Hey there. Today, I have the absolute pleasure of chatting with a powerhouse mother who has written a heartwarming picture book, Jana’s brightly coloured socks, pouring her heart and soul into raising awareness about Down syndrome.
You know, as an author we’re always told to “write what you know,” and Sally’s personal experience is what makes this book special. So over to Sally Fetouh for the inspiring story behind her book.
Two years ago, I visited my daughter’s preschool to read a book about Down syndrome to her classroom, as a way to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day. Little did I know that the whole experience would spark the idea for my picture book, which is based on my daughter, Jana, who has Down syndrome.
‘Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks’ is a story that celebrates friendship, differences, inclusivity, acceptance, and kindness, all emphasising the importance of having a sense of fun. When young Jana learns a new milestone – how to put on her socks on her own – her parents gift her a drawer full of brightly coloured socks. She wears them everywhere she goes, and when she shows her favourite pair to her friends at school, everyone wants a pair too. Jana gets an idea of sharing a pair with one of her friends every day until she has none left. This calls for a sock parade at school, that culminates with a beautiful surprise of a big box filled with balloons and socks just for Jana, gifted to her by her school friends. The message at the end in the midst of the carnival-like atmosphere is that it is okay to be different because that is what makes the world a fun and fantastic place to be.
Jana’s condition and diagnosis came as a complete surprise to us at birth. Down syndrome is a condition that happens at conception when an extra chromosome forms in the 21st chromosome in every cell in the baby’s body. There is no rhyme or reason to it and no one knows why this happens, but it is a naturally occurring phenomenon that has occurred for thousands of years. I read a post on social media recently that likened the condition to a four-leaf clover that is found in nature amongst other three-leaf clovers. No one knows why these four-leaf clovers exist, but some people consider them lucky! In a way that is how we think of Jana. We are lucky to have her in our lives. We had not had much exposure into the world of disabilities before Jana was born. There was much fear and ignorance at the time for us. We did not know what to expect nor what it all meant. We feared how society and the community would receive her, apprehensive about what school would be like for her. Six years later, we cannot imagine life being any other way, despite the challenges. The positives far outweigh any of the fears, most of which we found to be baseless.
Thinking back to that day when I visited the preschool, I remember the children being so engaged, interested, and curious. My heart was overflowing with emotion when I left, and that feeling stayed with me for days after. I was extremely touched by how open the children were, not just to something they knew nothing about in the condition called Down syndrome, but mostly to how they saw my daughter as a person. They saw past her label, past her diagnosis, and were genuinely trying to understand why she was a little different to them. They wanted to know how to be her friend. It was like a warm embrace, and a ray of hope for the future.
There were several factors that motivated me to write the story. One was to provide a snapshot into what living with Down syndrome is like, showcasing the fun, quirky and carefree elements. I wanted children with Down syndrome to be able to see themselves represented in literature, but Down syndrome was deliberately not explicitly mentioned in the story to allow for anyone, whether they have a disability or not, to connect with the character. The message is that it is okay to be different and that all children want is to be treated the same as their peers, to have friends, learn and have fun. Finally, I wanted to convey a positive experience in the importance of celebrating milestones and achievements, no matter how small, because despite the nature of the journey, there is always something to celebrate.
Blurb
Cheerful text and whimsical illustrations bring alive this heart-warming story of kindness and inclusion featuring a character with Down syndrome.
When young Jana receives heaps of beautiful socks from her parents after learning how to put on socks all by herself, she can’t wait to show her friends at school. They are always kind and patient with Jana when they play together. Jana decides to share a pair of her new socks with each and every friend. This calls for a school sock parade! All of the children had so much fun showing off their colourful socks together that they gave a very special and huge gift for their kind and generous friend, Jana, a box of more socks!
Author Sally Fetouh was inspired to write this touching story by her own daughter who has Down syndrome, feeling it was important for her and other children like her to be able to see themselves in literature. Two years ago, after reading a different story about a girl with Down syndrome to her daughter’s preschool class, Sally says, “The children were so engaged in the story and asked questions. They were very accepting and loving of their friend—my daughter. I left with a heart overflowing with emotion and that inspired me to write my story.”
About the author
Writing is very much a part of who author Sally Fetouh is as a human being. As a child, writing was a way for her to express herself and all of the stories and ideas she had in her head. Now, as an adult, she has been inspired to write a beautiful story of kindness and friendship, Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks, a heart-warming picture book loosely based on her daughter who has Down syndrome.
It was important to Sally that her daughter and other children like her were able to see themselves represented in literature. The idea came to Sally when she visited her daughter’s preschool to read a story about a girl with Down syndrome. The loving, accepting, and inquisitive responses from her daughter’s classmates inspired her to write a story reflecting these caring friendships.
Sally believes a great book is one that has impactful characters and a story that provides a new experience or perspective to the reader that stays with them long after the book is closed. She hopes that her young readers with disabilities or those who are different in some way will be able to relate to the main character and see a little bit of themselves, while also aiming for other readers to gain insight into the world of Down syndrome and the importance and impact of kindness and friendship.
When she isn’t writing thought-provoking children’s books, Sally works as a lawyer and a photographer. She enjoys being in nature, hiking, and horse riding. She lives with her family in Sydney, Australia. Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks is her debut picture book.
Lexi Rees, author 