Meet Pragya Tomar – One of the 2020 PB Stars

Part 1 - Meet Pragya – She’s a Visual FX Artist by day, and a children’s writer by night. She loves writing stories rooted in adventure, magic, and mythology. Pragya believes in the power of stories to inspire and touch hearts. She wants to make childhood special. That’s why some of her stories are written for our youngest readers. Pragya is also the founder of PenMagicBoooks Publishing.
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BTW – FX artists are the ones who create elements on screen like fire, water, explosions, cloth, hair, and so much more. What a cool job!

​Pragya was born in New Delhi, India and that’s where she grew up. You see modern Delhi in the first photo, but there are also bits of the one from 

​long ago. Those bits remind me of Aladdin. The first movie was set in Agra, India. That’s also where you’ll find the Taj Mahal. It’s a gorgeous building dedicated to the favorite wife of an emperor.
The second photo is another reminder of the dual nature of India. Delhi is quite modern with things like cars, but there’s still room for the ancient, like this ox cart. It feels like a normal part of Delhi, not something that should be in a museum.

Pragya did not stay in Delhi or Bollywood to pursue her film career. The first picture is from a Bollywood movie. She came to the US in 2003 to study film at USC (University of Southern California). She earned an MFA, Masters of Fine Arts in Film, Video, and Computer Animation. She won the Sloan Award in Animation in 2006. Pragya is talented!
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Here are some of the feature films and TV shows that she’s worked on – Disney’s Bolt, A Christmas Carol, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Star Wars, Transformers 3, and Kungfu Panda. She’s worked on Nickelodeon’s TV shows WallyKazam and Shimmer and Shine. Are you impressed? I am! I would love to sit and listen to her stories for an hour, two, or three. WOW!

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​August 2020
What happens when you discover you and your best friend are opposites? That’s what Pragya, Donkey, and Unicorn must figure out by the end of the story. Unicorn is everything neat, sparkly, and clean, and Donkey is the opposite. How can they possibly remain friends? Only Pragya knows!

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​June 2020
Meet a few animal babies and their Mamas in this bedtime story. It’s written in rhyme, with bright illustrations. Cuddle up together, and then say good night. 

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​June 2020
Bug loves being lazy. He’d rather skip getting dressed, or going to school, but things change when his parents stop doing all the work. What will Bug do – enjoy his lazy lifestyle, or take charge? You’ll have to check out this book to find out.

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May 7, 2020
This is a coloring book kids will love. Meet 25 animals, and their butts. Then pick your favorite way to color – crayons, markers, colored pencils, watercolors, mixed media, whatever! Pragya’s only requirement – have fun!

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April 2020
If you’re looking for a way to help your favorite girl with confidence, gratitude, or self-esteem, try this journal, and its writing prompts. Words have power, and this book might just empower your favorite girl.

September 2020
Now there’s also a coloring book version with positive affirmations for your favorite girl.

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​February 2019
Be careful what you wish for! Little Elephant Bina Trunk thinks life will be perfect when she gets her wish and turns into a princess, but she discovers something unexpected. Being a special elephant is fun, but so is being herself too. What’s a girl to do?

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​November 2019
What’s Bug to do when he stumbles over a stack of letters addressed to Santa Claus? They can’t make it to the North Pole on time! Bug spots a shooting star and makes a wish – to become Santa. Who would have made it hard to return those letters – the reindeer, the elves, someone on the naughty list? Inquiring minds will have to read to find out!

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​October 2019
Ready for an adventure?  Travel to India, and follow two elephant kids, Babu and Bina. They enter a cave and wind up trapped by the ghost of an ancient Maharaja. The fun starts – when the kids make a deal with the ghost. I bet his bargain is more about tricks than treats!

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