Reviving the delight of reading

Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu:

An array of illustrated and colourful books lined up neatly greeted people from all walks of life as they turned up at the British Council, Lainchaur to mark the UNESCO designated World Book Day on April 23.

The British Council, which has been organising Book Exhibition for the last six successive years, displayed almost a hundred books, which are also going to be available in the library from April 26. Rita Rajbhandary, Information Officer, British Council said, “To revive children’s interest in books and to help foster the belief that reading too can be good fun is what we seek to accomplish with the event.”

Books by the likes of celebrated children book authors Enid Blyton and Anna Sewell were also featured in the exhibition. The other books which were featured at the exhibition were Black Beauty, Chimp and Zee, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Mutiny on the Bounty, Pocahontas, Robinson Crusoe, Sinbad the Sailor and the Wind in the Willows.

These books are considered as classics still today and in the exhibition were expected to be surefire hit with the children.

“The exhibition though chiefly draws the children, it also attracts a good number of adults who want to feel the sheer delight to be taken away in the world of imagination and magic while they revisit their childhood,” Rajbhandary cited.

A quiz contest based on the displayed books and the British Council’s service was also conducted. Three lucky winners of the quiz contest received free library membership for a year and a selection of books to impart the joy of reading.