Kariema Davids, of Wetton, has written a second children’s book.
In Haniyah Goes to School, the main character, Haniyah, encounters a boy who is left traumatised after being bullied at school, but his father’s words give him strength and courage to face his fears, and he becomes a hero.
Ms Talip Davids started the new book in May and it took three months to complete.
“The most courageous act of all is to love and respect yourself, show yourself compassion and accept all your imperfections. The lesson is to find strength and face adversity and do the right thing,” she says of the book’s theme.
Her first book, Haniyah and Pink Rabbit, published in November last year, was inspired by her granddaughter, Haniyah Davids, who was 3 at the time.
Ms Davids says she always dreamed of writing a children’s book, and spending more time with her granddaughter, during lockdown, was just the inspiration she needed.
“Haniyah loves animals, and she loves books,” Ms Davids says.
Haniyah and Pink Rabbit is about a little girl, named after her granddaughter, who saves up money to buy her pink rabbit a “house”. When she has enough money, though, she decides to be kind to another child instead.
“The story is about caring and sharing, but also with it, my mission is to encourage children to read as well,” says Ms Davids.
She remembers how, as a child, she was excited to belong to the Jellybean Journal (a Weekend Argus initiative) and the Junior Argus Club.
“I used to send in poems, stories and drawings and could not wait to see it published.”
Ms Davids has two adult sons. “I used to read to them often when they were boys.” Since the 1990s, she wanted to write a children’s book, and she says it was a line, “moenie dink nie, doen net” (“don’t think, just do”), in the Afrikaans TV series, Ballade vir ‘n Enkeling, that inspired her.
She kept postponing her dream when she got married and had a family, but those words from the TV show came back to her when Haniyah was born.
“I am inspired to write for the young generation… and encourage them to read, read and read more. And also my Haniyah remains my greatest inspiration,” she says.
Haniyah Goes to School is self published and sells for R150. Contact Ms Davids at 063 864 1701 for more information.
