Sindhu Narasimhan Of Abracadabra Books On The 5 Things Parents Can Do To Help Their Children Thrive and Excel In School
An Interview With Jake Frankel
Establish a Routine: Consistent routines help children feel secure and manage their time effectively. A parent might set a regular homework time, ensuring their child has a dedicated period for studying.
School is really not easy these days. Many students have been out of school for a long time because of the pandemic, and the continued disruptions and anxieties are still breaking the flow of normal learning. What can parents do to help their children thrive and excel in school, particularly during these challenging and anxiety-provoking times?
To address this, we started a new series called ‘5 Things Parents Can Do To Help Their Children Thrive and Excel In School.” In this interview series, we are talking to teachers, principals, education experts, and successful parents to learn from their insights and experience.
As a part of this interview series, I had the pleasure to interview Sindhu Narasimhan.
Sindhu Narasimhan is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Abracadabra Books, a publisher covering non-fiction children’s books reimagining how children engage with printed content in the digital age. Narasimhan’s passion shines through Abracadabra Books as it addresses declining reading levels by integrating modern educational principles with approachable storytelling. With consistent praise from educators and parents, the company continues to expand its catalog. Prior to Abracadabra Books, Narasimhan spent over a decade in technology, developing mobile apps and AI-driven platforms for companies including Amazon and Roku. Narasimhan’s mission is to spark a renewed passion for reading by blending technology-inspired design with the tangible benefits of physical books.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us a bit about your “backstory”?
My journey began with a passion for education and a desire to provide children with engaging and meaningful learning experiences. I founded Abracadabra Books with the goal of offering a new age of children’s non-fiction that combines education with entertainment. Our mission is to inspire a love of learning in children by providing them with content that is not only informative but also captivating.
Throughout my career, I’ve observed the changing educational landscape and the rising significance of alternative education models. At Abracadabra Books, we embrace this shift by creating non-fiction books for kids in the smartphone age. Our goal is to foster a love for reading in children in this technology-driven world.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
The most interesting story from my career is about how it began. I came to the U.S. as a student from India, with just a one-way ticket and a suitcase, driven by my passion for technology and a desire to learn from top tech schools here. This taught me the power of conviction and the importance of being cautious yet unafraid of the unknown. After spending fifteen very successful years in tech, I transitioned to creating kids’ books, again driven by passion and an obvious gap in the market. The lesson remains the same: follow your heart, but apply intelligence and first-principles thinking to achieve your goals.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
I’m inspired by the Steve Jobs quote: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward.” Often, people overthink the complexity of learning a new skill or starting something new because they want to see the full picture before they begin. This hesitation can prevent them from taking risks or pursuing what truly matters to them. This quote has encouraged me to pursue fulfillment and purpose in my day job and business, leading me to take unconventional paths that have ultimately served me well in the long run.
Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Creativity, Curiosity, and Relentlessness. As a dyslexic, I possess a lot of creative energy. To fully harness this, I made challenging career transitions in my tech career. Although I was a mediocre software engineer, I excelled as a designer because I pursued my creativity. This relentless pursuit involved figuring out how to make this transition, despite few others doing so. Ultimately, it yielded greater benefits than I had imagined. I carry these traits with me as I aim to disrupt the children’s non-fiction space. My goal is to approach children’s books with creativity, while also being curious and relentless in understanding what’s missing in children’s literature today and how I can address this gap as an upstart.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
We recently launched our national parks box set, and I’m thrilled that it will soon be available on Amazon. This project is particularly meaningful to me because it not only covers national parks but also discusses conservation and how young members of society can help protect nature’s wonders in the U.S. Additionally, I’m working on our sports series, which covers group, individual, winter sports, and martial arts. This series addresses a significant gap in sports literature for young kids.
For the benefit of our readers, can you tell us a bit about why you are an authority on how to help children succeed in school?
