Udupi : “The time has come for adults to read children’s literature to discover the child in them,” said Jayant Kaikini, writer and lyricist, here on Wednesday.

He was speaking after releasing two books — “Makkala Padyamanjari” a book of poems for children by late Kayyara Kinhanna Rai and “Moggina Maatu” by Kathyayini Kunjibettu —published by the Manipal University Press (MUP) here.

Mr. Kaikini said that it was wrong to think that children’s stories and poems were meant only for children. “Given the present times, it is time ‘adulterated’ adults also read them. They take you back in time, when you (the adults) were young and saw the world with curiosity and without being judgmental,” he said.

He said that the poems written by poets such as late Kayyara Kinhanna Rai were a joy to read even now. They spoke of a harmonious world. Mr. Kaikini wondered about the efficacy of nuclear families, which were the order of the day. He alluded to the joy of living in joint families which were in vogue a few decades ago.

He said that money and power were being given too much importance in the today’s world. Such was the situation that youngsters did not want to attend weddings and family functions. This was because they were being pestered with questions about their careers.

“Everyone wants the youngsters to become Bill Gates. They do not want the youngsters to become litterateurs such as late Kota Shivaram Karanth or late Dinaker Desai,” he said. Good literature had the power to uplift people. Poems and literature could broaden people’s horizons and lift them from narrow attitudes and barriers, Mr. Kaikini said.