CHENNAI: The tale of a young village girl Malli, who gathers gifts for her family when they come to visit, rang a chord with readers. This time, author Jeeva Raghunath has returned with a sequel to Malli with the upcoming Malli Is Coming.
The book launch will be held at the Tulika Bookstore, Alwarpet, today at 5 pm. Alongside the launch, Jeeva will host a storytelling session and illustrator Nancy Raj will hold a craft activity. The event is open to all above three years.
This time, Malli decides to visit her family in the big city. Most of the book is set in her village with her grandmother — a tech-savvy, terrace-gardener, and a colourful character. “I loved the grandmother character. When we say grandmother, you think of a lady with a bun, but this character is unique. All the characters in the book are relatable,” said Nancy.
The sequel comes 14 years after the original was published. Jeeva explained that she had been pondering on new and interesting themes that were previously unexplored. “The idea for this came to me when I was sleeping one night. The book is very close to my heart. I love children and I feel that children’s writing suits me best with my abilities,” she said, adding that the inspiration for Malli’s character came from her father. “He always said help people only if you can, otherwise, don’t. If you help, don’t expect anything in return. These blessings come back when you need them the most,” she said.
Nancy believes that illustrations are important to enhance the reading experience. “Art is a kind of visual storytelling and is a narration in itself. I have always felt that art doesn’t just support a narration, but takes the text above and beyond,” she said.
For details, call 24991639