Zari': Children's book about albinism teaches self-love

Zari': Children's book about albinism teaches self-loveA book about albinism, Zari', aims to teach children how to love themselves no matter how different they seem from everybody else.

by Simnikiwe Hlatshaneni

14-10-2022 13:25

in Books

Zari', a children's book by author Terry Adams, tackles the topic of living with albinism and self-love. Image: Twitter @TA_4Short

A children's book about living with albinism has scored author, Terry-Ann Adam a publishing deal with Blackbird books.

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The South African author has written Zari based on their own experiences as a child living with the condition and hopes the story will resonate with all children who grew up feeling different.

Blackbird Books announced on the publishing deal on Thursday 14 October 2022,which includes the release of their debut children's book.

We are incredibly proud to be taking part in Terry Adam's journey as (they are) set to publish (their) debut children's book Zari with us, the publishing house said in a statement posted on Twitter.

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Zari follows the journey of a young girl who lives with albinism struggling with a world where no-one looks like her. She feels different and isolated in many spaces. The reader will witness the protagonist, Zari as she grows into herself, becomes confident and embraces who she is.

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Big announcement exciting times ahead with @TA_4Short #Publishinglist #ChildrenBooks #Blackbirdbooks #author pic.twitter.com/8DcVWRpJrY

BlackBirdBooks (@_BlackBirdBooks) October 13, 2022

Everything is still so surreal, they say reacting to the news. I write to live and now people are reading what I write. It's amazing. Zari was born to teach children to be more accepting, to teach adults about protecting their children and to teach outsiders that they are not alone, says Adams.

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BORN DIFFERENT,STRIVING FOR ACCEPTANCE No stranger to feeling isolated in a uniform world, Adams spent their childhood playing with imaginary friends and writing poetry. Their writing journey began when they were 12, when they wrote a memoir about their struggle with being accepted in mainstream schooling while living with albinism. They've written two prior books: Those Who Live in Cages and White Chalk.

The topic of albinism in South Africa is often linked to the widespread stigma around the condition. This is despite the fact that 1 in every 3900 people in Southern Africa are born with Type OCA2 albinism, the most common form of the condition among Africans. According to the United Nations (UN), superstition-driven attacks on people with albinism increased over the Covid-19 pandemic.

I wrote Zari out of a need to see myself represented in children's literature; for myself and my own child. Zari is named after my angel baby Azaria. I wanted a part of her to live on forever, they say.

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After their current writing break, Adams plans to begin the daunting' task of writing a second novel. This has been an extra special South African Pride Month for them. As an openly non-binary author, they are painfully aware of the bittersweet heaviness of celebrating Pride Month.

I see Pride Month as an opportunity to celebrate our queerness in its fullness. It's also an opportunity for us to mourn, to reflect and to continue busting down doors and fighting against homophobia, she remarks.

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LINK:	https://www.thesouthafrican.com/culture/books/zari-childrens-book-abou...
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