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Reading is a fundamental need: Thalatha Wijeratne

07 Mar 2020

Sri Lankan writer Thalatha Wijerathna published an adventure novella named Little Heroes of Randeniya for kids and it became a finalist at the International Book Awards 2019 – Children’s Category organised by the American Book Fest. Located in Los Angeles and Phoenix, American Book Fest is involved in numerous aspects of the  publishing and entertainment industries. The writer, Thalatha Wijerathna shared her experience and insight with Little Stars during a recent interview. [caption id="attachment_74071" align="aligncenter" width="441"]The writer, Thalatha Wijerathna The writer Thalatha Wijerathna[/caption]  Tell our Little Stars audience about yourself. I am a science graduate from the University of Peradeniya with more than 36 years of experience as a high school teacher. I obtained my Master of Arts in Education from University of  Peradeniya. Moreover, I am a member of the Translators’ Pool of the Official Languages Department of Sri Lanka. I got into writing with the use of the stories that I made up for my kids. Currently I’m retired but I do some work as a translator and a writer. I am an avid reader and it has helped me improve my ability to reshape my writing.   Now, tell us about your new book Little Heroes of Randeniya too.   It’s an adventure novella inspired by my childhood. Little Heroes of Randeniya is based on village life in Sri Lanka and tells the story of two mischievous but intelligent brothers. Their vivid childhood rich with traditional values of Sri Lanka, from Vesak festival to New Year festival, gives them the curiosity and courage to explore outside the day-to-day boundaries. The children find themselves in an unexpected situation as a result of mischief towards the end. Also, praise has to be given to the illustrator, Mr. Prabath Wijayantha, who painted colourful pictures for the book.   What inspired you to write for children?   I think since I’m a teacher I understand kids better. I have studied child psychology, so I think I know what suits their needs. I hope my book will fulfil the shortness of Asian child heroism.   What do you think is easier, writing for kids or writing for adults? Tell us why. Writing for adults is easy since that audience is mature, but kids have developing brains so you need to write what suits them. One of the main challenges of writing for children is making sure you use the correct format of book for the correct age. For example, children’s books need to have pictures in them. I want children to learn new words, phrases, and ideas from Little Heroes of Randeniya. I have written it in simple language using imagery to make the book very effective for school children as a library book.   Where can we find this book?   It is available at Sarasavi Bookshop outlets and MD Gunasena bookshops.   Can you tell our readers what can be done to improve their reading habits?   I think reading should be a hobby for everyone. Reading is one of the most fundamental skills a child needs to learn to succeed in life. Reading develops vocabulary. The more your child reads, newer words will find their way into his or her vocabulary. Always carry a book and try to read something while on the bus or at home. Parents should lead by example while persuading their kids to make reading a habit. Reduce the time you spend watching television or browsing the internet. Gift your children books on their birthdays.   Are you planning on writing more books for kids in the future?   Currently, I’m working on the sequel to Little Heroes of Randeniya. Writing makes me happy and it is a way of keeping busy during my retirement.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A fine children’s story of the nostalgic past Reviewed by: K. A. Sandunika Hasangani  Little Heroes of Randeniya is a candid expression of the bygone days of rural Sri Lanka, where bullock carts were a regular sight, kewum were made at home for Sinhala and Tamil New Year Festival, and kids spent their entire evening in the woods and streams freely and happily. The story is based on a rural setting; the school headmaster’s family, their house, and the village school. It unfolds naturally with an authentic illustration of rural lifestyles, New Year festival, Vesak celebrations, and traditional games in Sri Lanka. The story attains an adventurous tone towards the end, attracting the minds of the readers, specifically children. The unvarnished picture of follies and merits of rural characters, their social bonds, the beauty of the unpolluted environments, and genuine human relationships are admirably explicit in Little Heroes of Randeniya. In that sense, the author’s attempt to pass those experiences to the younger generation of our time, who are living in quite individualistic and materialistic societies, should really be appreciated.   Among some of the technical specialties, the author’s careful inclusion of the glossary terms with additional information on some Sinhala terms, and also the insertion of colourful graphics throughout the story should be specially mentioned. These features increase the readability and add a “textbook” quality to this storybook. The language used by the author, Ms. Thalatha  Wijerathna, is simple yet full of imagery and that helps the young readers to imagine the past and perhaps it would also encourage them to inquire and research more on the histories of their parents’ as well as grandparents’ lifestyles in rural Sri Lankan settings. Thus, this book can be recommended to readers of all ages, specifically to kids, and more specifically to the ones who are living in urban settings, having little connections with the natural environment.   (The writer is currently a PhD candidate in the field of social sciences. She’s one of the winners of UNESCO’s Global Youth Photo Contest 2017 )

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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!


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