Chitwan: When writing for very young readers, especially in a book about a historic Indian city, design is crucial to balancing information with engagement. There are so many stories and places to write about, not to mention culturally unique things. To capture this without making it overwhelming, I worked with the illustrator to add tidbits about food, culture, nature, history, and physical space, combining short sentences of text with vivid art to give the reader an immersive experience a little taste of what each city really feels like. The toughest thing was choosing what to keep and what to leave out!  

Frontlist: The book blends travel, culture, and storytelling. What inspired you to introduce Delhi through the curious eyes of children like Adi and Arya? ​

Chitwan: I drew on my own experiences of visiting places in Delhi, my memories of what struck me—the height of the Qutub Minar, the enormousness of the Red Fort, the warm sunshine and cold air of a winter picnic in Lodhi Gardens, ice cream at India Gate on hot summer nights. I believe that children especially experience cities through sensory stimuli, and I wanted to capture that through this book.  

Frontlist: As someone deeply involved in experiential learning, how does this book reflect your belief that education should go beyond textbooks?  

Chitwan: I think textbooks have their place in teaching concepts and facts, while real-world experiences like travel and exploration can help tie those concepts to how things play out in the world. So I think being able to connect a monument to a historical fact, for instance, can make that fact more memorable.  

Frontlist: Food, history, and exploration are key elements in the story. How important was it for you to include sensory experiences like local food and real places to engage young readers? ​

Chitwan: Yes, because this is what interested me as a child and what I see interests my children as well. Through listening to their conversations about what they found fun, like watching a chaiwala expertly pour chai into glasses, or the pigeons fluttering up as a flock, I got some insight into what kids in particular are drawn to. This helped me identify what might be engaging when depicted in the book.  

Frontlist: Your academic background spans philosophy and education. How do these disciplines influence the way you write for children?  

Chitwan: I see reading as a pathway to holistic development, by which I mean the development of individual identity, confidence, articulation, and curiosity, as well as simply factual knowledge. This core understanding of what reading can do to shape a child’s ability to engage with and analyse their world is what influences how I write.  

Frontlist: Today’s young readers are growing up in a digital-first world how do you ensure a book like this competes with screens while still nurturing curiosity and imagination? ​

Chitwan: There is really no way to ensure that a book competes with screens—but you do what you can to make the book colourful, full of details, so that it will hold a child’s attention, and interesting enough to keep them coming back for more.  

Frontlist: Beyond being a travel story, what values or life lessons do you hope children take away from Adi and Arya’s adventures? ​

Chitwan: I hope that this book, and all the others in the series, will encourage children to look around them, to notice the many quirky, interesting sights that Indian cities have to offer. I want them to appreciate the variety and diversity of the way people live and engage with their contexts. ​

Frontlist: If “The Reader of Tomorrow” were to visit Delhi after reading your book, what kind of curiosity or perspective would you hope they carry with them?

Chitwan: I hope they will take the time to look around and see all the interesting, odd, absurd, or moving things there are to see in an Indian city, and therefore appreciate the many different facets of life.