Family trees can be tricky when you have a gazillion uncles.

Yashika Mody is a recovering management consultant. She currently lives in sunny Singapore with her husband, their ever-hilarious and ever-sweet son, and their playful Westie puppy. You can learn more about her at her website or follow her on Twitter, Instagram, or BlueSky.

FUNCLES is a picture book all about the connections we make with the people we encounter in our communities. When a boy has to make a family tree for his class, he knows he’s going to need a LOT of paper to cover all his uncles. There’s Bus Uncle, Supermarket Uncle, Taxi Uncle, and many, many more. But when he is shocked to learn they’re not real relatives, he is devastated, until he realizes something quite different.

Welcome Yashika!

Me: Can you tell us a little bit about your writing journey? How has that brought you to this book?

Yashika: I officially started writing picture books in the summer of 2024, but I think I’ve always thought about being a writer since my oldest son was born. As I began reading countless children’s books to him, I realized how few stories reflected the type of multicultural environment he was growing up in, and I felt like he was not seeing enough of his world reflected on the page. So, I started writing the books I wished he was reading!

I’ve always loved using humor as a lens to explore new topics, so I naturally gravitated towards writing light-hearted, funny stories. My personal mission as an author is to show kids that inclusive books can be joyful and funny, too! There are so many beautiful, lyrical stories out there that discuss culture, but I also feel we need stories that connect young readers through humor and playfulness. Both ends of this spectrum are needed to help children find joy in diversity!

Me: I love this concept! I have visited Hawaii many times and heard “uncle” and “auntie” many places. What first gave you the idea for this story?

Yashika: That’s so wonderful to hear that you are familiar with this tradition! I actually reference Hawaii in my Author’s Note at the end of the book as another culture that shares this beautiful sign of respect!

FUNCLES was inspired by (and is dedicated to) my oldest son and his deep love for his community Uncles and Aunties in Singapore. Here in Singapore—and across many cultures worldwide—it is a cultural norm to address community elders with respectful terms like ‘Uncle’ and ‘Auntie.’

So, when my son was first developing his language skills, he would hear my husband and me greet our neighbors this way, and he picked up on the practice instantly. Suddenly, everyone he met became his Uncle or Auntie, and part of his community. It was so adorable to watch him take that love for his community everywhere we went: on a trip to London, even the guards at Buckingham Palace affectionately became known as ‘Red Guard Uncles!’

Inspired by how deeply a sense of community shapes a child’s worldview, I wrote FUNCLES as my personal ode to culture, community connection, and joyful storytelling.

Me: At first glance, your story seems so simple, but we all know how deceptive picture books can be once published. Did this story go through many revisions to get to this finished state? Or was it actually a gift from the Muse that was written in one draft?

Yashika: How I wish it were a gift from the Muse herself, haha! As most picture book writers will tell you, this manuscript went through a lot of revisions!

The concept of basing the book on this cultural tradition—and the overall throughline of community and connection—was always there from draft one. However, I experimented with many different versions when it came to the actual plot and story arc. I was so fortunate to work with wonderful editors and critique partners through InkedVoices and SCBWI, who helped me refine the narrative and shape it into a submission-ready manuscript.

Me: What is one thing that surprised you in writing this story?

Yashika: What a great question! FUNCLES was actually the first picture book manuscript I ever wrote, and I think what surprised me most was how much thought and deliberation goes into balancing a fun, fast-paced story with a deeper message about culture.

But at the same time, I was also pleasantly surprised at just how joyful it was to write a story rooted in home and family!

Me: Why was it important to you to tell this story? Why did you want to share it with young readers?

Yashika: At its heart, FUNCLES is a reminder that community, connection, and belonging are essential human needs—something we all need to hold close, now more than ever. I hope this book inspires children to look around and appreciate the everyday community members who enrich their lives, and recognize how important it is to belong to a community.

Me: The illustrations by Adriena Fong are delightful. I adored all the colors and characters. Were there any illustration surprises for you? Any favorites?

Yashika: She has truly done such a fantastic job—I was so thrilled when I saw the final artwork! What makes this book and the illustrations even more special is that Adriena is also Singaporean, so FUNCLES is truly a joint love letter from both of us to our home country.

One of my biggest surprises was seeing how similar Barbershop Uncle looks to the real-life inspiration for his character: my son’s actual barber, Uncle Jeremy! I don’t know how Adriena did it or how she just guessed—call it that psychic intuition great illustrators have!—but the character looks remarkably like the real Barbershop Uncle, right down to the hairstyle and the single earring in his ear!

As for favorites, oh gosh, it’s so hard to pick just one! Every page is so vibrant and charming. But I do especially love the scene where the main character is embraced by his uncles alongside the line, ‘My FUNCLES love and take care of me, just like a real family.’ The expressions on the uncles’ faces and the little boy’s look of pure adoration are just so moving. That page gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling every single time.

Me: Any advice for other new picture book writers?

Yashika: I know this is easier said than done, but my best advice is simply to put yourself out there! FUNCLES exists today because I self-submitted it to Lantana Publishing, who I discovered using Bitsy Kemper’s incredible list of publishers accepting unagented submissions (every querying author should definitely check this resource out!).

Once Lantana expressed interest, I reached out to update an agent I had been speaking with who had requested more of my work. That news accelerated our conversations, and she offered me representation! This manuscript helped me land both my debut publishing contract and my wonderful agent—all because I decided to take a chance and submit my work. You truly never know what might happen until you try, so take the shot and put yourself out there!

That is great advice Yashika. Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today.

Dear readers, this book published just last week. If you haven’t had a chance yet to check it out, I highly recommend it. It’s a fun take on the family tree assignment that introduces a different cultural norm with a sense of humor. Trust me when I say, you won’t want to miss it.