“Never underestimate the value of spontaneous storytelling between a mother and her son” says author Farahana Surya Namaskar. “After a late Saturday night movie, I was exhausted and ready to pass out, however; my 9 year old son Ilyaan insisted I tell him a story. After some back and forth, I gave in to his desperate begging and pleading, as Ilyaan successfully managed to negotiate “just a short one and you can just make it up”. And there it was, in a matter of minutes, I had told him a random story, spontaneously created characters, plot, twist and conclusion. Ilyaan looked up at me in the dark while laying on his bed and said, “mom, that’s your next book!” During the pandemic year, author Farahana Surya Namaskar started to develop the ideas and plot of the story. She put out an open call for potential illustrators. Zara’s talent was exactly what Farahana had imagined, and so the journey of Carlos the Lonely Caterpillar began.
Ilyaan Kassam is author Farahana Surya Namaskar’s 10 year old son. He is the inspiration behind this book, a creative mind, a talented writer and lover of music, singing and dancing. He also is an enthusiastic gamer and is currently using his free time to create his own YouTube channel. “My dream is to be an actor and engineer one day! I always know that God is watching over me and loves me and everyone else. I hope you all enjoy our book and I hope you will learn to love yourself in every form!”
Farahana Surya Namaskar is a published author, speaker, mindfulness coach and podcast host. She is a passionate writer and enjoys developing content for children on various platforms.. This book is close to Farahana’s heart, as the themes of self-acceptance,self-love, growth and transformation all resonate with her on a personal level. Much of the plot and story is a reflection of life challenges Farahana has experienced and had to overcome. Determined to persevere and not give up despite life’s challenges, Farahana continues to find inspiration in every day aha moments, that lead her to continue to believe in her life purpose and her dreams. Farahana is an aspiring filmmaker and actor who wants to continue to inspire the world through her work and collaborations with like minded individuals.
Zara Nevill is currently a freshman at University of Texas at San Antonio majoring in Environmental Science. Art has always been her hobby. Growing up, she was always interested in arts and crafts but it wasn’t until her sophomore year that she started focusing more on drawing. After receiving an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil for her 17th birthday, she began delving into her passion for art more seriously. “Art has always been a creative outlet for me and although I never thought it would be in the public eye. I’m so glad I get to share it with all of you!” Zara began her collaboration with author Farahana Suyra Namaskar back in 2019. She has enjoyed watching Carlos grow and evolve as a character, but also continues to witness her own personal growth and transformation on this journey. Zara hopes that readers are inspired by Carlos’s character. “I would like all our readers to take away the important lessons of persevering through hard times, and know that that love begins with yourself. “
Cristela Nash, born Cristela López in Monterrey, México (The City of the Mountains), came to the USA and started teaching Bilingual First grade and Kindergarten. She then started the Dual Language Two Way Program at her neighborhood school and finished her Master of Spanish Language and Culture degree at Universidad de Granada, Spain. She publishes educational material in TeachersPayTeachers and, as a hobby, works making silver jewelry with a Mexican twist. She is passionate about the Spanish language and Hispanic culture. She and her husband have two kids, two dogs and two cats.
“I love the message in Carlos the Lonely Caterpillar. After the pandemic and virtual learning, our children really need more stories to help them connect on how they feel in different situations. Mindfulness is the way to get in touch with your feelings and emotions, Carlos helps us all to better notice how are we feeling in the moment.”
