “I spend a lot of time reading both fiction and non-fiction literature. It’s one of my favourite hobbies,” says the Mangaluru-based teenager. Talking about the book that has inspired him the most, he says: “I recently read ‘An Era of Darkness’ by Shashi Tharoor and it was very different from everything I had read. It gave me so much insight into the British rule, making me more patriotic.”

Geronimo Stilton

Author: Elisabetta Dami

‘Geronimo Stilton’ is a chapter book series by Italian author Elisabetta Dami. The series is set in a fictional version of Earth dominated by anthropomorphic mice and rats and focuses on the titular character, a mouse. “The mouse has such a go-getter attitude, it is very refreshing. His journey inspires me to be brave, and effective in problem-solving,” says Mohammed Shaan, a 14-year-old from Bengaluru.

The Serpent's Revenge

Author: Sudha Murty

A fiction novel by Sudha Murty, ‘Serpent’s Revenge’, is a take on the Indian Epic ‘Mahabharata’. The book inspired Gowri Praveen, 13, to hone her writing skills. She wants to write a book in the future. “The writing is simple yet very captivating. The book inspired me to write more like her. I want to write in simple English and communicate well with the readers,” says the Bengaluru-based student.