PVLF 2026

Interview: Arti Sonthalia, Author of Simi Stands Tall

A heartwarming conversation with Arti Khanna on Simi’s journey of resilience, kindness, friendship, and learning to truly ‘stand tall’.
on Dec 07, 2025

Frontlist: Simi Stands Tall explores a child navigating a new school, unexpected friendships, and family challenges. When you began writing Simi’s story, what aspects of her journey did you most want to illuminate about resilience, kindness, and the spirit of togetherness?

Arti: Simi Stands Tall illuminates several aspects of Simi’s journey. The transition to a new city and a new school, where she struggles to find her place despite being an academically awarded student, is one of them. Family and emotional struggles when her mom undergoes chemotherapy are another. Choosing the right friends, making mistakes, and then emerging stronger at the end with greater empathy is the highlight of the story.

Frontlist: The title itself evokes resilience and self-belief. Beyond the literal story, what does “standing tall” represent for children navigating life’s uncertainties, and how did you aim to translate that into the narrative?

Arti: “Standing Tall” literally represents confidence, resilience, and self-worth. For children navigating through life’s uncertainties like friendship, self-identity, school, and family—it encourages them to stay strong in who they are even when confronted by difficulties and self-doubt. Putting all this in a narrative without being preachy and making it fun was the whole idea. I wanted to have a character in which I wanted the children to be in the character’s shoes and feel her pressure, make the mistakes Simi makes, and then learn from them and move on.

Frontlist: Goldie, Simi’s goldfish, becomes her loyal companion and confidant. Why did you choose a pet as her emotional anchor, and what role do such imaginative, non-human friendships play in helping children process fear, loneliness, or uncertainty?

Arti: Goldie is Simi’s emotional anchor because pets are non-judgemental confidants. Pets allow children to express their feelings freely, offering them a safe space to share their fears and loneliness. I feel pets play an important role in a child’s life. They allow them to voice their thoughts and worries without the fear of being judged. They give them a sense of support, which helps them to open up to their own emotions.

Frontlist: Change and adaptation are recurring themes in the book. In your experience, what can stories like Simi’s teach children about embracing new environments, new friendships, and the courage to be themselves?

Arti: Stories like Simi teach children to manage the change that is always going to be there. It reminds them that it is normal to feel out of place, and with a little persistence and openness, they can navigate through it. Simi’s challenges in finding true friendship encourage the reader to look beyond appearances and popularity, and to choose friends who support and understand each other. Simi models to the reader the importance of being true to herself even when it’s difficult.

Frontlist: Christmas often evokes notions of generosity, empathy, and celebration of small joys. Which moments in Simi’s journey do you feel best exemplify these values for young readers?

Arti: There are lots of moments threaded in the book that evoke generosity, empathy, and small moments of joy. We can see generosity shining when Simi’s family comes together to support one another during her mother’s illness and helps in the quiz preparations. Simi demonstrates generosity by welcoming new friendship and accepting the loud noise of her brother’s drums. We can also see how empathy grows in the book as Simi encourages kindness to those who feel left out, especially Paarth and Vidhi. Even though the book has many challenges, it is filled with small joy moments, especially when we see a fun quiz round and a new pet for Simi from her siblings.

Frontlist: Children often grapple with feeling invisible or overlooked, especially in new social settings. How do you hope Simi’s journey inspires them to stand up, find their voice, and cultivate friendships rooted in trust and understanding?

Arti: Simi grapples for attention and feels overlooked in her new school. Uncertainty surrounds her, and she feels lost. Her story shows that the courage to speak up, even when it feels uncomfortable, is the first step to being seen and heard. She encourages her friends Paarth and Vidhi to stand up for themselves too. Simi’s resilience is sure to encourage the reader to reach out, speak up, and choose friendships built on kindness.

Frontlist: You have books that have been nominated for the Crystal Kite Asia Awards, won the Ficci Book of the Year, and been shortlisted for the Neev Awards. How have these recognitions shaped your creative journey?

Arti: Awards are encouraging, but the biggest award I get is when children share their experiences from my books. When they just want to come and give a hug and say, “I loved your book!” When I receive messages on social media about how they have been stuck to my books! These moments are heart-warming, and these are the ones that shape my journey.

Frontlist: Finally, if Simi Stands Tall could leave young readers with one enduring message about courage, joy, or kindness—something they could carry with them beyond the story—what would it be, and why?

Arti: One message that readers would carry with them would be to “Stand Tall” for oneself and others. Readers will look into themselves and find that hope, kindness, and self-belief are all within them.