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Three Malaysian child authors prove imagination and introspection can begin long before adulthood.
WHILE most children are encouraged to read more, a growing number of young Malaysians are going a step further and writing their own books.
In homes where bedtime conversations stretch into reflection and imagination, three child authors are shaping narratives that range from deeply personal memoir to carefully structured adventure fiction. Their approaches differ, but each has found her voice early and with intention.
Karen Chew: Writing as reflection, self-discovery
For 13-year-old Karen Chew, writing was never about fame or records. It began as a private method of organising her thoughts.
Her book What Can an 8-Year-Old Tell You? started as handwritten journal entries during her travels. Raised in an unschooling and worldschooling environment, Chew recorded what she observed, felt and questioned long before she thought of publication.
“At first, it was just for myself and I realised writing helped people understand me better,” she told theSun.
Chew admits she communicates more clearly through writing than speaking. During the movement control order period, she revisited her diaries and began typing them out, initially for her own reference.
“I found that writing helped me process what I was feeling and also see it from another perspective,” she said.
The book touches on topics many adults hesitate to discuss with children, including depression and identity. For Chew, those themes emerged naturally from lived experience rather than deliberate messaging.
“When I write about real life, I put down what I vividly and emotionally remember and later I can analyse what I was feeling,” she said.
Her mother Yvonne Teh said reflection is a daily practice in their household.
“We talk every night about what happened during the day and I ask questions so she can think deeper but I do not shape her thoughts,” Teh said.
Chew wrote the manuscript at eight and later edited it herself at 10, preserving what her publisher described as an authentic child’s voice.
While her family is widely recognised for STEM and maker initiatives, her authorship stands apart, rooted in introspection rather than experimentation.
Lashika Poneswaran: Crafting adventures with discipline
If Chew writes to understand, 11-year-old Lashika Poneswaran writes to imagine.
Best known for The Waffle Truffle Adventure and its follow-up titles, Lashika builds fictional worlds with structure and detail. Before a character appears on the page, she already knows what they wear, how they speak and what motivates them.
“When I write, I see myself as the main character and it becomes my own adventure,” she told theSun.
But beyond imagination, Lashika treats storytelling as serious craft. She writes chapter by chapter, revisits sections that feel awkward and rewrites when necessary.
“If something feels awkward, I change it because I think comments help me improve,” she said.
Unlike many children who write spontaneously, Lashika plans her stories in advance. She outlines future instalments and thinks about how characters will grow across books rather than resetting them each time.
“I want my stories to be exciting but also meaningful,” she said.
Her mother Datin Dr S Premalatha noticed early that her daughter’s creativity had consistency.
“She was first a reader and whenever we showed her something simple, she could turn it into a mystery or an adventure, so we realised this was not just a phase,” she said.
Premalatha remains supportive but careful not to overstep creative boundaries.
“I read and give my opinion but I never step into her story because she understands what girls her age are thinking and feeling,” she said.
For Lashika, writing is not just about publishing a book. It is about building a world that readers want to return to. That long-term thinking sets her apart from many young writers who stop at a single milestone.
Heyra Jeganath: Turning emotions into narrative
At five, Heyra Jeganath represents the youngest voice among the three, yet her story carries emotional weight.
Her debut book Heyra, The Big Sister grew out of a challenging family chapter. When her mother Dr Pooja Beesoon was hospitalised for months following the birth of Heyra’s sibling, the separation left a lasting impact.
“I was sad because I missed my Amma,” Heyra said.
“She would tell me how she missed me and how she felt confused and I realised these were powerful emotions coming from a child,” Pooja said.
Upon returning home, Pooja began noting the stories Heyra shared about that period. What started as conversations became a manuscript compiled during her golden birthday year.
For Pooja, the intention was not recognition but validation.
“I wanted her to know her feelings matter and that her story is worth telling,” she told theSun.
When asked what she would tell other children who want to write, Heyra answered without hesitation.
“Don’t be shy,” she said.
The book captures a child’s perspective on jealousy, love and adjustment without adult filtering. Its strength lies in simplicity and honesty, and in the fact that the emotions belong entirely to her.
A generation writing early
Though their themes differ, these Malaysian child authors share a common foundation. Each began with expression and was met with encouragement rather than dismissal.
Chew writes to process and reflect. Lashika writes to build and entertain. Heyra writes to understand her emotions.
Together, they represent a generation of young storytellers who are demonstrating that authorship is not defined by age, but by voice, intent and the willingness to put thoughts on paper.
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