EDITOR'S NOTE: This article originally appeared on Milton Today Dec. 11.
One would be hard-pressed to find two fourth graders as in sync as Zayna Yazdan and Amyrah Khanna.
With similar interests, ambitions and maturity, the pair have gone from completing each other’s sentences verbally to doing so on paper.
They recently completed a children’s book called The Arctic Fox Crystal, a magical tale about friendship and one of the writers’ favourite animal.
“When my dad told me, ‘You already made this much money from the book,’ we were so surprised,” said an excited Yazdan. “There were like a hundred [buyers]. Lots of people, not only from Canada. From other countries as well,” Khanna followed close behind.
The book was released on Nov. 23 to a cast of Milton’s whose who, including Mayor Gord Krantz and MPP Zee Hamid.
In attendance was the girls’ favourite teacher and inspiration, Tanesha Forbes Bunsie, who taught them in grades two and three. She's been a constant source of encouragement for the budding authors, and went to the trouble of getting some of their schoolwork bound into a book.
“She really believed in us that we can be authors. So we believed in her,” Amyrah said. “We took what she said, the author thing, to heart and we really did what she said.”
In a special shoutout to Mrs. Bunsie before the story even begins, the little literaties call her “the best teacher ever who inspired this book.”
But literary inspirations also spurred the creation of their work. One of their favourite authors is Daisy Meadows, who penned the Rainbow Magic books, one of the most prolific children’s fantasy books featuring fairies.
The Arctic Fox Crystal begins when four like-minded friends first meet and ponder the existence of magic. While the supernatural elements help the readers’ imaginations run wild, scientific elements ground them in reality.
Their general interest in science meant that including a fox was only natural. Same with a crystal jar, the magical properties of which are revealed when the characters pour water into it, exposing a message.
Months of doodling and writing in notebooks during their recesses and other spare moments came to a head when their parents saw their work and got it published.
“It’s very overwhelming,” said Zayna’s mother Maryam Faruqi. “It’s a very proud feeling, definitely. “I'm glad that we were able to acknowledge their efforts.”
Amyrah’s mother, Shivangi Saxena, echoed her friend, adding, “I always tell Amyrah that books can heal people. There are moments when I'm stuck but I have one line that can really help me to come out of that. So I want her and Zayna to write to that level where they are reaching out to many people and healing them.”
The book can be purchased on Amazon. Fans who want to follow their work will be delighted to know the girls are already working on a sequel. Details are, at this stage, scarce as the friends don’t want to leak any spoilers.