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Our Correspondent
Kohima, March 10 (EMN): What started as an assignment for school during lockdown last year has now turned a seven-year-old Sofia Livimi Swu into one of the youngest writers from Nagaland after releasing her debut book ‘My Adventure in Fairyland’ on Wednesday.
"The story 'My adventure in Fairyland', is about my experience in fairyland where I met four little fairies who became my friends. They made me explore the magical world where I had the most exciting journey”, the young writer said during the launching of her book at The Heritage in Kohima on Wednesday.
Besides her first book, Sofia has also written a collection of poems and is in the pipeline to be released soon.
The book was published by the Penthrill Publication House, a Nagaland-based publication house, owned by poet, writer and journalist, Vishü Rita Krocha.
The publisher, Krocha, observed that “Sofia has defied odds to become the youngest author from our state”, stating that Swu is among the very few in the world to have achieved this commendable feat.
“Sofia has now definitely set the bar higher and PenThrill is so proud to associate with this very young talent”, the publisher maintained.
“Sofia is among the rare breed of child authors who has not only discovered the innate gift of writing and drawing, but also put them together in the form of a book for everyone to indulge in,” she added.
She wondered how people at the age of seven would have seriously pursued an interest with such ‘passion and dedication’. Krocha recounted the environment she grew up when she was seven, adding that she did not know she wanted to be a writer because nobody around her talked about writing as a profession. It was much later in college that she decided ‘writing’ was her calling and simultaneously discovered her love for books.
The publisher went on to add that publishing Sofia’s book has renewed her hope for the growth of literature in Nagaland. While appreciating the young writer’s parents for walking beside her, Krocha said that it was ‘extremely important that parents nurture their children and help them develop their skills when they are young’.
“Regardless of the lack of platform during my time, I am glad, parents of today's generation are going all out to support their children's dreams and helping them achieve it”, she added.
The young writer’s mother, Shekali Swu, shared that her daughter’s book started as a school assignment last year during lockdown. When her assignment was submitted, her teacher liked the story and asked her parents to publish it as a book. She then asked ask her daughter to expand the book a little more and that was how her book came about.
‘From her toddler years, we noticed her keen interest in reading picture books and scribbling with colours on papers’, the mother recounted.
Swu joined Bumblee Inclusive School, Kohima, from pre-school. When she was five, she started her phonic classes, which had helped her to read on her own very early. ‘Once she became comfortable, reading became interesting and enjoyable for her’, the mother remembered.
‘By the time she was six she started writing and her first story was re-writing the fairy tale. She re-wrote the story in her own words and illustrated it and that was how her journey as a writer began’, the mother went on to add.
Proprietor and headmistress of Bumblee Inclusive School, Kohima, Kopele Tepa said that the school had the opportunity to work with Sofia since 2016.
“It has been a tremendous learning experience for us. Sofia is a very determined, assertive, and imaginative child”, Tepa recalled.
Commissioner and Secretary to the governor of Nagaland, Mhabemo Yanthan, released Sofia’s first book. He appreciated Sofia’s parents for choosing the right institution to mentor and polish the child. He also said that parent’s behaviours and how they treat others in front of their child was ‘very important’.