Tabish and the Anqa

A short illustrated novel in the guise of a children's book. It was a collaborative project that I worked on with the illustrator Kit Brophy (see their Behance page here: https://www.behance.net/kitbrophy#).

Kit was super talented at drawing cozy cartoons, but we both wanted to create something tackling a serious topic - so we decided to use the mask of a children's book as a rug pull and write about US drone strikes on Afghanistan.

In a picturesque Afghan village, young Tabish embarks on a whimsical quest to find the mythical Anqa, said to be the most beautiful bird in all of Afghanistan. His innocent adventure through lush landscapes and encounters with colorful village characters takes an unexpected turn when what he believes to be the legendary creature appears on the horizon—but this strange metallic bird may bring something far different than the wonder he seeks.