In the good books

LIKE MOST CHILDREN, ASIM ISMET ENDURED HOME LEARNING IN THE TRENCHES OF COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS DURING 2020 AND 2021. NOW, HE’S A PUBLISHED AUTHOR SHARING HIS STORY WITH OTHER GREATER SHEPPARTON CHILDREN.

If Asim Ismet had been told 18 months ago what his future would hold, he wouldn’t have been able to picture it.

Jump forward to the present day and the Year 6 student is holding his very own picture book in his hands, establishing himself as a writer, illustrator and overall bright young talent.

After taking out the 2022 Greater Shepparton story writing competition for Year 5 and 6 students, Asim returned to Congupna Primary School to share his win with fellow students in the form of $100 worth of books for the school’s library — plus a copy of his own book to be included on the shelf.

Asim’s picture book titled What Is Your Superpower? takes the most recognisable characteristic of some furry and scaly friends and lets the reader imagine themselves with that power.

“The idea just came to me. It asks the reader things like, ‘Do you want to fly like a bird?’,” Asim said.

“They’re all my original illustrations too, which is crazy because I only started to get good at drawing this year [2022]; last year the best I could draw were stick-men.”

Mum Zamira was as proud as punch of her son and couldn’t wait to dash to the Shepparton Library to see 30 copies of Asim’s book on the shelves when they were released at the end of 2022.

“I couldn’t believe it, I was crying,” she said. “Especially given the COVID circumstances. It was hard with home learning, and I was worried back then being so long out of the classroom.

“But he’s just blown up with these ideas, and his teacher says he’s at a Year 9 spelling level, too.”

Asim’s reaction to all the praise was typical of a kid his age — a shy smile, a shake of the head and a soft remark about his mother.

“My mum’s telling me, ‘Be an author! Be an author!’,” he said. We couldn’t agree more.

STORY: DJEMBE ARCHIBALD