In the year 2022, two picture books for children, “Bendy-Bendy Road” and “Forgetful Freddie,” were published by Melbourne-based Nepali author Manisha J Poudyal. She was an IT Process Architect who passionately started writing for children a few years ago. Her passion for storytelling led her to publish her third book, “One Last Time” in 2023.
“Bendy-Bendy Road” is published in both English and bilingual (English and Nepali) languages. Dr. Merina Lohani translated English to Nepali for the bilingual version. It is a fun story about a young boy who visits his grandma’s new home and sees a long, bending road coming from up the hills with twists and turns running down toward somewhere. He wonders what’s at the end of it and, with his grandma’s help, he finds out. This book is perfect for kids who love imaginative stories.
“Forgetful Freddie” is a hilarious story of a boy who is aware of his weakness of forgetfulness. He loves playing soccer but forgets something very important just before a game starts. The concept of the book is very familiar to Nepali parents and readers as it is adapted from one of the popular Nepali fables. The story is skilfully presented for English readers. With charming illustrations, the picture book is enjoyed by any age group.
Her third picture book, “One Last Time,” tells the story of a young boy who has to leave his home for safety reasons. He feels sad about leaving behind all the things he loves, like his friends and favorite places. But even though it’s hard, he learns to be hopeful about starting a new life somewhere else. The story shows that even when things are scary and uncertain, we can still find happiness and new beginnings.
Manisha relocated to Australia at her age 19 to study Computer Science. Despite living in Australia, she cherishes her heritage and wishes to infuse Nepalese spirit into her writing. Manisha aims to simplify complex ideas for young readers. She gives credit to her 7-year-old son, who inspires her to write more interesting picture books. I wish her the best.
Book Title: Bendy-Bendy Road
Author: Manisha J Poudyal
Language: English
Genre: Picture book for children
Book Design and Illustration: YouTbooks.com
Manufactured by: Amazon.com.au
Published Year: 2022
English Price: $ 14.99 AUD, Bilingual (English and Nepali) Price: $ 18.66 AUD
Pages of Bilingual Version: 64
Book Title: Forgetful Freddie
Author: Manisha J Poudyal
Language: English
Genre: Picture book for children
Book Design and Illustration: Jon Klassen
Manufactured by: Amazon.com.au
Published Year: 2022
English Price: $ 14.99 AUD
Pages: 28
Book Title: One Last TimeAuthor: Manisha J Poudyal
Language: English
Genre: Picture book for children
Book Design and Illustration: YouTbooks.com
Manufactured by: Amazon.com.au
Published Year: 2023
English Price: $ 14.99 AUD
Pages:36
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