Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!
Today we welcome author Srividhya Venkat back to Cynsations to discuss her first picture book biography.
Tell us about your newest nonfiction picture book biography, Seeker of Truth. What inspired you to write Kailash Satyarthi’s story?
First of all, thank you for having me on Cynsations again.
Seeker of Truth: Kailash Satyarthi’s Fight to End Child Labor , illustrated by Danica da Silva Pereira (Little Bee Books, 2024), is a biographical story of Nobel Peace laureate Kailash Satyarthi, a child rights activist and social reformer from India. His journey as an activist began at the early age of five, and as he grew, so did his curiosity, empathy, and courage to speak up for the rights of the underprivileged.
Later as an adult, Kailash started a revolutionary movement called Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save Childhood Movement), conducting ‘raid-and-rescue’ operations to save children from exploitation, setting up rehabilitation centers, and adopting innovative ways to educate and equip them to be future leaders. Not only that, he has brought the global problem of child labor to the forefront and advocated international laws against child slavery.
As someone who was born and raised in India, I have seen children working in households and selling goods in market areas. Though I never questioned what I saw, it made me conscious of my own privileged life.
When I first learned about Kailash Satyarthi a few years ago, I was amazed by his work as a child rights activist. As I dug deeper into research, it was heartrending to know that children are forced to work in unsafe places like factories, quarries, and mines.
Kailash’s story took me back to my childhood memories, making me eager to make a difference through the power of books. I wrote this book to create awareness about child labor and how one person tried to do something about it – something that helped change the lives and the future of thousands of children. It is my hope that this book will inspire readers to be curious, empathetic, and courageous like Kailash, and to raise their voices against injustices in their communities, and around the world. Every person has the power to make a difference, even in the smallest ways.
What were the challenges (literary, research, psychological, logistical) in bringing the story to life?
As my first nonfiction work, this picture book biography has by far been one of my most challenging projects.
Once I made up my mind to write this book, I delved into deeper research on Kailash Satyarthi and his incredible work, which involved comprehending the issue of child labor. I learned about the economic and social pressures that lead children to go to work for the sake of their families, their horrific experiences being far away from home, their dangerous work conditions, the harmful jobs they are forced to perform, and more.
Learning about all these facts was overwhelming to say the least. It was heartbreaking that these children were being denied their childhood. I remember discontinuing my research at a certain point and stepping away, wondering if I had the strength to go on, and asking myself if this would be an appropriate book for children even though it was about children.
During that time away from the project, I came upon a book written in 2017 by seven-year-old Rosie Katz who had met Kailash when he visited her school. Seeing the book made with Rosie’s art and words revealed how inspired she had been by his story, and it reinforced my resolve to write Kailash’s biography. I knew that Kailash’s story had to be told, and his message needed to reach readers everywhere. Kailash had inspired a seven-year-old girl who, in turn, inspired me to crush my self-doubt!
When I began writing the book, I was aware of the need for the book to be child-friendly, while not undermining the harsh realities faced by enslaved children. In order to achieve this, my manuscript went through several edits and revisions with the help of my critique group. Less crucial, nevertheless important was determining what information needed to be in the manuscript and what could be mentioned in the back matter. I had several discussions about this with my critique group, agent, and later on with my editor, leading to multiple rounds of revisions and rewriting.
Were there any mentor texts or resources that aided you in shaping this story?
I read and studied several picture book biographies for elements such as structure, common thread, first lines, use of lyricism, and back matter. Some of these biographies were related to themes of social justice in general, while others were specifically about child labor. A few of my mentor texts were: The Traveling Camera: Lewis Hine And The Fight To End Child Labor by Alexandra S.D. Hinrichs, illustrated by Michael Garland (Getty Publications, 2021), For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai’s Story by Rebecca Langston-George, illustrated by Janna Rose Bock (Capstone, 2015), and The Highest Tribute: Thurgood Marshall’s Life, Leadership, and Legacy by Kekla Magoon, illustrated by Laura Freeman (Quill Tree Books, 2023 ).
