Wishing on a Star: Vinita Singh Shettys debut kids book tells a story of hope and cosmic wonder

On her seventh birthday, Reyah asks the Sun and the Moon to make her wish come true. Unlike most kids who wish for toys or treats, Reyahs wish is for her one-year-old brother, Neil, who has a hearing disability, to be able to hear the beautiful sounds I can hear. I dont know who is more important among you two, but whoever it is, please make my wish come true, she declares. This is the premise of Vinita Singh Shettys debut childrens book, Reyah and the Cosmic Wish (Westland Books; `199), which explores themes of hope, universal balance, kindness, and more. The book emerged from the stories Shetty would make up for her daughter Annika and retell to her group of friends, helping her gauge which ones worked best. Every time I told her a story, if I repeated it with some variation, she would point it out. Eventually, she said, Can you please write it down so you dont keep changing things, explains Shetty with a laugh, adding, I found her friends coming back and asking for particular stories often. This was one of the stories that seemed to resonate the most. Shettys decision to include a differently abled character was with the intention to encourage empathy in children. For a child whose sensory perceptions are so high, to have somebody at home who doesnt have that as a child, you dont know what it is or how its going to get better. I didnt start off thinking about how I can make the story inclusive but about how I can bring about kindness and empathy from a child without being too preachy. Vinita Singh Shetty The book has educational value too, with young readers learning about the solar system and the importance of the Sun and the Moon to the Earth as the celestial bodies conflict over which one is the most important wreaks havoc on our planet. The idea was to blend magic with realism. I made sure the basics are right, because children will ask you, Can you prove it, says Shetty, adding, The idea was to show that we live in a world where there is so much balance. Towards the end, as the Sun and Moon learn to appreciate each other, Reyahs wish comes true in a more realistic rather than a magical way, with Neil set to get a cochlear implant. But the magic is brought back again with the mythological character of the earth spirit, Gaia, appearing to give Reyah an important message: there are many children who need love and support in the world, and she can make a difference. If there is one message Shetty wants readers to take away with them, its the same as Gaias, The self doubt comes at an early age and as children, they may not see it in the world but I hope they are able to understand that their voice matters, and even something like the sun and the moon can hear you.