Cape Town - It is never too early to inspire the love of travel in your little ones, says Khosi Mpungose, the author of Thandi’s Trippy Trips.
Her children’s book tells a story of eight-year-old Thandi as she discovers that a whole new world exists beyond her imagination. Thandi sets off on an adventure to Scotland where she learns about the Scottish culture, language and history.
Joburg-based Mpungose is a multi-media designer, owner of the design firm, The Handsome Setup, and a Design Indaba Emerging Creative for 2015. She talks to us about the book and her future plans.
Tell us a little about yourself?
Besides writing, I design, I illustrate, I lead a design team in an ICT company in Joburg where my role involves a lot of research and communicating business concepts, dealing with content and layout. Design and writing are married; I tell stories through my work.
When and how did your love for books and writing begin?
I’ve loved reading since I was a child. Every Saturday, my sisters and I looked forward to picking out books at the Sandton Library, which my parents made sure we were members. I had a best friend who also loved reading, so it was very much a way of life.
How did you come to write Thandi’s Trippy Trips?
I was working for Microsoft at the time and I had so many ideas that I hadn’t fulfilled. I wasn’t designing enough, I was doing what I was told and not feeling fulfilled.
I had this suppressed desire to create something. I decided it was time to make something, and so I did.
Is the book based on your own travel experience(s)?
No, I wish it was. I guess it’s more based on people and about dreaming. I have encountered a diverse amount of people in my lifetime and I have dreamt about travelling the world.
So no, it’s not exactly based on my travelling experiences as much as it is about human encounters and how I would like to experience the world. It is not about locations, it’s about the zest for life and the zest to achieve. Travel is a tangible way to tell those stories.
How did you prepare to write the book?
I don’t remember exactly how I decided to write about Scotland first but I remember thinking I wanted to write about a country which South African children don’t really know.
And I wanted to emphasise how differently people think and experience the world.
When I did some research, I was enlightened. It was easy for me to express that and share it in the book.
What message would you like children to take away from reading your book?
Do not limit yourself and keep learning. It all sounds clichéd, but when you’ve learned certain things in life about your own immaturity, it’s really not.
The secret is to grow your knowledge, your curiosity – no matter how educated you are. It’s what keeps us young and interesting.
Why did you choose to write about this particular genre of travelling?
I think that travel is the best metaphor for life’s lessons. It’s a multidimensional, non-linear way of learning, and when children grasp the concept that there are people that are different to you, they subconsciously are proud of who they are, are curious about diversity and other people.
There is a humanity about travel. Another reason is that it facilitates dreams. It’s a reference from which to build dreams on.
My boss once told me that when he was a child he was familiar with the global map and he marked all the places he wanted to travel to when he was older.
He showed it to his mother, who thought he was a dreamer. He has travelled to each one of those places and he is someone you’d say is very established and successful, but he still remains curious.
What was your greatest challenge about writing the book?
The challenge was to do justice to the place I was writing about and also to keep my reader in mind.
How can I make them feel the anticipation of the next page, how do I make them hunger for learning, but also hold back a little so they would want to search for the answers.
How would you encourage young people to read more and travel?
It should start at home, but if not in the home then in schools, in community libraries.
I think our responsibility is to make the learning process an exciting thing because then it will never stop.
Let’s say they don’t get to travel, have they explored their goals? That’s what is important.
What were your favourite books as a child?
The typical Roald Dahl, Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High – those were the staples.
Writing is not an easy profession, there are typically more downs than ups during the journey to publication. What was your experience?
No, it’s not (easy). But I have a thing where I don’t want someone else’s experience to be mine.
There is vast opportunity in self-publication, in self-promotion, product innovation and digital publication.
People are looking for ideas of substance. If one way doesn’t work, steer your own boat.
What is next?
I am always revisiting my plans for the future. I want to set up a fully functional design firm with its unique value proposition and I want to complete the Thandi’s Trippy Trips collection and see what happens.
Where can people find your book?
At www.thehandsomesetup.net. There will be more Twitter updates as things progress and I will make it available on a dedicated Thandi’s Trippy Trips website where I will launch more books, more products. Look out for that.
l Order Thandi’s Trippy Trips at www.thehandsomesetup.net or from Khosi Mpungose on Twitter @khosiOriginal
Cape Argus