Tsawwassen author Tina Johal doesn’t want any children, including her own, to feel limited by stereotypes or societal expectations when dreaming about their future.
Tackling the gendered expectations put onto girls and women, Johal’s second published children’s book, I Am Ajooni: Yes, That’s Me!, is about a young girl brainstorming what her career could be.
And the options are endless for her main character, Ajooni.
“A lot of [young girls] will not think about becoming a pilot, or a race car driver – certain things like that. I’ve purposely included those kinds of occupations in there so that I could encourage my daughter and other women to disregard traditions or beliefs that hold them back from achieving any of their dreams,” says Johal.
Thinking about her own youth, she reflects on how stereotypes and societal norms influenced her to question whether the career paths she was considering at the time would be a good match for a woman, a wife or a mother.
She is hoping that other children won’t fall into that trap, as she wants everyone to feel empowered to follow their hearts.
“This is a book that I’d like to pass onto my children so that they can be inspired by it and know that there are no limits and that they can reach for the stars,” she says.
At the end of her book, Johal has included a template drawing page where children can draw what they would like to be when they grow up.
She also has it available to be printed off her website’s “Kids’ Corner” section and hopes that parents will send in their child’s completed drawings to her email at tina.johal@gmail.com to be shared across on her website and social media.
I Am Ajooni: Yes, That’s Me! is available for purchase at Chapters, through Amazon and will soon be available at Albany Books in Tsawwassen.
For more information on Johal and her books, visit her website at www.tinajohal.com and check out her Instagram @inspired.4u.books.
