The Picture Book Buzz - Interview with Yashika Mody
Yashika Mody is a recovering management consultant who spent the last 13 years crafting corporate pitch decks (aka storytelling for suits!), and now dreams of bringing a different style of storytelling to the more fun (and dare she say – important!) audience of children.
She values the learnings and experiences from her global upbringing: she was born in India, raised in Singapore, and studied at an American high school and later at a US university. She currently lives in sunny Singapore with her husband, their playful Westie puppy (who is a doppelganger of Snowy from Tintin!), and their 2 ever-hilarious and ever-sweet sons.
Her international background as a Third Culture Kid (TCK) growing up in the intersection of East and West influences her writing as she looks to portray stories with a cross-cultural perspective. Her writing is also inspired by the antics of her son, who fills her world with equal parts humor and wonder!
Yashika’s debut picture book, Funcles, releases November 3rd.
Welcome Yashika,
Tell us a little about yourself. (Where/when do you write? How long have you been writing?)
I’m a picture book author from sunny Singapore who loves writing humorous stories inspired by culture and community.
Officially, I started writing picture books in the summer of 2024, but the seeds were planted back in 2021 when my oldest son was born. As he and I spent hours poring over picture books together, I realized how few stories reflected the vibrant, multicultural environment he was growing up in. So, I started writing the books I wished he was reading!
Beyond the need for greater representation in children’s literature, I’m also on a mission to show kids that inclusive books can be joyful and funny, too! While there are gorgeous, lyrical stories that explore culture and heritage, we equally need stories that connect with young readers through humor and playfulness. Both ends of that spectrum are essential for helping children not only discover diversity, but find joy in it—and that’s exactly the fun I hope Funcles brings to young readers.
It's wonderful to "meet" you. What is one of the most fun or unusual places where you’ve written a manuscript?
Ooh, what a fun question! I love writing in cafés where I can people-watch with white noise in the background. I'm also grateful to have a lovely little desk set up at my sons’ school in Singapore—which is part preschool, part co-working space for parents! Writing there is amazing because I'm surrounded by children and get to hear their everyday chatter. It's such a wonderful way to put myself directly in the orbit of the audience I'm writing for!
While not “unusual,” another fun spot where I've written is the top bunk of my older son’s bed. Sitting up high with a great view out the window felt so cozy, and I knocked out some of my favorite revisions up there!
That is such a cool idea to combine a preschool with a place for parents to work. I'd love working there! What was your inspiration or spark of interest for Funcles?
The idea for Funcles first came to me when my oldest son was around 18 months old and was just beginning to grasp language. On our family walks around our neighborhood, my husband and I would greet our community members as 'Uncle' and 'Aunty'—a cultural norm that is very common in Singapore and other collectivist societies, where people define themselves through community relationships and shared connections.
Turns out, our son quickly caught on to this cultural tradition! As he grew older, everyone around him became his 'Uncle' and 'Aunty' and became a valued member of his community. His hairdresser who's been cutting his hair since he was a baby lovingly became 'Haircut Uncle Jeremy' (fun fact: there's a character inspired by him in my book!). His sweet school custodian became 'Aiyi' (the Mandarin term for 'Aunty’). Even our car's GPS became 'Car Aunty!'
A few months later, we travelled to London for a holiday and it was so incredible to watch how he brought this same spirit of neighborliness and community with him, thousands and thousands of miles away! Even in London, everyone belonged to his little circle and his little community: there was 'Lobby Uncle' at our hotel, 'Breakfast Aunty,' and even the guards at Buckingham Palace became 'Red Guard Uncles!'
Seeing how my son experienced the world through the lens of community made me realize how powerful this message of belonging really is. I knew I had to write a story about it. And so, Funcles was born as an ode to culture, community connection, and joyful storytelling. Inspired by my son's absolute adoration for his community Uncles and Aunties, FUNCLES is a look into cultures like Singapore where community plays a central role in a child's life.
Thank you for sharing your son's experience and this wonderful cultural tradition. It is something I think we should all adopt. What was the hardest or most challenging thing about writing Funcles? And what was the most fun?
