September 8
is International Literacy Day—a day that
reminds us that literacy is not merely about knowing how to read and write. It
is also about opening the door to imagination, knowledge, curiosity and a
lifelong love for learning.
This year, as we celebrate International Literacy Day, an initiative
that beautifully brings books,
children and readers together deserves attention.
One Day, One Story – ODOS 2026
Every year, Pratham Books conducts One Day, One Story (ODOS), a wonderful reading
initiative that takes stories beyond the pages of a book and into the hands of
children.
For ODOS 2026, two books from the Pratham Books catalogue are
selected and made available to registered Reading
Champions. These champions then become storytellers, readers
and friends to children around them.
The idea is simple:
Choose
a book. = This year's books - I LOVE TO READ & ASHA'S VOICE
Gather
children.
Read
together.
Share
the joy of a story.
And sometimes, the simplest ideas
create the most meaningful experiences.
Reading in the language closest to the heart
One of the most beautiful aspects
of ODOS is its celebration of Indian
languages.
The selected books are available
in several Indian languages, allowing Reading Champions to choose books in
their regional language or mother tongue.
There is something special about
hearing a story in a language that feels familiar.
A child may understand the words
more easily.
A grandmother may enjoy narrating it.
A parent may remember stories from their own childhood.
And a child who is still discovering the world of books may realise that books can speak their language too.
Literacy becomes more meaningful
when children can experience reading not as a classroom exercise, but as
something joyful and familiar.
Books travel where children are
ODOS is not confined to one
school, one city or one kind of reader.
The initiative reaches Reading Champions across India, creating
opportunities for people in different places to bring children together around
stories.
Physical copies of the selected
books, along with the ODOS banner, are sent to the registered Reading
Champions.
And then comes the best part.
There is no rigid classroom.
No particular place is prescribed.
No complicated arrangement is
necessary.
A Reading Champion can gather
children and read at a convenient time and place—perhaps
at home, in a school, a library, a community space or simply under a tree.
The book becomes the meeting
place.
The Reading Champion
A Reading Champion need not be a
professional teacher or a storyteller.
Anyone who believes that children deserve the joy of books can become part
of such an initiative.
The role is wonderfully
uncomplicated: take the book to children and read with them.
Read aloud.
Pause.
Ask questions.
Look at the pictures.
Let the children respond.
Laugh at the funny parts.
Wonder about the characters.
And perhaps, after the story ends,
listen to the children create stories of their own.
That is how reading slowly becomes
a habit.
And perhaps even more importantly,
it becomes a shared experience.
Literacy is more than learning alphabets
When we talk about literacy, we
often think about classrooms, alphabets, words, examinations and textbooks.
But a child's literacy journey can
begin much earlier and much more naturally—with a story.
A child who listens to a story
learns new words.
A child who looks at illustrations
learns to observe.
A child who asks "Why?" learns to think.
A child who predicts what might
happen next learns to imagine.
A child who narrates the story
back learns to express.
And a child who discovers a
favourite book may become a reader for life.
This is why initiatives such as
ODOS are significant. They make reading an
experience rather than an assignment.
Two books can begin a reading journey
ODOS may place two books in the
hands of a Reading Champion, but those two books can travel much further.
From one reader to a group of
children.
From one story to another story.
From one language to another.
From one generation to the next.
Perhaps a child who listens today
will pick up a book tomorrow.
Perhaps another child will ask for
the same story to be read again.
Perhaps someone will discover a
new favourite character.
And perhaps a Reading Champion
will discover that reading aloud to children is as enjoyable for the adult as
it is for the child.
Because the
joy of reading is contagious.
Let stories do what stories do best
We don't always need elaborate
programmes to encourage children to read.
Sometimes, we simply need to put a
good book in front of a child and give them time.
Give them a reader.
Give them a story.
Give them the freedom to listen,
imagine, question and enjoy.
That is the spirit behind One Day, One Story.
And on International Literacy Day,
it is worth remembering that literacy is not only about creating readers who
can decode words.
It is about creating children who want to read.
Because once the joy of reading
enters a child's life, the book need not remain open only for one day.
One
day. One story.
One
child. One book.
And
perhaps, the beginning of a lifelong love affair with reading.
A
little story can go a long way.
Happy International Literacy Day 2026!
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