Kayra en de Vonkjes Geluk

Canick Hermans received funding to write Kayra en de Vonkjes Geluk. The story follows a young girl whose mother has drifted away, leaving her father frozen in sorrow. She embarks on a journey to find the one thing that might warm his heart again: a spark of happiness. This adventurous fairytale explores themes of loss, the search for happiness, and self-discovery. Kayra en de Vonkjes Geluk is intended for both young and older readers, ages nine and up, whether or not they've experienced similar losses. It offers valuable insights for coping with grief and is designed for reading alone or together. Illustrations were created by Dilruba Tayfun during the ROSE Children’s Storytelling Project.

Canick is a director and coordinator at the multidisciplinary youth theater school DAT!school in Amsterdam-Noord, a place where children and young people can explore their creativity and discover their strengths. A graduate of the Fontys School of Fine and Performing Arts, she co-founded the theater duo Hermans weet Raad with colleague Tanja de Raad. Canick was also part of the editorial team at the trade journal De Dikke Blauwe for two years, where several of her interviews were published. Her experience in youth theater, directing, teaching, and editorial work all come together in Kayra en de Vonkjes Geluk, where she hopes to address topics like loss, finding one’s own space, and the search for new happiness through the power of imagination.