Arthi Muthanna: Reading Has Been One of the Greatest Influences on My Own Life and Career [Children's Author, Founder - Syllables27, India]

Arthi Muthanna Interview

 

Arthy Muthanna Singh is an award-winning children's author, editor, journalist, and co-founder of SYLLABLES27. With more than 70 published books to her name, she has dedicated her career to creating engaging, inclusive, and educational stories that inspire young readers.

Q. You started your career as a journalist and later went on to author more than 35 books. How would you describe yourself today, and what has your journey been like from journalism to becoming a children's author?

My career has taken me through many different paths. In many ways, though, it all began in school. I started writing for the school magazine while studying at a boarding school in Ooty, where I had a brilliant—if strict—English teacher, Miss Bell.

Writing was always part of my world. My maternal grandmother was an author in Kannada and the Kodava dialect, and she was someone I deeply admired. She was a feminist long before the term became widely used. My mother is also a poet and author, so becoming a writer always felt like a natural aspiration.

I began my professional journey in journalism and thoroughly enjoyed it, though I eventually moved into advertising, first as a copywriter and later as a Creative Director. After that, I returned to writing and editing in various forms. I worked as the Goa and later Delhi correspondent for Inside Outside, and while living in Mumbai, I regularly contributed to Verve magazine under the leadership of Anuradha Mahindra. That period gave me the opportunity to interview remarkable personalities, including Shah Rukh Khan and Manjit Bawa.

I also spent a few years teaching at a non-formal school in Goa and later worked for more than thirteen years as a Senior Editor with the Limca Book of Records at Coca-Cola India's headquarters in Gurgaon.

In 2018, a writer friend and I took a leap of faith, left our jobs, and co-founded SYLLABLES27. Since then, we have co-authored 27 books under the partnership, with many more in the pipeline. Today, writing full-time is both my profession and my passion.

Q. What inspired you to write children's literature specifically? Was there a particular moment or experience that made you choose this genre over others?

My journey into children's literature began after my son was born.

He loved stories, and once we had exhausted the books available at home, I started inventing new stories for him every day. One of those stories was submitted to the children's page of Deccan Herald, and to my delight, it was accepted for publication. That moment marked the beginning of my writing career for children.

Even while working full-time, I continued writing and publishing books. Over time, I accumulated dozens of published titles. I also experimented with poetry and fiction for adults, though with limited success. Children's literature felt like the most natural fit.

I was fortunate that my early manuscripts were accepted by publishers fairly quickly, which gave me the confidence to continue writing for young readers. Looking back, the genre chose me as much as I chose it.

Q. Your Eeeeeeeks! series is both educational and entertaining. What was the thought process behind creating these books, and how did the idea first come to you?

My co-author and I have always admired the work of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in India. We wanted to create books that were informative but also playful, engaging, and fun.

Children today are constantly surrounded by information, so we felt it was important to present knowledge in a way that would spark curiosity rather than feel instructional.

As both a mother and a teacher, I noticed that children often reacted to insects with the same word: “Eeeeeeeks!” That instantly felt like the perfect title.

The series eventually focused on four fascinating creatures—the mosquito, ant, bee, and cockroach. Co-published by WWF and Puffin, an imprint of Penguin Random House, the books were brought to life by four exceptionally talented illustrators. The response from readers has been incredibly encouraging, and the series remains one of my favorite projects.

Q. You have written books on inspiring personalities such as A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Mahatma Gandhi, Satyajit Ray, and the Dalai Lama for young readers. What inspired you to bring the stories of such influential figures to children, and how did this idea originate?

Interestingly, this four-book series was created for readers of all ages, not just children.

The idea originated in 2019 during the celebrations marking Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary. We proposed a commemorative book on Gandhi to our publisher at Penguin Random House, who immediately saw potential in the concept and suggested expanding it into a series.

The result was a beautifully produced Collector's Edition set—hardbound, richly illustrated, and designed to make the lives of extraordinary individuals accessible to a broad audience.

The research involved was extensive and often challenging, but it was also deeply rewarding. It remains one of the projects I am most proud of.

Q. In today's digital age, how important do you think reading is for children? What impact do books have on a child's imagination, creativity, and overall development?

Reading is more important today than ever before.

Books have the power to expand horizons, nurture empathy, strengthen imagination, and help children navigate an increasingly complex world. Reading allows young minds to explore new ideas, perspectives, and possibilities in ways few other mediums can.

I witnessed this firsthand while raising my son. The time and resources I invested in cultivating his reading habit have paid off tremendously. Today, he is an avid reader, often reading multiple books simultaneously and actively participating in book clubs.

For me, reading has been one of the greatest influences on my own life and career. I credit my lifelong reading habit for helping me become such a prolific writer.

I was fortunate to grow up in a home filled with books. Living on a remote tea plantation in the Nilgiris, books became my gateway to the wider world. The Nilgiri Library in Ooty played an especially important role. Every week, I would borrow six books, read them all over the weekend, and return them the following Sunday.

Those experiences shaped me profoundly. Reading is not simply an academic skill; it is an essential life skill.

Q. If you were a child today and could choose just one book to introduce yourself to the joy of reading, which book would you pick and why?

Without hesitation, I would choose Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.

It left a lasting impression on me as a child. Growing up in the Nilgiri Hills, I found the descriptions of the English countryside surprisingly familiar and easy to relate to.

I was captivated by the adventures of Rat, Mole, Toad, and Badger, but even more by the friendship they shared. Having spent much of my childhood at a boarding school in Ooty, friendships were incredibly important because we were all far away from our families.

That emotional connection made the story unforgettable. It is a book filled with warmth, adventure, and companionship—qualities that make it a wonderful introduction to the joy of reading.

Bio

Arthy Muthanna Singh is a children’s author, freelance journalist, copywriter, editor and cartoonist, Founder-partner / co-author at SYLLABLES27, an independent publishing startup venture started in 2018, which produces books for children up to the age of 14 on a turn-key basis for various publishers and organizations that work with children; diverse, inclusive and colourful.

She has published 36 books and co-authored 35. She has conducted creative writing workshops at the British Council Library (Mumbai and Delhi), IIT Delhi, IBS Business School, Gurgaon, The British School, Delhi, Alliance Francaise, Goa, etc. She conducts book reading sessions in various schools and libraries on a regular basis, lately at the Museum of Goa.

She recently conducted story-telling sessions for children and Creative Writing sessions for adults and children during Serendipity 2025 in Panjim from Dec 16-21, 2025. She had a session on story-telling during Goa Arts and Literature Festival (GALF) 2026 and moderated a session too. She conducted two Creative Writing sessions during the Goa Open Arts Festival in Panjim, Goa, on Feb 21, 2026. And the latest: she held a story-telling session based on 4 of her books at the Read a Kitaab Lit Fest in Mumbai at Title Waves on March 1, 2026. She was selected to participate in a Writing Residency for three weeks (Nov 7 -Nov 27, 2025) at Chateau d’Orquevaux in France, one of the top ten residencies in the world. She was the only Asian to be selected.

She grew up in the Nilgiris and spends a lot of time in Kodagu (Coorg), where she is from. She lives in Goa, India.

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Interviewed by -Himanshi Bhatt