Magnify your knowledge @ Jumpstart

Jumpstart 2017 will be held from August 4-5, 2017 at India International Centre, New Delhi and looks at learning in innovative, new ways, and its impact on authoring blended experiences. As a forum that brings thinkers, creators, practitioners and publishers together, JUMPSTART recognises the school as a starting point for many creative journeys. Learning, however, has moved beyond the four walls of the classroom—it’s more fluid and transcendent, it’s embracing movement and innovation. With voices from authors, teachers, tech evangelists, storytellers, artists and children, JUMPSTART 2017 is all set to tread new ground to understand learning and innovation. It will coax its participants to think like children again, take everything they’ve ever seen, heard, learnt, written, drawn, published and look at it for the first time. With a fresh perspective, an illustrator may find a gaming world in her art, a teacher may find a storyteller in herself, or a publisher may find the next JK Rowling.

Here, Prashasti Rastogi, director, German Book Office (GBO), the organisers of Jumpstart 2017, shares more on this fest.

AABP: What are the trends in the children literature?

Prashasti: Children’s content is one of the most vibrant areas in publishing, be it finding diverse voices or unique delivery models across electronic and print medium. Continuing and building on the existing trend, middle grade market is booming. So our focus at JUMPSTART this year is also leaning towards what’s hot in the domain.

Globally there is a buzz about reinvented fairy tales, dystopia, YA thrillers and stories set in space. Reading for knowledge has always been an important category so there is a rise in non-fiction and also graphic novels in that spectrum. Talking of reading for fun, character led books by putting favorite characters into a new world of hijinks is always an exciting read.

AABP: How has Jumpstart evolved over the years?

Prashasti: We’re into our ninth edition riding along the wave of broadening of the world of children’s literature into multiform narratives. From being a pure publishing platform to a more content oriented platform, JUMPSTART has put a spotlight on different themes in sync with the latest in the industry. Ebooks, Gaming, Translations, Nonfiction, Characterisations, Apps, Edutainment… everything has been discussed with much fervour over the years.

We’re particularly proud of the various positive outcomes we’ve generated for the entire gamut of attendees. Many authors have found publishing contracts at JUMPSTART and publishers have found interesting collaborators.

AABP: What can the attendees expect this year?

Prashasti: Apart from being an idea stage, JUMPSTART offers multiple structured opportunities for networking.

AABP: Jumpstart 2017 is focusing on innovation and learning. According to you, how important is this subject in the present education system?

Prashasti: As a forum that brings educators, thinkers, creators, practitioners and publishers together, JUMPSTART recognises the school as a starting point for many creative journeys. Learning, however, has moved beyond the four walls of the classroom—it’s embracing movement and innovation. For instance, dance in education, which is one of the topics of discussion at this year’s edition of JUMPSTART. The aim is to move beyond memorisation, make learning more engaging for children and integrate it with life experiences.

AABP: Between Bangalore & Delhi – where do you find audience more interactive and enthusiastic? Why?

Prashasti: We’ve had wonderful editions in both the cities! JUMPSTART is a melting pot of one and all from children’s content world. We have had such an enthusiastic participation from in both the cities that there’s no choosing one over the other.

AABP: Any plans of taking Jumpstart to other cities in near future?

Prashasti: Yes! JUMPSTART is a travelling festival, and we are looking for partners to take the festival to other cities.

AABP: Anything else you would like to add…

Prashasti: With voices from authors, artists, teachers, tech evangelists, storytellers, and children, JUMPSTART 2017 is all set to tread new ground to understand learning and innovation. Come Magnify Your Knowledge Glimpses of Jumpstart 2016 @ JUMPSTART 2017!