How Reading and Writing Sparked a Lifelong Adventure for Sangu Mandanna

Sangu Mandanna is an author who began writing stories at the age of four. She has published several novels, but it was her ninth book, set in her home county of Norfolk, that really gained attention. Sangu credits the 'enormous community' of book lovers on social media, especially Instagram and BookTok, for helping her books become popular. She believes that making reading and writing accessible to everyone is extremely important. Sangu says that reading has shaped her life more than anything else, giving her joy and a way to escape. She feels that books open up new worlds and help people understand others better.

As a child, Sangu wrote many stories, even though she now thinks they were not very good. Still, writing was a big part of her life, and she loved creating and reading stories. She wants people to enjoy both writing and reading, and she thinks it is easy to lose the sense of wonder and imagination as we grow older. Sangu believes that adults sometimes make the mistake of telling children which books are 'right' to read, but she says that any book you enjoy is the best kind of book. Her most popular books, 'The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches' and 'The Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping,' have found huge audiences thanks to social media. Sangu says that you cannot plan which books will become popular; it happens naturally as people discover new stories.

In Norwich, the National Centre for Writing is working to improve literacy for both children and adults. Their mission is to make reading and writing accessible to everyone and to celebrate the lifelong benefits of stories. The Centre wants Norwich to be a city where books and stories are valued and enjoyed by all. Sangu supports this mission and hopes that more people will find joy in reading and writing. She believes that books are a wonderful way to learn, imagine, and connect with others, and she wants everyone to have the chance to experience that.