Children’s Book Trust, India’s pioneering non-profit publisher dedicated to children’s literature, celebrated its Children’s Happiness Day at its stall during the 49th International Kolkata Book Fair with the launch of a special awareness initiative titled ‘Book Helps, Mobile Harms.’ The campaign aims to highlight the importance of cultivating reading habits amongst children from an early age while drawing attention to the adverse effects of excessive mobile phone usage.
Located at Stall No. E-63, CBT is showcasing a curated collection of over 1,000 affordable children’s books in English, Bengali, Hindi, and Urdu, spanning picture books, storybooks, and knowledge-based, value-driven titles. The celebrations marking the Children’s Happiness Day witnessed the presence of children from Child in Need Institute (CINI) NGO, who graced the occasion and symbolised the Trust’s commitment to inclusive learning and child development. Renowned storyteller Golpo Dida, Ms. Sudeshna Moitra, Mr. Sujoy Roy, National Advocacy Officer, CINI along with Ms. Rana Siddiqui Zaman, Lead Strategist – Content, Communications and Promotions, Children’s Book Trust, were present at the inauguration to support the campaign and interact with children, parents, and visitors, reinforcing the collective responsibility of society to nurture young minds through books.
Through the “Book Helps, Mobile Harms” campaign, Children’s Book Trust is addressing growing concerns among parents and educators about the impact of excessive screen time on children. The campaign highlights how overuse of mobile phones can adversely affect eyesight, mental well-being, concentration, and overall development. In contrast, it underscores the long-term benefits of reading, including improved focus, imagination, critical thinking, creativity, and sustained knowledge generation, helping children build a healthier and more meaningful relationship with learning, benefits that digital screen exposure often fails to provide.
In support of the “Book Helps, Mobile Harms” campaign, global data underscores growing concerns about mobile phone usage among children. According to the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report 2023–24, at least 79 education systems worldwide have introduced bans on smartphone use in classrooms, reflecting rising awareness of how mobile phones can distract students and negatively impact learning outcomes. The report highlights that even the mere presence of a smartphone—with notifications or alerts—can significantly reduce student attention on academic tasks, and that inappropriate or excessive use of technology is linked to poorer focus and diminished academic performance. These international trends add weight to CBT’s campaign, reinforcing the need for balanced digital habits and greater emphasis on traditional reading and sustained engagement with books, especially during early developmental years.
Global research and data highlighted across Google-indexed studies indicate that excessive mobile phone usage among children is increasingly linked to poor concentration, disrupted sleep patterns, eye strain, anxiety, and reduced academic performance. Studies show that prolonged screen exposure—especially before bedtime—can significantly reduce sleep duration, affecting memory, learning ability, and emotional well-being. Experts also warn that early and frequent smartphone use limits sustained attention and deep thinking, encourages passive content consumption, and reduces opportunities for imagination, physical activity, and meaningful social interaction. These findings reinforce the urgent need to balance digital exposure and promote reading habits that support healthier cognitive and emotional development in children.
Mr. Kishore Lal, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Children’s Book Trust, said, “Our participation in the 49th International Kolkata Book Fair is not merely about selling books; it is about reconnecting children with the joy of reading. With the ‘Book Helps, Mobile Harms’ campaign, we are responding to parents’ concerns about excessive screen exposure and reaffirming that books remain the most powerful medium for learning, imagination, and value formation.”
With a legacy of 69 years, the New Delhi-based Children’s Book Trust has played a pivotal role in shaping generations of readers through high-quality, well-illustrated, and affordable Indian children’s literature. Its participation at the Kolkata Book Fair forms part of CBT’s broader ‘Look East Policy’, under which the Trust is intensifying its engagement across Eastern and North-Eastern India.
Ms. Rana Siddiqui Zaman, Lead Strategist, Content, Communications and Promotions added, “Children today are spending far too much time on digital screens. Books help nurture curiosity, imagination, concentration, and a healthy outlook towards life. As a non-profit trust, our goal is to ensure that good books remain accessible and affordable for every child, especially those from low-income families.”
CBT’s focused outreach under the ‘Look East Policy’ is increasingly resonating across cities and towns such as Asansol, Patna, Panagarh, Siliguri, Ranchi, Guwahati, Darjeeling, and Shillong, where parents and children alike eagerly look forward to opportunities to engage with books and rediscover the joy of reading.