Il Était une fois CORONA VIRUS – Children’s Book by Anita Bacha

Write until your signature becomes an autograph – Anita Bacha.

 “Write until your signature becomes an autograph.” Anita Bacha.

  After the huge success of my illustrated children’s book ‘WAKASHIO’, I toyed with the idea of writing a fiction book for children on the pandemic, Covid 19. For more than two years. I was hesitant and even fearful that children and parents would eschew such a story book.

 Covid 19 has been the greatest enemy of Man for more than a century. Children like adults lived into confinement. They missed their school and classmates. Some were ill. Some went without the noshes they love the most. Some lost a dear one. Now that Covid 19 is an unpleasant memory, children would most likely want to turn over a new leaf and forget all about it.

 Yet, one day it dawned upon me that children should not forget the passage of the deadly virus over their beautiful island, Mauritius and, mostly what they themselves contribute to stop the spread of the virus by implementing the precautionary measures recommended by the World Health Organization and the health authorities in Mauritius.  I picked up my pen and I wrote ‘IL ETAIT UNE FOIS CORONA VIRUS’ (translated into English ‘ONCE UPON A TIME CORONA VIRUS’).

IL ETAIT UNE FOIS CORONA VIRUS ‘my latest children book is a tale based on real facts told by two Mauritian children Angela and Oshin. These two Mauritian kids are characters that I created myself and, they are the two well-known characters in my book ‘WAKASHIO’. Here they narrate to our young audience their adventure with a virus, Corona. An imaginary story about the Corona Virus that will make the delight of all, small and big children.

Reading books is very important for children. Reading helps children to improve both their written and spoken languages. It also helps to develop their imagination and intellect, to carry them over lands and seas beyond the quotidian. Encouraging children to read at an early age by parents and, grandparents at home develop in them the love for reading and for the attainment of world knowledge.

“The subject of the book chosen by the author, Anita Bacha, is strong. I congratulate her for having approached the subject of Covid 19 with finesse, adroitness and fragility that only an experienced writer of children’s book like her would do. Children need to know what is happening around them, in their country and in the whole world. My children loved Wakashio, the first book of Ma’am Bacha and they love the second one too. I trust that she will continue to write stories about the history of Mauritius. I recommend IL ETAIT UNE FOIS CORONA VIRUS to everyone. Buy this book!” – Guest Speaker, Eva Palmans, mother of two endearing boys, bookworm and big bibliophile.

“Personally, I have greatly appreciated ‘IL ETAIT UNE FOIS CORONA VIRUS’, the third illustrated children’s book of the well-known author, Anita Bacha. She is a barrister and, a retired Senior Magistrate who dedicate her time to writing poems and more importantly books for children. I imagined the difficulty of the author in writing about such a perturbing topic. After delving into the pages of her book, I can only congratulate her. The author’s love for children has triumphed. I recommend that book full of colourful and astounding illustrations to all! Buy it and enjoy!” – Sabrina Patten, Mistress of Ceremony, Director of Primary School, L’Odyssée du Savoir and booklover.

“In my endeavour to encourage children to read books and to combat illiteracy, I have produced that small book.  I sincerely trust that it will be wholeheartedly read by all the adorable children of the world and, by adults too. Many thanks to the parents and children who attended the book signing event at the Gymkhana Club Mauritius.” Anita Bacha.

Thank you for your visit and for viewing, my dear Friends.

Write until your signature becomes an autograph- Anita Bacha.
My latest illustrated children’s book
With endearing little girl, my big fan
With Karen Fook Yuen Bacha, MLA, proud mother of Ryūchi,my grandson.
With adorable children of Eva Palmans, Guest Speaker.
With Sabrina Patten, Mistress of Ceremony, Director of Primary School L’odyssée du savoir

PINK MOON

A Pink Moon rises
Plum tree blossoms like ink marks
In a poetry book

Hi friends, writers, and readers,

I am glad to share with you the publication of my new book, PINK MOON, an anthology of haiku poems.  I have made a random choice of 365  out of 700  three lines poems written over a space of two years, thinking fondly that you may wish to read one poem a day during the year.

 What prompted me to write the book? 

Haiku is traditionally a Japanese poem consisting of three short lines that do not rhyme.

The erudite consider haiku to be more than a style of poetry. It is a way of observing the physical world and seeing something beyond, more profound, close to the very nature of existence, and to an essential vision of life.

Traditional Japanese poetry consists of three lines that contain a kireji, or cutting word, 17 syllables on a 5,7,5 pattern, and a kigo, or seasonal reference.

Similar poems that do not adhere to these rules are generally classified as senryu.

