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Children's books proving popular at Indian fair

Children's books are proving popular at the 19th New Delhi World Book Fair 2010, with exam-assisting volumes selling particularly well

The fair has set itself up to appeal to the country's younger generation, with most of the 2,400 stalls dedicating at least a small section of their area to kids' books.

Indeed, it is these sections, which are run by both domestic and foreign sellers, that are the liveliest and busiest parts of the fair, according to the Times of India.

This will come as good news to those involved in boosting readership rates among India's younger citizens, with the buzz likely to translate to larger volumes of purchases and increased numbers of children reading.

However, the real hit of the event has been a book called Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE), a collection of sample exam papers for a new examination system.

The appeal of the CCE book is down to the fact that many children are hoping the test examples can boost their chances of exam success.

Poonam Batra, a parent whose children will soon be sitting the exams, told the news provider: "I am glad to find these CCE sample papers for my son.

"Without these, preparing for CCE exams would have been very difficult. We have no idea how the new system works.''

While the success of the CCE book would have bee widely anticipated, booksellers have registered a surge in interest on environmental issues, not an area traditionally associated with children's literature.

Books such as My Vibrant Planet have been particular hits.

Mamta Sharma, a visitor to the book fair, said: "These books are serving a double purpose. The quiz books on nature and environment help gain knowledge as well as make my child aware of his responsibility towards the neighbourhood and habitat.

"The best part is the books have retained the fun element which would help attract a child's attention," reports the newspaper. 

While the fair also offered alternative fun for the children, such as puzzles, games and competitions, the desire among India's youth to get their heads stuck into books bodes well for the country's publishing industry and well as its literacy rates.