Earmuffs to
the moon
Hafiza Issa & illustrated by Sarah-Leigh Wills
#letstalkaboutautism
Sir (mufti) hamid patel cbe, chief executive of star academies
"this delightful book is a celebration of diversity, an imaginative exploration of the world through the eyes of a child whose superpowers make the universe intensely colourful and vivid."
veronika darwell, primary school teacher
"we often view and judge others without knowing the circumstances and this book is a kind reminder to remember that we all have our unique place on this Earth."
parent
"as an sen parent, this book makes my heart smile. many autistic traits addressed in this book are totaly relatable to my daughter. autism being a large spectrum disorder affecting people differently, i do feel this book highlights many common, daily traits that are relatable to children and even adults on the spectrum. all i can say is, when is the next book out!?
...we want more!"
the book
‘Earmuffs to the Moon’ is a story of bravery, self-discovery, wonder and awe. It is a celebration of our majestic Universe as seen through the eyes of Sara, an autistic girl who has dreams of shooting into space.
The playful rhymes take the reader on an exhilarating journey with Sara. They are invited into her vision, her interpretation, her imagination and her delight in the glorious world around her.
Sara learns to overcome the barrier of labels. She is a girl who refuses to sit inside the box that society places her in. Instead, she embraces what the world would call her ‘differences,’ for these differences are indeed her superpowers. She is a girl who marks her own path; a path that takes her to a magical place amongst the stars!
#earmuffstothemoon
#letstalkaboutautism
the journey
It’s been a long haul! From conception of the idea in the June of 2020 to publication in late 2022, it’s taken a lot of patience and perseverance to arrive at where we are now…. a true labour of love!
Every night my son asked me to read the same story to him; ‘It’s Ramadhan, curious George.’ Very quickly we learnt the entire story off by heart….and it occurred to me; ‘hey, I could write a story myself!’ At the same time, I had come across a competition which invited participants to write a children’s story. So, I set out to write a fun children's story book that was captivating and informative at the same time. Unfortunately, I did not win the competition and I did not get to go to Canada, (the prize), however, without the ‘rules’ of the competition I was able to provide the story with another direction and really run with it!
The inspiration behind the book was my son. Our journey so far has highlighted how little, people talk about autism especially in our South Asian culture. After witnessing his troubles and triumphs, I became passionate about raising awareness and acceptance about autism. I wanted to highlight in a light-hearted way, why autistic kids sometimes behave the way they do. They are simply ‘neurodivergent’ as opposed to neurotypical, so they must be provided with an environment that facilitates their growth and does not stifle it. Indeed, autists are required in order for society to advance, as it is their ‘difference’ in thought and possession of unique skills, which if nurtured can translate into innovations and entrepreneurship.
Fast forward two years with a whole load of editing, emailing and cups of mint tea, ....
‘EARMUFFS TO THE MOON’ was born!
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