Western Sydney Community Forum Logo

Mina Skandari
Reflections on writing: You Are Amazing and Unique in
The way You Are

As a child I enjoyed reading Paul Jennings, Disney, fairy book series, and Harry Potter. Growing up I had never come across any books that would motivate me, or that had positive affirmations, which is why I wanted to write something different, and my goal was to inspire children not to just write a story.

Since I was in high school, I loved to read and write stories, but I never thought that one day I would author a children’s book.

My daughter Alina inspired me to write my first book, titled “You Are Amazing and Unique In The Way You Are”

My Daughter is two years old, and I mainly read her the ABCs. I searched for books that were more than just a story. A book that would help her become confident and to never forget how amazing she is, but I didn’t find any. That’s why I started to write a book dedicated to her.

The process was daunting, especially because it was a new experience for me. Therefore, I took my time and did my own research. Finally, after one year of writing the book I published it, the illustration was also completed within 3-4 months by a very talented illustrator, Sinem Kilic.

The book is filled with positive affirmations that rhyme and it encourages children to accept their differences and to love themselves just the way they are without having to change or to fit in. I wanted to empower my daughter and all the other amazing children around the world to accept who they are, to be proud of their uniqueness since this was something I struggled with as a child who had just migrated to Australia at the age of 9.

As I grew up, I learnt that being different and coming from a different cultural background was something to be proud of, and overtime I felt that I did belong, and I learnt to love and accept my identity. 

I strongly believe that children need to be taught the importance of celebrating their differences especially if they come from a different cultural background. They need to learn to prioritise their mental health and wellbeing in order to be confident and happy with who they are, and this book delivers just that.

The idea and words all came from the heart and my daughter was the reason behind it.

>> Purchase a book today, click here.

Are You A
Codebreaker?

Codebreakers
Skip to content