Senryu is about the human heart and spirit, expressions of life, and love. It is similar to haiku except that haiku is mainly about nature.

I became enamored with haiku poetry in 2018. In that year, I was at the London Book Fair to exhibit my debut poetry book ‘Soul Poetry’. I surprisingly came across a work by the Japanese poet Matsuo Basho. I fell in love with his haiku poems at first glance. I saw magic, sound, and music in his words –

Early morning walk,

Tree leaves bristling,

A lovely sunrise

Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) was the most famous poet of the Edo period in Japan.

During his lifetime, Basho was recognized for his work in the collaborative hakai no renga form; today, after centuries of commentary, he is recognized as the greatest master of haiku.

It took me a long time to learn the art of writing haiku. It demands faith, meditation, focus, creativity, love of nature, and mastery of words. All these, coupled with awe at the beauty of existence, I have jotted down these writing prompts in the traditional form of haiku, observing as closely as I can the syllable count, three lines, and a seasonal reference.

I hope my readers appreciate my haiku poems. A globetrotter, I write them as I soar on my quill in the open sky.

Continue reading “PINK MOON”

English Edition of Wakashio the book

After the immense success of the first edition in the French language, my audience started to ask for a version of my illustrated children’s book in the Kreole language and in English.The French version was launched and immediately put for sale in December 2020.

Wakashio the book

I contacted many translators and publishers in Mauritius to translate and publish the book in Kreole. I did not get any response mainly because Mauritius was under confinement for a long time.

As all things have a good and a bad side, I spent my time in confinement to translate the book in English.

The Mitsui O.S.K Lines (Mauritius) Ltd, the Japanese Company, owner of the bulk carrier ship MV Wakashio that ran aground on the coral reefs and spilled oil off the coast of Mauritius, collaborated in the printing and publishing of the new book.

On Tuesday 10 August 2021 , Mitsui O.S.K Lines Mauritius Ltd organized the launch ceremony of the English Edition in the presence of His Excellency the Ambassador of Japan in Mauritius, Mr. Kawaguchi.

The launch ceremony was held in the office of the Mitsui O.S.K Mauritius Ltd at Pointe D’Esny in Grand Port, Mauritius. We could see with binoculars the remaining part of the wreck of MV Wakashio. A sad sight!

With Mr.Yamashita, Manager of Mitsui OSK Lines Mauritius Ltd
Krsna Bacha, my son and speaker at the function ,looking at the wreck.
With His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Kawaguchi and Mr.Yamashita, Manager of Mitsui OSK Lines Mauritius
Signing an autograph for His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Kawaguchi.

I am overjoyed with the progress of my illustrated children’s book Wakashio. Je souhaite partager avec mon audience cet élan de bonheur.

Je remercie mes lecteurs pour leur soutien.

‘To have a great book, we must have a great audience’. C.S.Lewis.

Thank you for being a great audience.

Anita Bacha

Wakashio the book, in the background the turquoise blue sea in South East Mauritius.

WAKASHIO the book

 WAKASHIO, A STORYBOOK FOR CHILDREN.

ABOUT THE STORY

MV WAKASHIO , a Japanese- owned bulk carrier ran aground on the coral reefs, off the coast of the tropical island Mauritius, on 25 July 2020.

Wakashio was empty of cargo but had an estimated 200 tons of diesel and 3,800 tons of heavy fuel oil on board.

Little by little, with the strength of the heavy waves, cracks arose in its hull. Fuel oil started to spill on the turquoise blue sea of the coastal district, Mahebourg. In no time, the oil spill reached its shores, destroying marine life, seaweeds, and corals.

The inhabitants ran to the rescue of the lagoon. They made floating booms with sugar cane straw to absorb the oil. In the meantime, foreign help was sought by the Government of Mauritius to block the catastrophic flood of oil from the hull of Wakashio to the sea.

On Assumption Day 2020, Wakashio broke into two. The authorities estimated that it would take decades to tow the two fragmented parts of the ship. Finally, the bow part of Wakashio was sunk in the deep ocean, far from Mauritius. It was also decided that the stern part of the ship that was stuck in the reefs would take decades to tow back. It remained as the remnant of a shipwreck in the lagoon, in the southeast of the green island.

MV WAKASHIO

The story here is told from the perspective of two Mauritian children, Angela and Oshin.

WAKASHIO the children’s book

INSPIRATION TO WRITE THE STORYBOOK.

Earlier this year, I started a campaign to urge young Mauritian children to read books. 

By coincidence, MV WAKASHIO met with a terrible accident at sea and it became the talk of the town in Mauritius and in the whole world. Social media wrote about the shipwreck and posted pictures of the sinking ship.

