StoryWeaver’s Top Reads of 2015
9 years ago
Since StoryWeaver’s launch its amazing community of authors, illustrators, parents and translators have come together to help us publish 1250 stories in 31 languages that have collectively been read thousands of times (almost touching a lakh).
So, what were the most popular reads of the year on StoryWeaver? Read on to find out! You can read translations of these stories by clicking on ‘View Other Versions of this Story’ on our story details page.
TOP STORYWEAVER READS
‘I didn’t do my homework because…’ As the title of Anushka Ravishankar’s delightful story tells us, it’s all the cat’s fault! Accompanied by Priya Kuriyan’s charming illustrations, this was our most read, and remixed story of 2015. Created as part of the ‘Weave-a-Story’ campaign, it inspired over 25 versions including a translation in Khmer!
It’s clear to see why writer-illustrator Parismita’s story was such a hit last year. This beginner’s book is simple, sweet and fun to read for and to little ones.
3. Singing in the Rain (Originally written in Hindi : ????? ??? ???? ????? )
A dinosaur in Bitauna, Rajasthan? Why not, ask Mala Kumar and Manisha Chaudhry in this story about a wandering minstrel and a dinosaur he bumps into in the desert. Created as a part of the #6framestorychallenge, Rajiv Eipe’s vibrant illustrations are a delight as always.
Rohini Nilekani’s Sringeri Srinivas has his own cult following. Brought to life by Angie and Upesh’s illustrations, Annual Haircut Day is the first of three books starring this quirky character. Srinivas wants to get his annual haircut, but no one will oblige him. How does he get that much needed trim?Read the story to find out!
5. Smile Please (Originally in Hindi : ?? ??? ???? )
Manisha Chaudhry’s translation of Sanjiv ‘Jaiswal’ Sanjay’s story is perfect for young animal lovers. A fawn races her friends in the forest, but will she reach the finish line first?
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TOP READS IN INDIAN LANGUAGES
Being a multilingual platform, StoryWeaver aims to nurture diversity in languages as strongly as possible. Here are some of our most widely read stories in Indian languages.
1. ????? ????????? (Originally written in English : Paplu the Giant)
P. Santha Devi’s Telugu translation of Paplu the Giant was the most read Indian language story of 2015. Paplu is a gentle giant who avoids confrontation, but when his friends get into trouble, he steps up to save them.
2. ?????? ??? (Originally written in English: Mouse in the House)
Our community of readers loved Uday Kumar’s Kannada translation of Sowmya Rajendran and Tanaya Vyas’s Mouse in the House. Chaos reigns supreme when a furry critter enters the home.
A ‘Weave-a-Story’ creation, Rukmini Banerji and Kaveri Gopalakrishnan’s touching tale of a young teacher and the small children whose lives she changes is perfect for warming you up on a cold winter’s evening.
4. ????? ???? ?????? (Originally written in English: Jungle Brew)
P. Santha Devi’s Telugu translation of Jungle Brew by Tanya Luther Agarwal and Sanjay Sarkar tells the story of young Bulbuli and her companion Totaram’s adventure in the jungle.
5. ?? ??? ?????? ??????? (Originally written in English: Sailing Home)
Ambika Anant’s Kannada translation of Subhadra Sen Gupta and Tapas Guha’s book ‘Sailing Home’ is a historical tale set in Mamallapuram during the Pallava Dynasty. Basava and Sundari are looking for their father, a sailor, but none of the foreign sailors at the port understand what they’re saying!
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We’re thankful to our super community for weaving stories, sharing illustrations and translating stories so that they can travel far and wide.
Written imaginatively by Sreedevi Gopakumar this tale debuted on the site as a community story before it became a part of our ‘Weave-a-Story Campaign’. Malu and Moidooty resort to magic to get their hands on some mangoes, and end up awakening a terrifying demon. Greystroke’s bold illustrations take the story to another level.
Greystroke’s rib-tickling remix of Priya Kuriyan’s illustrations for ‘It’s all the Cat’s Fault’ will have you in splits.
Nalini Sorensen and Greystroke’s story is another community creation that celebrates an individual’s uniqueness! The refrain ‘North, South, East, West…I’m the best’ will be enjoyed by little listeners. This was first written for Hachette India and published in the magazine Toot in December 2011.
Written and illustrated by Vinayak Varma, this story – perfect for reading aloud – wafts along like a pleasant summer breeze. So, what did you see when the wind blew today?
Varshini Vijay takes Sanjay Sarkar and Helga Parekh’s illustrations and creates a story about friendship and courage.
So there you have it! StoryWeaver’s favourite stories of 2015. Read the ones you missed out on, re-read your favourites, translate them into languages you’re fluent in or write a story using some of these magical illustrations. We’d love to see what you’re doing with StoryWeaver, so share a link in the comments section below or tweet us @pbstoryweaver!