When writing funny picture books, I think the hardest part is navigating how subjective humor can be! Funcles features gentle humor and witty quips, so the constant challenge was making sure the jokes would land and resonate with both kids and adults reading aloud. I’m so grateful that my publisher, Lantana Publishing, embraced the book's lighthearted humor and kept those playful moments intact.
The most fun part was writing a story inspired by home! I got to pour my whole heart into Funcles as a personal love letter to Singapore, and I hope that passion shines through as readers discover and learn more about our unique cultural norms and vibrant community.
Your affection for Singapore and culture definitely shines through, as does your subtle humor. How many revisions did the illustrations take from first draft to publication for Funcles?
Great question! I’m actually not entirely sure of the exact count because the whole process felt wonderfully fast-tracked! Funcles was acquired in July 2025 and is releasing now in November 2026, which is quite a swift timeline for a traditionally published picture book (I was super surprised and impressed that the UK moves this quickly!).L
Early in the process, my publisher kindly shared character sketches and initial black and white sketched drafts to check in on overall art direction and get my thoughts. While I’m sure there was plenty of detailed back-and-forth between the design team and Adriena on individual spreads, I got to review the near-final artwork for feedback before it officially went to print. It was so exciting watching the art evolve into the finished book!
It sounds like a spectacular experience! Did anything amaze or surprise you when you first saw Adriena Fong’s illustrations? What is your favorite spread?
I was so stunned by how vibrantly Adriena managed to capture the feeling of community through her color palette, the creative layout of each scene, and just how expressive every character is! I was floored and deeply grateful when she was selected as the illustrator for this book. What makes it even more special is that Adriena is also a fellow Singaporean—so because the book is set in Singapore and inspired by its rich culture, I feel she did such a brilliant job bringing that vibrant diversity to life on every page.
Text © Yashika Mody, 2026. Image © Adriena Fong, 2026.
I feel like each page and each scene is so vibrant, charming, and heartfelt – it’s so hard to pick just one! If I had to choose, I love the scene where the main character is embraced by all his uncles alongside the line, “My FUNCLES love and take care of me, just like a real family.” The way Adriena drew the expressions on the three uncles and the little boy fills my heart with so much warmth—their tender smiles, the sweet way they look at him, and his big doe eyes full of gratitude. That page always gives me the best warm and fuzzy feeling!
I love the whole spread! The uncles' daily interaction with Jamar and then the loving snuggle of the four of them are so touching. What's something you want your readers to know about Funcles?
What’s most special to me about Funcles is that it’s arriving at a time when we all need a reminder of how fundamental connection, community, and belonging truly are. My hope is that Funcles inspires readers of all ages to look around and celebrate their own community members—and to reflect on all the wonderful, everyday ways these special people shape our lives.
I hope so too, we can all definitely use it! Are there any new projects you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?
I have a picture book currently under acquisitions that I hope to share more about in the coming months! Like Funcles, it’s a humorous, culture-filled story inspired by my upbringing.
Beyond that, I’m getting back into full writing mode with a few new drafts and ideas brewing. It’s been a wonderful whirlwind of a year—birthing my second baby in March and now celebrating my debut book baby in November—so I'm excited to dive back into creating after a bit of a big life transition!
Last question, what is your favorite National Park or Forest, regional park, or city park (anywhere in the world)? Or the one you’re longing to visit. Why?
I spent four years in the US for university and I really wish I had visited more national parks while I was living there! It’s definitely something I hope to do more of on future trips to the States. Of the parks I was able to visit, I absolutely adored Yosemite National Park. I visited as a young teenager, and coming from Singapore—where rapid development and skyscrapers mean we rarely see stars because of light pollution—Yosemite absolutely took my breath away! Camping there and looking up at a night sky filled with countless crystal-clear stars is a sight and memory I’ll never forget!
Thank you, Yashika, for sharing with us a bit about yourself and your delightful debut picture book.
Be sure to come back on Friday for the Perfect Picture Book review of Funcles.
To find out more about Yashika Mody, or to contact her:
Website: https://yashikamodywriting.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yashikamwriting
Twitter (X): https://x.com/yashikamwriting
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