Author Bijal Vachharajani won the AutHer Awards 2023 in the Best Children’s Literature category for her book ‘Savi and the Memory Keeper’. It is noted that this is the second time that Bijal won the award-- she had previously won the AutHer Award in 2019 for her book 'A Cloud Called Bhura'. In an exclusive interview with us, Bijal spoke about writing ‘Savi and the Memory Keeper’, her favourite children's author and books, her writing process, and more. Excerpts:
1. How does it feel to win the AutHer Award 2023 for Best Children's Literature category- for a second time?
Honestly I’m really surprised and honoured that I won this award for the second second time. I think it really means so much that there is a category that recognises children's authors who are women and to be part of that, not once but twice, means so much to me. A lot of my protagonists are these really fiesty girls and I think they would be thrilled.
2. Do you feel that authors need to be classified as men and women authors?
Today, I listened to Shashi ji (Shashi Deshpande) when she talked about the struggles that she faced when she began writing. The fact is that women, and people who identify as women, are trailblazers in writing and I think it is amazing to see an award that honours women writers.
3. What was the inspiration behind writing 'Savi and the Memory Keeper'?
I came across this story about this research which talks about how trees talk to each other. They are all connected with their roots-- these fungal networks which talk to each other. I’m fascinated by science and I know children are as well. I began reading about it, taking a deep dive into trees and the way they communicate with each other. It made me realise just how special they are. I always knew that, but it also centred around the fact that we are losing a lot of our green cover today. We are at a time in the earth’s history where it is very pivotal in the face of the climate crisis. And so, I wanted a bring in a story which talks about what it means to be losing our green, which defines us so much and the nature as well. I also wanted to write about what it means to lose somebody very close, which I’m speaking from my personal experience. I put those two together to stitch a story of a girl named Savi, who just lost her father, and also of a tree who is seeing the world change at a very alarming rate.
4. You call yourself a "climate worrier". Could you please elaborate on that?
During the day I’m a picture book editor, by night I’m a children’s book writer, and all the time I’m worrying about climate change because we can see and feel it happening around us. It’s raining when it shouldn’t be raining. We are seeing heat waves of an unprecedented kind in this country and across the world. And what that means for our future, which is our children is something that really bothers me. But more than that when I talk to children, I realise they are the ones who are bothered about their present and future. That’s why I call myself a climate worrior because I can channel all that worry into my books and write about them.
5. Do you think children's books should always have a message?
No, children’s book shouldn’t always have a message in them. The story always comes first. Even when I’m plotting, the first thing is always about the story like-- what happens when trees communicate with each other. I think messages are something that adults always look for in stories, but children see the story first.
6. Who is your all time favourite children's author?
Ranjit Lal for sure! I love his writing. Apart from that, I love Robert Macfarlane and Jacky Morris’ writing. Bulbul Sharma, Shabnam Minwalla, Paro Anand-- so many of them are amazing. It’s a long list.
7. Name a few children's books you think every child should read.
Everyone should definitely read Ranjit Lal’s ‘The Tigers of Taboo Valley’. It’s about a tiger father, who’s suddenly stuck taking care of his cubs. They should also read Robert Macfarlane and Jacky Morris’ ‘Lost Words’. It’s about nature’s spells that you read aloud to get nature back into your life.
8. Describe a day in your life as a writer.
A day in my life as a writer is very simple. It’s called procrastination! The moment I know I have to write, I have a deadline and my editor asks where’s the copy, I’m like 'Look at that corner. It needs dusting, let’s dust it', or 'Let’s bake those chocolate chips cookies', or 'I’ve to finish reading that book'.
A lot of times I procastinate because I’m thinking about what needs to be done. That’s pretty much my day and then when I actually sit down to write, I first draw out my characters and my settings. I’m not a very good artist but I doodle them out and then I start writing, so there’s a lot of thinking and overthinking and then writing that happens to me.
9. So, what inspired you to be a children's writer?
When I was a child, we moved from Delhi to Bombay and I found myself very alone. I was very introverted and I had the company of two constant things-- one was the Gulmohar tree outside my house in Bombay, and the other was books. If somebody had told my young self that I’ll be an author growing up, I would’ve been like 'But authors are these magical people; that’s not possible'! For me that companionship of books and nature drove me to write in the future.
10. What's an early memory of a book that you loved reading?
One of my favourite books is 'Charlotte’s Web' by E. B. White. My favourite character is the spider who is just so cool and compassionate and the story is one of those which stayed with me. It’s that story which continues to stay at the back of my head somewhere.
11. What is the best compliment you have ever received from your young readers?
With 'Savi and the Memory Keeper' one of the most poignant thing for me has been just a lot of readers who have felt themselves seen in Savi, because all of us resonate with her as we have all lost someone. Somebody wrote to me about how she felt seen when Savi felt angry, and she was miserable, and she said 'That’s exactly how I felt and Thank you for writing that character'. I didn’t know how to respond. I still don’t know, but I got goosebumps.
12. Lastly, what are you working on next?
I’m working on a book with HarperCollins and it is about climate change in fairyland.