Sonia Dogra, a former educator, has ten years of teaching experience. In 2016, she transitioned to freelance copyediting and editing for Authorsupfront, where she worked on several fiction, nonfiction, and poetry projects. Sonia collaborated extensively with Keekli, a children’s bilingual periodical, contributing to both its print and online editions. Under their guidance, she compiled and co-edited three children’s anthologies. Sonia’s poetry and short stories have appeared in numerous national and international magazines and anthologies. She aims to dignify the commonplace through her writing, highlighting the ordinary and often overlooked aspects of our social world.

Sonia talks to us about her book, KUHU LEARNS TO DEAL WITH LIFE.

What is your book about? Share an elevator pitch.

Seven-year-old Kuhu Joshi must take control of her life when she has to turn into an interview ninja, master surviving skills for a PT class, cope with a suffocating high-neck, an audition disaster and a new sibling, among several other challenges—whoever said childhood is easy was clearly mistaken!

Why is it different? What is its USP?

The ordinary is extraordinary in Kuhu; this is what makes it different. It uniquely highlights a seven-year-old’s daily struggles, the solutions to which require no unicorns. Instead, the answers to her problems remain practical and realistic, thanks to her supportive environment that gives her the tools every child needs. It is also the underlying theme of the book.

Why did you write this book?

I had two things on my mind: first, I wanted to address the concerns of children that are often, if not always, downplayed by adults. While a school sports day selection may not matter much to us, it likely means a lot to the child. Typically, we are either indifferent to these issues or trivialise them, overlooking the fact that they influence a child’s character or outlook. Children need attention. What may seem insignificant to adults can be a huge challenge for them. Second, as someone from a hill town, I wanted to depict the unique lives of children there, vastly different from city life, in all aspects like academics, holidays, winter, etc. It’s beyond mere adventure or scenic beauty. It comes with its own problems that many people are unaware of because they haven’t found enough mention in stories. 

Why does this book matter?

Kuhu’s story has many facets but it primarily focuses on empowering children by acknowledging their feelings. I want them to know their problems matter. It is also a book for adults to help them see things from a child’s perspective.

Can you think of comparable books in your genre/category?

This book draws heavy inspiration from Tetsuko Kuroyanagi’s 1981 work TOTTO CHAN, especially the character of Kuhu that takes after the protagonist of this acclaimed book. At the same time, its style can remind one of contemporary children’s books like Lakshmi Iyer’s WHY IS MY HAIR CURLY and Shabnam Minwalla’s WHEN JIYA MET URMILA or Shruthi Rao’s MANYA LEARNS TO ROAR. Like Ruskin Bond’s books, it captures the essence of small hill towns. 

Three words to best describe you.

Cheerful, upbeat, sleepyhead.