An adventure is waiting to be had, wherever you look and whoever you’re with, as well as magic being present in lots of our everyday things. You may not be able to fully comprehend it, to fully believe it, but look closely – no, closer – and you may just spot it.

Writing duo Olga Lataonova and Manoj Kumar Mandelia know this to be true and so have written a wonderfully spirited children’s title to celebrate. In Bubo and the Little Stone magic comes from the smallest of rocks – with a mighty adventure awaiting young Polina.

We spoke with Olga and Manoj about collaborating on this book, the inspiration behind Polina’s adventure and how this book is dedicated to Olga’s young daughter.

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As a writer and illustrator duo, my first question must be where did you meet and how did you come to decide to work on this book together?

We have been working for the same pharmaceutical company. We became part of the same team and become close friends. Olga’s philosophies of life inspired Manoj to create a story for Polina, Olga’s daughter on her 2nd birthday. Olga edited and helped shape the story before they decided to share it with the rest of the world.

For Manoj, where did the inspiration for Polina’s adventure come from? What is the significance of Bubo the Owl and The Evil Snake?

Polina’s adventure in this book has been inspired from a vacation she took with Olga to a remote lake. Olga described the setting and the vacation over several conversations which were then captured in the book. It was the perfect setting for her adventure to take off and for her to dream about the characters.

Bubo, the Owl, represents the best friend, we find in our life who we can always turn to for help. It just takes time & courage to be vulnerable to form such deep bonds.

The Evil snake represents all the people who pass by our lives, who with intent want to cause us harm.

For Olga, did you have the illustrations in mind prior to approaching Manoj and finding the story in words? Additionally, how did the look of Polina come to fruition?

The illustrations were done with the help of a creative agency, Mothers Grace Production. For getting the look of Polina correct, we went through many pictures and probably over 20+ draft sketches until the one that met our eye.

As a book dedicated to Olga’s daughter, Polina, with a beautiful message in the opening pages of the book, does she like the book?

Polina enjoyed looking at the book. She will turn 4 years old in Sep 2024. As she learns to read, it would be a memory of a lifetime for her - maybe a bit embarrassing in her teenage years.

And finally, do you anticipate working together on future books? Do either of you further aspirations in the literary world?

We are thinkers, philosophers, and dreamers. At the core, we are storytellers. We enjoy throwing our ideas on blank canvases. For the right inspiration, we would love to collaborate again and bring a story to share & inspire!

In the meantime, we both continue to read, learn & get deeper in the literary world inspired by writers across cultures!

Bubo and the Little Stone is available now in paperback.