Meghalaya: 13-year-old girl writes books on magic

By Biplab Dey

TURA:

While most teenagers her age are watching TV or playing games on their parents’ mobile phones, 13-year-old Nayaab Suhel wrote a children’s book and even got it published.

Nayaab is a Class VIII student in BSF Senior Secondary School, Shillong, and the book is a culmination of two years of hard work and dedication.

Her father is a doctor working with the BSF, and her mother is a teacher at St George’s School.

Born in Burdwan in West Bengal, the 13-year-old girl stated that her inspiration came from writer Enid Blyton, whose children’s books were something she grew up with. She also loves Chris Colfer.

“My father’s transferable job has meant that we kept hopping from one place to another. Books have been my best friends. I am shy by nature and speak very less, but I pour out my heart through my writings,” said Nayaab on why she wanted to be a writer.

“Being the only child, and because of my father’s work, I never had permanent friends. Hence I developed a passion for reading books, which ultimately turned out to be my permanent and best friends. It eventually instilled within me a desire to write,” Nayaab added.

For Nayaab, the passion was always reading books, and when asked whether she needed toys or books, the answer was always a magnanimous yes to books.

“My demand as a birthday gift has always been more books. My uncles who came to know of my interest didn’t have to be asked, thereafter, I had hit the bull’s eye. You can check my room. It says it all,” she said.

Other than reading and writing, Nayaab has a passion for drawing and painting. She also loves to watch cartoons, especially ‘Sinchan’.

On what makes her book unique, Nayaab said that her book ‘Flamingo in Vamprickle Land’ is about an imaginary world of witches and wizards.

“Flamingo, the principal character of the plot, is a young witch who is preparing to contest for ‘The World’s Greatest Witch/Wizard Contest’. It describes her journey in a special vessel to an enchanting land, with foods never heard of before. There are enchanting spells which are bound to mesmerize the young readers. It’s a must-read,” she added.

“Once you read it, you will know how it is different. But I can’t hold back from disclosing to the readers the uniqueness in this book. You will find spells never heard of before because I coined them.”

“There will be mention of foods you will never get in any other place than Vamprickle land. Further, the mode of payment is surely going to amaze the readers and people would wish they too had a similar option available in this world and it also contains a special animal, which you will have to read to discover,” she said.

The 13-year-old felt that her book could help inculcate the habit of reading among children, especially when children all over the world are shying away from reading.

It would, according to her, relax minds and bring out the feeling that there was something beyond school books.

“I want to continue the passion for writing and become an author that lives in the hearts of children like my inspiration, Enid Blyton.”

In a direct message to other children and their parents, Nayaab said, “We must promote reading and inculcate the habit of reading in young children. Now, a quote by J. K. Rowling comes to my mind, ‘I believe something very magical can happen when you read an excellent book.”

She has also been a keen contributor of short stories, some of which were published in various local dailies.

Nayaab’s book is available in paperback and has been published by Notion Press. It is available on the Notion Press store and Amazon.

So go out, buy a copy and lose yourself in the world of wizardry!

(Edited by Ladiangti Rani)