Author Session with Homely Hammock: Zoom Recording

Earlier this week we sat down with the sisters behind the pen name Ukht Husni and we got a glimpse at their dedication and creative process. Singapore sisters Hanan and Hafeezah Alsagoff founded Homely Hammock to publish books for Muslim children. Their output in the last few years has been prolific. They have produced Alphabet board books, story books, card games, and more.

In the session with the authors, they spoke about the vital importance of early literacy. Crucially, they said that early literacy is mainly about instilling a love for language and leaning, and cautioned young parents against obsessing about milestones and their child's ability to read on their own. Let children enjoy stories for these are vehicles for the teaching of morals and values.

Stories, as Maryanne Wolf writes, are ethics laboratories where children witness the consequences of moral decisions, from a safe distance. So, don't skip read-aloud story time for your little ones, for these sessions set them up for a life of insight, rootedness and goodness. 

Hanan and Hafeezah Alsagoff are Singapore sisters who together make up Ukht Husni. They run Homely Hammock. The duo has produced many children’s books and we are grateful to have had the opportunity to speak with them and gain more insight on their creative process, research, and inspirations.