The first time I met my daughter, I was crushed by fear and love. As she squealed and wailed in my arms, I had no idea how the desire to raise her as a loving and compassionate adult would influence my creative practice.
Since that day, she has become the main character in every story. The places we visit show up in every illustration. And the values I want to develop in her are the theme of every book.
While I love being a parent, my pregnancy and postpartum period were far from easy. I struggled with anxiety and depression, and often felt very alone and misunderstood. I wrote my upcoming book, The Little Fairy Finds Her Glow, not only to entertain children but also to inspire positive change.
The book follows the journey of Sarrah, a light fairy who is very proud of the bright light that shines within her. However, when her wings become injured and she is no longer able to fly, her glow gets replaced by dark shadows, and she becomes full of fear and sadness. Despite this, she keeps searching for the answer to her question: what will make her glow shine again?
It’s important for children to understand that differences are a good thing, and that through deeper understanding, differences can be accepted and welcomed. In order to communicate this message in an age-appropriate manner, I have simplified and softened complex topics with vibrant illustrations, magical characters, and the use of metaphors.
Needing my daughter to know my story and how she brought me light in the darkest of times gave me the stimulus to write this book. I have been working on it for over a year now and I am so excited to share it with you soon.
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Tasneem Dairywala 