You are published in different countries. Could you share the diverse perspective your experience brings to your stories?
Growing up in India, the only stories I read (apart from Indian mythology and folklore) were stories where the characters didn’t look like me, ate food I was unfamiliar with, and did things I never did. But that never bothered me as a child.
When I grew up, moved away from India, and had my own children, I realized how much I missed seeing characters like myself and my children, eating familiar foods, and doing the things we did, in children’s books. It took me a few years to discover the power I held within myself, and it was then that I began to write stories of my own.
Having lived away from India for half of my life continues to inspire longing, nostalgia, and a sense of cultural pride in me, and thereby, influences my writing. Broadly speaking, I’ve written about food, traditions, conservation, family, friendship, overcoming stereotypes, following one’s passion – all from the point of view of Indian characters. And yet, even with the diverse perspective, these are really things most readers from any part of the world can connect with. I wish the world would appreciate how similar we all are as human beings, despite our differences.
Where do you write? Do you keep a writing schedule?
I usually write at home, rotating between my desk and the dining table. Occasionally, I visit the local library or coffee shop for a change of atmosphere.
I follow a writing schedule, but keep it flexible as long as there are no urgent deadlines. I find that a relaxed mind is highly productive, so it’s essential to focus on the quality rather than quantity of writing. Lately, I’ve been giving myself weekly goals instead of daily goals, and am finding that having that extra space helps me work better.
Do you focus on one project at a time, or do you switch between stories?
It largely depends on factors like writer’s block, research work, and deadlines. While I focus on the project that needs the most attention, I do switch gears occasionally to step away from it and work on other projects. Taking a break often helps me return to the first project with a fresh mind and new ideas.
You have several books out now, looking back what is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
When I first started writing children’s books, my goal was to create children’s stories to inspire cultural pride and awareness among children who didn’t see themselves in books they read.
Over a period of time, my goals have changed a bit. Though I continue to write culture-rich stories, I am now also driven to write stories inspired by real people and events to inform and inspire readers to be changemakers. I feel that this is helping me learn and grow as a writer, and I hope to try new subjects and other genres next. So, my biggest lesson has been to not restrict myself to writing certain kinds of books only, but to try and explore other possibilities.
What advice do you have for beginning children’s writers?
- Read as many books as you can in the genre you want to write.
- Focus on your craft and enjoy the process.
- Find a critique group and be open to feedback on your writing
- Limit time spent on social media and don’t compare yourself with others.
- Participate in craft workshops, conferences, and networking events.
What do you have coming out next?
I’m still awaiting my next picture book acceptance with my wonderful agent working hard to shop around my picture books. In the meanwhile, I am working on a couple of other projects to make them submission-ready.
Cynsational Notes
A former early childhood educator and oral storyteller, Srividhya Venkat enjoys writing stories that reflect nuances of her love for her country of origin, India. Her picture book Girls on Wheels is on the 2024 RISE: A Feminist Book Project List, while Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps won the South Asia Book Award 2022, and The Clever Tailor was named one of Evanston Public Library’s 101 Great Books for Kids in 2019. Seeker of Truth: Kailash Satyarthi’s Fight to End Child Labor is her first nonfiction picture book.
When not reading or writing, Srividhya loves to listen to music, tinker with new recipes, and explore the world outside her window. You can learn more about her at srividhyavenkat.com.
Suma Subramaniam is a recruiter by day and a children’s book author by night. Her picture books include Namaste is a Greeting (2022 Crystal Kite and 2023 Northern Lights Book Award Winner), She Sang for India (2023 Northern Lights Book Award Winner and 2023 NYPL Vibrant Voices Book), The Runaway Dosa, A Bindi Can Be…, My Name is Long as a River, and more. Suma is also the contributing author of The Hero Next Door (Finalist -2023 Massachusetts Book Award). Her poems have been published in Poetry Foundation’s Poetry Magazine, What is Hope?, and other anthologies for children. She lives in Seattle with her family and a dog who will do anything for Indian sweets and snacks. Learn more at https://sumasubramaniam.com