Mithila’s 'Ayra aar Maaer Obhijaan’ to release at Boi Mela

Rafiath Rashid Mithila's children's book series, "Ayra aar Maaer Obhijaan" will be launched at the Ekushey Boi Mela with "Tanzaniar Dipe", in March. The book is published by Light of Hope and illustrated by Mohaimenul Rakib Nitol. It is available for pre-orders at https://togumogu.com/products/tanzaniar-dipe. The Ekushey Boi Mela begins from March 18, after a long delay due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Mithila is the Head of the Early Childhood Development Programme at BRAC International. Her job requires her to travel to different countries across the globe, frequently. She is accompanied by her daughter in her trips.

The book series explores their travels and adventures, and most importantly, their friendship. Mithila wants to share their stories with other parents and children, hoping to inspire them to travel and explore new things together.  "I have been travelling with Ayra, since she was three years old. I felt that our bond grew stronger, and we both learned a lot through our experiences," shares Mithila. "I thought of capturing our memories, in a way that would be fun for Ayra to revisit, when she grows up. As I started writing, I realised that these stories touch upon fun as well as important elements, such as a mother travelling for work along with her child, conquering your fears, and embracing diversity."

"Tanzaniar Dipe" showcases Ayra and Mithila's experience of travelling to a small island in Tanzania, and what Ayra saw and learned during their journey. "The stories are narrated by Ayra. I just wrote them in a way that is directly relatable to other kids," adds Mithila. The main characters, Ayra and Maa, are sketched from pictures of the mother and daughter.

The second book in the series will be about their safari adventure with wild animals in Tanzania. After that, Mithila plans to write three more books in this series. "I feel that there are very few stories for young children. I want to write for kids aged between 3 and 10, mainly focusing on Bangla, original stories," she adds.