Ashling Kwok shares how her imaginative storytelling in The Butterfly Girl infuses real-life situations with hope, creating magical experiences for young readers.

What do you love about writing children's books?

I love that I get to explore the world in a way that most adults are no longer able to. To view the world through a child’s eyes is a magical experience and it enables me to visit exciting places where anything is possible. Writing for children allows me to express my thoughts and fears and to find solutions to problems I couldn’t solve as a child. I only hope that my words and characters also help other children find their way, and of course, laugh, hope and dream.

What inspired you to write Butterfly Girl?

The idea for this story developed during the pandemic when I saw an image of a large family cramped in a small apartment in a colourless foreign country, in complete lockdown. One of the children looked like my son, and it broke my heart thinking about him being in that situation – because it could have just as easily been my child and my family if the cards had been dealt a little differently. I thought about how life really is just a series of sliding door moments. There’s nothing fair about it but we have to find a way to make the best out of whatever situation comes our way. Then I started to think about how I could bring a touch of colour and magic to my children’s lives if we were stuck in that apartment, and saw an image of a balcony filled with colourful flowers surrounded by vacant balconies, and the idea for Butterfly Girl was born.

Who or what inspired Olivia’s character?

The main character in Butterfly Girl was inspired by my niece Olivia. She is brave, smart, carefree, spirited and resourceful - and she also loves butterflies. In the early stages of writing this book, I was playing with concepts and characters, when I saw Olivia chase butterflies. As soon as I saw that, everything fell into place and I knew I had the perfect theme and character for my story.

Did you have any personal experiences that contributed to this new book?

All of my books are derived from personal experience and Butterfly Girl is no different. Everything from moving to a foreign place and leaving your friends behind, to feeling like you don’t fit in, to eventually finding your place in the world are themes that I, and no doubt many other people, can relate to.

You’ve mentioned on your website that you like writing stories that are funny, sometimes sensitive, but always straight from the heart. How do you find the process of writing about sensitive topics?

I like writing about sensitive topics because it’s not easy and I enjoy the challenge. I also think I’m drawn to these types of stories because I’ve had to deal with so many sensitive, real-life issues in my personal life. From mental health, to physical illness, to fear and loss, I’ve had first-hand experience with these topics, so getting inside my character's head is easy because I know how they feel. I also have a great deal of empathy for people because I think we’re all battling our own demons and just trying to get through life. I think this helps me write these kinds of stories and I find that even my ‘funnier’ stories have sensitive themes woven into them.

How did writing this book compare to writing your previous children’s books?

This book was a joy to write because it’s uplifting and embodies so many important, positive messages, so every time I sat down to write, I felt happy and hopeful. I did struggle with some of the more logical aspect of the story but after a million rewrites, I managed to nail it.

What do you hope your readers will take away from Butterfly Girl?

I hope that readers feel a sense of hope and that they realise that no matter how difficult life gets, they have the power to change their world. I also hope that Butterfly Girl reinforces the message that one person really can make a difference and highlights the importance of caring for the environment and our animal friends.

What was it like to work with an illustrator on this story? Were there particular images or experiences that you were excited to see?

Being paired with Arielle Li was a dream come true. I adore her work and she is just a lovely human being. The whole process from beginning to end was seamless and time-wise everything went to plan. I was eager to see how Olivia would be depicted because it’s my niece, but besides the character originally having dark hair, everything else was perfect. Arielle’s illustrations are enchanting and the colour palette fills my heart with joy. There’s not one page or illustration I would change.

Do you have any other projects in the works?

I have another picture book ‘A Grandma to Love’ (Little Pink Dog Books) coming out later this year. Besides that, I’m working on a hundred different ideas which I hope to get published one day. I find it really difficult to work on one project at a time and usually jump between stories depending on my mood and what’s happening in the world. Forever the pantser, there’s no planning or strategy behind what I write or anything I do … and I don’t think that will ever change.