As a children’s book author, I am deeply connected to academia and regularly interact with teachers, child development experts, and librarians. In fact, we have several of them on our team, advising and collaborating with us to create these books. We are addressing the challenge of helping children succeed in school and life by providing them with engaging tools to foster reading and curiosity. This is why we are fundamentally reinventing non-fiction for our smartphone generation kids. I believe we are all on the same team, including parents and teachers, as we all share the goal of seeing our children succeed.
Can you help articulate the main challenges that students face today that make it difficult to succeed in school?
1. Lack of Curiosity: The stress of cramming for grades and exposure to uninspiring literature can diminish students’ natural curiosity. This can result in a lack of engagement and interest in learning.
2. Insufficient Focus on Fundamental Skills: There is often a lack of emphasis on teaching fundamental skills like reading and math using proven methods. This can lead to gaps in students’ foundational knowledge, making it difficult for them to succeed in more advanced subjects.
3. Neglecting the Whole Child: A focus on merely imparting concepts without addressing the holistic needs of students can be detrimental. Incorporating social-emotional learning (SEL) is essential to foster well-rounded development and support students’ emotional well-being.
Can you suggest a few reforms that you think schools should make to help students to thrive and excel?
1. Reduced Emphasis on Grades: Shifting the focus from grades to learning can reduce stress and encourage a growth mindset. Schools could implement a competency-based assessment system, where students are evaluated on their understanding and mastery of subjects rather than just test scores.
2. Phonics-Based Learning: Reintroducing phonics-based learning can improve literacy rates by helping students understand the relationship between letters and sounds. This approach can be especially beneficial for early readers, enabling them to decode words more effectively.
3. Holistic Education: Incorporating social-emotional learning, mindfulness, and life skills into the curriculum can foster well-rounded development. Schools could offer classes on emotional intelligence, stress management, and communication skills.
4. Use Non-Fiction for Cross-Curricular Learning: Utilize non-fiction books to bridge subjects like science, history, and language arts, demonstrating the interconnectedness of knowledge. For example, a science book about climate change could be used in both science and social studies classes.
Can you please share your “5 Things Parents Can Do To Help Their Children Thrive and Excel In School?”
- Encourage a Love for Learning: Foster curiosity and a love for learning by engaging in educational activities at home. For example, a parent might take their child to a science museum or read books to teach their children a little more about the world. This is where amazing non-fiction is essential as it enables you to do story time, but also explore the world together with your child.
- Establish a Routine: Consistent routines help children feel secure and manage their time effectively. A parent might set a regular homework time, ensuring their child has a dedicated period for studying.
- Communicate with Teachers: Regular communication with teachers helps parents understand their child’s progress and needs. For instance, attending parent-teacher conferences can provide insights into areas where the child excels or needs support.
- Provide a Supportive Environment: Create a conducive learning environment at home, free from distractions. A parent might set up a quiet study area with all the necessary supplies, making it easier for the child to focus on their work.
- Encourage Extracurricular Activities: Participation in extracurricular activities can enhance social skills and confidence. A parent might encourage their child to join a sports team or a club, helping them develop teamwork and leadership skills.
As you know, teachers play such a huge role in shaping young lives. What would you suggest needs to be done to attract top talent to the education field?
I believe teachers are some of the most selfless individuals, genuinely caring for their students and always striving for their best. However, the system often stifles the best teachers by limiting their choice of grade level, students, team, classroom, or curriculum. This needs to change. We should treat our best teachers as the leaders they are, granting them more control over their day and class. This would allow them to tailor education to their students’ needs and set them up for success. By doing so, we can restore the satisfaction teachers derive from positively impacting their students’ lives, which they desperately crave.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why?
I’m always intrigued by J.K. Rowling as an author. Beyond her vivid imagination and storytelling, her story is one of grit, perseverance, and self-belief. Sharing a meal with her would provide an opportunity to discuss how she nurtures her creativity and continues undeterred by others’ subjective opinions. I believe it would be an incredibly enjoyable experience!
Thank you so much for these insights! This was so inspiring!
Sindhu Narasimhan Of Abracadabra Books On The 5 Things Parents Can Do To Help Their Children Thrive… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.