Angela Gnaniah’s writing journey started when she was very young. She had a vivid imagination, and even though she was a rather quiet kid, she remembered always managing to get other children together for anything. She was always a reader, and books were always part of playtime in Angela’s childhood. She also recalls how she took writing school autographs very seriously, and even when it came to simple things like birthday wishes, she wanted to write something real and meaningful. ‘My imagination ran faster than my words, so I guess writing helped. I also have journals all over the place,’ she said. Today, Angela has published her latest book in the Cuddly and Poppy series: “Cuddly and Poppy’s Holiday” through The Jam Fruit Tree Publications.
When asked how she began writing for children, Angela spoke about her dear friend who, at just 23, was suddenly taken ill. The author used to encourage her to be active and do activities to keep her engaged. One day, Angela decided to write a story with her and asked what she wanted to write about. Since her friend had trouble writing herself, she told Angela that she would simply discuss the story with her while she wrote it. ‘She sometimes would switch between normal adulthood and childhood because of her illness, and when I asked her if we should write about her favourite animal, she blurted out “Teddy Bear”. So I first decided to write about Teddy Bear’s tea party because she herself loves hosting tea parties with us very often. So I thought of including these aspects of my friend indirectly into the first book of the Cuddly and Poppy series, because she kept saying, “You write, I’ll listen”. However, she had the Teddy Bear and the tea party set. And that was the plot which became the basis of her children’s series,’ said the author.
Angela explained how her friend also had different kinds of friends. Some quiet, some loud, some active. Therefore, she thought she should include a diverse setup in the characters, where the friends are different but could still come together for one cause. Since she couldn’t go out all the time, the author explained how they had to find ways to come together and keep her happy, content and loved, so different types of friends came together to do that. ‘I shared all my character ideas with her. I asked if we should put quiet ones like the badger, and grasshoppers, which many don’t really pay attention to, but are still an important part of nature and the kangaroo as well, because it was totally different from the other animals. My friend’s personality was the inspiration for the teddy bear who is the main character. Likewise, I kept writing and reading it for her, and she was incredibly impressed and constantly encouraged me. Even though I wanted her to be the author of it, she was never able to write it herself. Unfortunately, she caught COVID and passed away. It was heartbreaking for me, and because she told me to write it since I had the skills in storytelling, I felt like I had to do it for her. To leave her legacy in this world in some manner. I also realised that the book has a lot of things that children would love. After so many trials and errors, the first book and the characters with illustrations by Farah Fazly came out really well. From there, the books took off,’ said Angela.
The fact that Angela’s friend was able to get people together even though she was ill was a special aspect of her personality. Before she fell ill, Angela explained that she was a very good baker and could play the piano beautifully. So, for the author to see the transformation of such a person with vitality and potential was difficult. With the illness, Angela recalled how she almost became a recluse. But just that constant state of being a friend to her really helped her regain some adulthood and independence in herself. ‘Her strength to persevere was something I always noticed in her life. She has never been bitter about her situation and never complained about it. And she was grateful and appreciative for everything she had. I realised that her legacy can’t just die with her. She was a really cheerful person and very interested in people in general. Just like the characters in the book, she loves everyone – people who are like the quiet badgers who are silent, the grasshoppers who nobody takes notice of. She is the type of person who would notice all kinds of people. Therefore, these different characters are all inspired by her own life and the people she loved, and I brought them together in this book,’ Angela said fondly.
‘One of the major challenges I faced as a children’s writer when I started this journey was to keep the story short, while keeping the spirit of the story,’ said the author. ‘I didn’t want it to be too explanatory, and I wanted the conversation to suit children. Keeping the flow was challenging as well.’ A major reason the author incorporated different kinds of animals as friends in this book is that the author thought that children should also know that they don’t have to look the same in terms of shape or size, height, fair, dark or anything. We can all be different with various personalities and abilities, just like all the animals in the book. However, at the end of the day, we can all be friends, as long as we are kind and thoughtful. The second book, “Cuddly and Poppy To The Rescue”, begins with a small loss where a little kitten is separated from its mother. The story grows into a lesson about care, courage, and community. When the friends discover the lost kitten, they act without hesitation, bringing it home and seeking their parents’ help. Together, the family and the neighbourhood unite to find the kitten’s mother, showing young readers that kindness and teamwork can turn worry into joy, and that it’s okay to be curious, brave, and independent, with a little guidance along the way. ‘I also talk about the environment and wildlife in Sri Lanka in the latest book and the importance of keeping nature clean, which I believe are important topics that need to be discussed among children more often,’ said the author.
Angela is someone who is very involved with people and loves meaningful conversations with anyone, and that includes children as well. ‘I feel like I can motivate children to read more and learn good life values through this book because the heartwarming feedback and reaction I get from children feels both amazing and humbling,’ she said.
Written by Gayanga Dissanayake