It dawned upon me to write the story of the Wakashio for children. I felt deep inside that it was a subject that will draw the attention of children, they will pick up the book and they will start to read.

Reading books and listening to stories stimulates the imagination of children.

As Albert Einstein has wisely said-

Imagination is more important than knowledge,

For knowledge is limited,

Whereas imagination embraces the whole world,

Stimulates progress, giving birth to evolution.

I strongly believe that children of all ages should read books and good books. In this age of electronic books, it is much better for parents to encourage a child to read traditional paper books, that he can carry and read every he goes – under a tree in the garden, on the lap of his mom… even where there is no electricity or an internet connection.

Reading books starts at home. First by a mother or a grandmother reading to a child, then by an elder brother or sister reading to a child and finally by a child  reading a book by himself.

Salman Rushdie, the world acclaimed bestseller author says –

When a child is born, there are two things that he requires – LOVE AND SAFETY;

The next thing the child says is –

TELL ME A STORY.

Undoubtedly stories are an important part of our adult life; without them life is boring. Most of all, children love stories as dearly as they love toys and games. 

My mother was an excellent storyteller. I vividly remember the story of Cinderella and Prince Charming  as concocted and told by her when I was a kid. I bemused at her facial expressions and her body movements. I traveled to fairyland, wonderland, to faraway places; I fought with dragons; I talked to birds, rats, rabbits, and other animals.

Mostly, I started to daydream of Prince Charming. Often I took a broom, bigger than myself and arduously swept the kitchen. All the time, I kept an eye on the big pumpkin that mom kept in a corner of the kitchen, wishing that it would explode and Prince Charming would jump out.

From listening to stories, and putting myself in the shoes of Cinderella, I very rapidly developed a fondness for books. From reading books, I gradually started to write stories.

WAKASHIO is my new storybook for children and my first book in French. Mauritian children are more familiar with the French language, oral and written; I have written this book primarily for them.

It is legitimate for writers to remember that children are the adults of tomorrow. They should be made aware of the important happenings of their country and the consequences of their acts from an early age. Wakashio is a tale that relates the story of the wreck of MV Wakashio in pure and simple prose, illustrated by amazing color pictures. 

Anita Bacha

My Newborn

A mother will take you under her wings, even when you know how to fly – my quote.

I don’t know how true it is for you. For me, I always come to the help of my grown up children even when they refuse my help. A child remains a child for a mom even when he is an old man and a great granddad. I refer to child as a male because I have only boys and four of them.

I remember telling them stories, mostly imaginative, when they were very small. Later and now, I tell stories to my grandchildren.

Even later and as far back as last year, I wrote my first story book for children, The Princess and the Crow.

A few months ago, I conceived the idea of a new, illustrated book for children. I am expecting to deliver the book any time now.

A book is like a child to me. I have in all ten children, four biological children and six books. Awaiting the birth of a book gives me the same anxiety problems, coupled with short breath, cold sweat, loss of appetite and loose bowels.

Most of all, I am on top of the world as a creative writer and a mother.

Writers write because there have something deep inside their guts that they need to bring out.

My advice to writers is to write and write until you bring out what is inside you.

Anita Bacha

HER WORLD

Couldn’t be happier to be featured as one of the authors in the newly published book of Her Place. My debut poetry book Soul Poetry is my pride. I believe we all writers feel the same about our first published book. It’s a first born, the apple of our eyes.To cut a long story short, the American writer and poet Dana Vilandre spotted my book on Amazon and…hold your breath…the stories I were posting on WordPress! She fell in love with my writing and I was chosen as one of the 33 women to be featured in Her World. Beauty, thy name is Woman!


Her Place, Any Region, introduces you to Her World, Creative Collections. Enjoy a literary journey through the experiences, hearts, and minds of 33 women from around the world. Compiled in one single readable book, view life from the eyes of phenomenal female artists and authors in the form of photography, song lyrics, book excerpts, personal life experiences, prose, and poetry. We hope you enjoy this incredibly broad spectrum with which these stories are written, bringing women together to share a glimpse into each other’s lives, during a time unifying the population of women is more important than ever

New Year Resolutions

Fabulous start of the week, dear followers,friends and readers 🥰
My resolutions for 2020 are to remain faithful and loyal to you;
To focus on my poetry and writing career;
To give the best of myself to the world .
I need your support which you can give me by reading my books, my posts and my write ups.
Where to find me?https://www.instagram.com/anitabacha/

https://mobile.twitter.com/anitabacha

https://m.facebook.com/anitabacha

https://www.facebook.com/poetanitabacha/

https://www.facebook.com/Ani.Bacha/

Most of all, give me Love 💗

Anita