Vasanti Unka facts for kids
Vasanti Unka is a talented writer, illustrator, and graphic designer from New Zealand. She has worked in the world of books and magazines for a long time. Many of her books have been nominated for awards. She even won the Best Picture Book and Margaret Mahy Book of the Year Award in 2014 for her book The Boring Book. Vasanti lives in Auckland, New Zealand.
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About Vasanti Unka
Vasanti Unka first trained to be a graphic designer. This means she learned how to create visual ideas and layouts for things like books and magazines. She also earned a special master's degree in Design in 2009.
For many years, Vasanti worked in the book and magazine world. She was an art director and art editor. This job involves guiding how books and magazines look. She has also drawn pictures for many different kinds of books. These include picture books for younger kids, craft books, and articles in magazines. She lives in Auckland, New Zealand.
Connecting with Kids
Vasanti loves to share her passion for books. In 2015, she visited the Bookaroo Children's Literature Festival. This festival helps kids discover the joy of reading. She went to cities in India like New Delhi, Goa, and Pune. In 2017, she also joined the Bookaroo Festival in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
From 2015 to 2017, Vasanti was part of a special project. It was called the New Zealand Book Council Writers in Communities project. Through this, she worked with students at Ōtāhuhu Primary School in south Auckland. She helped them with their writing and creativity.
Her Creative Work
Vasanti sees her work as "an exploration in visual language." This means she uses pictures and design to tell stories and share ideas. She also talks about her own background and how it influences her art.
She believes it is important for children's books to show many different cultures. This helps books reflect the diverse society of New Zealand. Vasanti designed the cover for Go Girl: a Storybook of Epic NZ. This book, written by Barbara Else, shares stories of amazing New Zealand women. Vasanti also drew some of the portraits inside.
Vasanti also put together a book called With A Suitcase Of Saris: From India To Aotearoa. This book tells the true stories of some of the first Indian women to move to New Zealand. Their daughters and granddaughters shared these important memories.
Awesome Awards and Books
Many of Vasanti Unka's books have been recognized for their quality. They have been "shortlisted" for awards. This means they were chosen as one of the best books in a competition. Some of her books are also on the Storylines Children's Literature Foundation of New Zealand Notable Books List. This list highlights great books for children.
The Boring Book
Her book The Boring Book won two big awards in 2014. It won Best Picture Book and the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year Award. These awards were given at the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards.
Barbara Else, who was a judge for the awards, called it a "thoroughly original" book. She said it charmed and enchanted young readers. She also noted its "subversive touches" and "warmth and fun." The Boring Book was also chosen as a White Raven Book in 2014. In 2016, it became an IBBY Honour Book. These are special international recognitions for children's books.
