Friendship gets a hint of enchantment with The Adventures of Sugi and Banshee. The mindblowing adventurous tale written by author Kanika Mittal was released at the prestigious publication of StoryMirror on World Book Day. It depicts such a remarkable quest that has adventure, thrill, bonding and much more. A heartwarming story of friendship, adventure and mystery intertwined to protect a secret older than Earth itself – Penned by Kanika Mitta published by StoryMirror, Sugi and The Banshee is a delicious tale featuring an 11 year old girl and her unusual companion who team up against Earth’s most formidable Enemy. One cool spring afternoon, 11 year old Sugi and her best friend Roshni set out to explore the woods by the stream. Sugi is drawn into the delicious sights of the forest and runs deep into the woods without a care. In her excitement she gives chase and gets separated from her best friend Roshni. Soon she finds herself alone in the thickest part of the woods with the sun setting quickly and the air getting dense and misty.
It is then that Sugi discovers the Banshee. It was a green little thing with long silvery hair, oval shaped eyes and pale yellow skin that glistened in the moonlight. The hands looked like tiny forks and the corners of its mouth turned upwards almost like in a merry smile. That was until Sugi screamed out loud in shock and the green little thing wailed, an ear splitting, nails biting, earth shattering kind of wail. What started as a nightmare turns into an unusual friendship that leads Sugi down a path of wonder and adventure. Sugi sets course to find out why the Banshee who is invisible to all can be seen by her alone. The Banshee’s destiny is linked to solving this mystery and Sugi is determined not to fail her little friend. During the course of this wondrous adventure Sugi meets the wandering spirits of Neather, the Blue Fairies of Alaska and the Gorkums from the Stars as she and her best friend navigate their middle school challenges with a little help from Binni, the Banshee. While the first half of the story centers around the hilarity of how they nurture a friendship that is invisible to all but them, the second half is about their adventures and the mystery they solve together.
What Sugi does not know is that the Banshee comes from Neather – an ancient place that no one human being knows about and a place that was and remains the first ever blueprint for Earth. Despite the Banshee’s mysterious and powerful upbringing, the Banshee seems helpless on Earth. Can Sugi help the Banshee fulfill her destiny? The story is inspired from the idea that every child has an imaginary companion that they love beyond reason. Sometimes that companion takes the form of a beloved doll, a teddy bear or a pony and sometimes it remains beautifully imagined in a child’s mind. The author believes that this imaginary companion is a blessing from God and watches over our little ones, sharing their joys, their stories and their chatter in ways that an adult cannot even comprehend. That beautiful essence is captured in this book. The book is well positioned to cater to the needs of growing children. While many kids are re-reading the classics, mostly authored by foreign writers, kids and parents are craving books which are contemporary and that can be related to their own lives. That is where Sugi and the Banshee come in – it is warm, indigenious with elements of nostalgia weaved in that make it an excellent read for everyone including parents who also want to read aloud to their children while enjoying the tale themselves.
Sugi and The Banshee gives our children a modern day imperfectly perfect girl hero – someone they can resonate with and be inspired by her values, personality, sense of adventure and carefree spirit, all thanks to its creator, author Kanika Mittal. Kanika Mittal is a Business Leader with over 17 years of experience in Strategy, Sales and Marketing. She has worked with Indian and Global Majors. She was responsible for the #FitToFight movement for women, recognised by the Ministry of Women Child Development and the Kailash Satyarthi Foundation. Author Kanika Mittal is the Founder of D.E.A.R Indiya and the curator of The Enchanted Festival of Stories – both unique initiatives designed to draw kids into the power of stories. She is a mentor at the Vedica Scholars Program. She is also an advisory board member at The Marketing Society, India and MICA’s Centre for Research Excellence. The writer was recognised in E4M Digital 40 under 40, Social Samosa Superwoman, Top 50 Brand Leaders in Asia. This woman book-writer has won much prestigious recognition like Effies and Clios for her work in Marketing and is an active speaker and jury member in her field.
An alumnus of SRCC and MICA, the accomplished businesswoman is an evangelist and advocate of Brands built on Purpose and Passion. A business leader by profession, Kanika Mittal moonlights as a writer to fulfill her passion of telling stories. A message of woman empowerment is aired through the bravery of the young girls who take the initiative to save the day. The book speaks of mystical things, bonding, thrilling plot twists, humanity and one more vital thing- i.e. saving the environment, therefore saving the entity of the planet. Restoring the green, the very spirit of nature is truly rewarding as a theme. Readers of all ages will be amazed at this marvelous masterpiece.