For a bestselling writer, whose take on mythology has won him fans across all quarters, including Baahubali filmmaker SS Rajamouli, admitting nervousness about a new book, comes as a surprise. But writing for kids isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, admits Anand Neelakantan, who has debuted as children’s author with his recently released title, The Very, Extremely, Most Naughty Asura Tales for Kids (Puffin Books).

"They are the toughest readers to please," says Neelakantan. "When my children were younger, I’d tell them stories, and if I would slack off at some point, they’d immediately go off to sleep. The best storytellers are the mothers, because they know how to modify a story, based on what they feel their child would like."