Ten-year-old bibliophile turns author with The Dancing River
Ages passed and strangers arrived, different in wisdom and virtue. Along, they brought a new queen, born to rule.
So goes a prophecy in The Dancing River, a book written by Thanusree Shyamkumar, which follows the adventurous journey of a trio who move mountains to reach their destination.
Perhaps it’s a metaphorical nod to the writer’s own journey in the world of literature. Though only 10, Thanusree has read hundreds of books in all genres. For this Malayali residing in Dubai, the love affair with books began at the age of three.
“Even when she was a toddler, she used to listen very keenly to the stories we read her. Now, she can read and write on her own. But the same fascination for stories remains,” says Shyamkumar, Thanusree’s father.
From Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book and Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days, the youngster’s interests have graduated to timeless classics in English literature, namely The Scarlet Letter, David Copperfield, and Frankenstein among others. These gems now deck up her personal library.
Thanusree is now experimenting with different genres. Her latest is non-fiction, especially those books on influential people in science and politics.
“Mahatma Gandhi, Subash Chandra Bose, Lal Bahadur Shastri, A P J Abdul Kalam, Ratan Tata… you can ask her about any influential person,” her father says proudly.
“I love reading about Indian history, our freedom struggle and the heroes who pioneered and steered it,” says Thanusree, who has read over 500 books and is a frequent visitor to a nearby library.
The youngster’s journey as a bibliophile began during the Covid lockdown.
“I couldn’t play outside or meet my friends during that time. I was bored. That’s when my father brought some books from the library. Then, the Amar Chitra Katha comics were my first pick,” she recollects.
Thanusree’s interests are not limited to books alone. She is also an enthusiast of martial arts and Carnatic music. What’s even more astounding is that this youngster knows five languages, including Sanskrit, for which she takes lessons from a tutor.
Although Thanusree has marked her expertise in writing, she wants to pursue a career as a scientist. She has also successfully cleared several levels in various Olympiads.
“I want to be a scientist. But, I want to write too. Hopefully many, many books,” Thanusree says, her small eyes gleaming with hope.