New mom pens book tackling 2020 "heavy topics" for kids

Twenty Twenty Baby

There is no doubt about it: 2020 has been a challenging year.

For Celeena Sayani, the year also marked the major milestone of becoming a new mother.

She wanted to look back and commemorate the “monumental” year of her daughter’s birth by penning a book looking at the year that was.

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But those topics — including COVID-19, global warming and Black Lives Matter — aren’t the usual easy-breezy fare for children’s books. But Sayani thinks this year more than ever, it’s important to teach children about equality, bravery, overcoming obstacles and — for both children and ourselves — to try and always find a silver lining.

“Babies and kids are so fearless and as they read the book, I want them to know that they have the power to be the change. This book is for the bold parents, who don’t shy away from these heavy topics with their little ones,” she tells Daily Hive.

Twenty Twenty Baby

Seeing other parents struggle with navigating complex issues with their children, Sayani tried her best to break down the issues in a “light” and digestible way into her passion project, the new book Twenty Twenty.

She wanted to keep the tone “hopeful” to ensure kids are left with optimism after reading it.

“The illustrations especially help tell the story in a playful way. From the kids that I know that have read it, they feel empowered and inspired after reading the book and that’s exactly what I was hoping for,” she says.

Celeena Sayani

$1 from every book sold benefits the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, the hospital where her daughter was born.

Sayani hopes the made-in-Vancouver book will be an inspiration to her daughter and other youngsters who read it.

“People kept jokingly telling me that my life was over now that I was having a baby. Really, my life has just begun. I want to be the best I can be so my daughter knows that she can do WHATEVER she wants to do in her life,” she says.