Ever since she was able, Nidhi Rajesh Menon has been an avid reader and writer. And now at just 8 years old, she’s a published author, too.
Her book, “Charlotte Learns a Lesson,” became available this month on Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats.
The lesson in the 24-page book by the La Jolla Elementary School third-grader is to never take things from strangers — something that has been reinforced to Nidhi in her education and at home. She wanted to the message to other children in a relatable and colorful way, she said.
“It’s easier when it comes from one kid to another, as opposed to when it comes from an adult to kids,” said Nidhi’s mother, Rajani Kutty, who provided logistical for the book.
Nidhi said she feels “special” and “unique” for releasing her book at such a young age.
Kutty said they expect a copy of the book will be available soon in the local authors section at the La Jolla/Riford Library.
“The library is my [special] place, and it looks like it’s her place, too,” Kutty said.
Nidhi identified her goal of writing a book through libraries and reading books. Kutty realized her daughter was serious about publishing a book last year.
“What inspired me to write the book is that I saw other authors’ works out there and I thought I wanted my work out there,” Nidhi said.
Kutty and Nidhi agree that she got her “writing side” from her father, Rajesh Ambasudhan, chief strategist at Allele Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals and an associate professor at The Scintillon Research Institute and Scripps Research.
To get started on the book, Kutty just had to point her in the right direction, she said.
“She writes a lot — long stories, elaborate plots, elaborate characters,” Kutty said. “And she had all these short stories. I said ‘If you want to publish something, pick something small to work with.’”
Helping with the logistical side of publishing “Charlotte Learns a Lesson” was a learning experience for Kutty as well.
“It’s a lot of ideas and parts and everything you have on paper. But then when … you have to make a book out of it, there’s a lot of things you have to start editing [and] proofreading,” Kutty said. “What is redundant? What can you put in? What makes sense?”
Kutty said she’s proud to see her daughter take on such a project. And in a note at the beginning of the book, La Jolla Elementary School teacher Kelly Skommesa praises Nidhi’s “fierce creativity, self-motivation, courage to experience new things [and] ion for acquiring knowledge and brilliance.”
Before the release of “Charlotte Learns a Lesson,” Nidhi was named one of five nationwide winners for a separate writing project in February’s Scholastic Storyworks 3 contest, in which students were prompted to write as though they were journalists covering an earthquake in Alaska.
Nidhi has plenty of time to figure out what she wants to do as a career, but writing is already under consideration, at least in some capacity.
“Maybe as a side job I will be an author,” she said. “I don’t know if I want to be a full-time author, but I do want to publish more.”
She already has plenty of content. Before writing “Charlotte Learns a Lesson,” she had several short stories in the works, as well as a 151-page chapter book. That project may come to light when she becomes more acquainted with the publishing process, she said.
Proceeds from sales of “Charlotte Learns a Lesson” will go to the San Diego Library Foundation. To get a copy, go to bit.ly/3SKZ0k3. ♦
