Just One Question for Tamla T. Young
I first came across Tamla T. Young on Instagram way back in 2022, when we were both patiently awaiting the publication of our debut picture books. We’ve still never met in person, but we’ve been cheering each other on from afar ever since!
After a long wait, Ready, Set, Mango hit stores and libraries in April, 2025. This warm and funny story rooted in a vivid childhood memory perfectly captures the intense-but-loving rivalries that can develop between close cousins. I’m a sucker for a well-placed bit of potty humour, and Tamla’s story delivers with a scatological surprise I’m sure will make for many a story-time giggle!
I’ve been so impressed at the work Tamla has been doing to get her story in front of readers through school visits, literary festivals, and author events. An educator and parent as well as a writer, it’s clear that Tamla knows how to engage a room full of young readers.
Ready, Set, Mango! is published by Owlkids and illustrated by Raz Latif. It’s available where ever you like to buy your books!
Q/ Having published your debut picture book, what’s next? Do you feel like you’ve found your groove and want to write more works that pull from similar themes or use a similar form, or are you eager to try something totally different? Or, something in between?
A/ Kate, I took a little trip into my Instagram DMs and found the message from when we first connected. It was October 2022 — you were congratulating me on my upcoming debut picture book and asking if I’d be interested in sharing my writing journey on your blog, The Needle And The Knife. I was honoured, excited, and accepted... but didn’t follow through.
Fortunately, and for this I’m truly grateful, you didn’t give up on me. It’s a good thing writers understand that sometimes (oftentimes) life lifes, and these writerly things take time. And a little over 3 years later, I’m finally sharing a bit about my writing journey with you.
So here we are in 2025 — and as you may have noticed, one of my wildest dreams came true. My debut picture, Ready, Set, Mango! was released into the world on April 15, 2025. There are still moments when I can’t quite believe it’s true, but then I’m reminded in the most joyful and heartwarming of ways: author visit requests continue to roll in, I see it being borrowed from the public library, every so often it appears on booklists alongside creators I admire, and teachers, friends and family continue to share pictures and videos of their little ones expressing their Ready, Set, Mango! love.
I recently presented in my first Literary Festival, and students at my school still greet me with excited cheers of “Ready, Set, Mangoooo!” And so, there’s no denying it. I am, in fact, a published author, and it feels both surreal and wonderful.
But, what’s next, you ask? I wish I knew.
Have I found my groove? I wish I could say yes.
But, the truth is, all the challenges that existed before publication are still here, and some have multiplied. I am still a full-time elementary school teacher in an inner-city school, and I now have two young children at home instead of one. Life is full, beautiful, demanding, and constant, and my groove remains elusive. Nevertheless, I am determined and have a healthy dose of stubbornness and a genuine love for learning and the writing process. Whether I find a groove or not, there are more stories in me, some written and looking for a home, and others still in draft mode. Fortunately, I am never short on ideas.
When I step back and look at what I have written and what I am working on, there is no single theme or trend. My life has been shaped by varied experiences, and my writing reflects that. I have more picture books in progress, chapter books, middle grade projects, and even a young adult idea or two. My son has been and continues to be a steady source of inspiration, and now my daughter is joining him. Beyond them, my stories are loosely rooted in memory, culture and lived experience.
Because life is so full, I lean on structure to support my writing. I take classes, attend workshops, and apply for opportunities, even when I am not sure I will be accepted. These environments give me the urgency and accountability I sometimes need when I am exhausted and short on time (and bandwidth). So while I may not feel like I am in a groove, I am indeed moving. I am writing. I am editing and revising. I am submitting. I am showing up. I am receiving encouragement and positive feedback, and I trust that as my children grow and life shifts, the groove, my groove, will eventually meet me where I am.
Until then, I will keep chugging along, or better yet, keep writing along.
