Girls on Wheels – by Srividhya Venkat; illustrated by Kate Wadsworth

I started writing for children about eleven years ago with the dream of creating picture books featuring Indian culture. It took me a few years to learn the craft, but what followed were books about – Indian food (Pickle Mania), family traditions (Lunch-Friends), traditional clothing (The Clever Tailor), and an Indian classical dance (Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps).

hen one day, I learned about the skateboarding revolution happening in India. I was blown away when I saw that girls were taking up this male-dominated sport. As someone who grew up in India where women are largely expected to follow prescribed gender rules and norms, I was in awe of these skateboarding girls who were pushing boundaries and challenging stereotypes. Not only that, but these girls were also inspiring other girls by creating safe spaces to skate and support one another.

And that’s why I wrote Girls on Wheels, the story of three best friends who support one another through the ups and downs of learning to skateboard. It is my hope that this book will inspire readers to dream fearlessly, find friendship and support, and work hard to discover their potential no matter how many times they fall.