Vasanti writes, illustrates and designs books for ages, four to forever. Her picture books have sold around the world and won numerous awards. Vasanti is an Arts Foundation Laureate (2021) – awarded for her book illustrations. The Boring Book (2013) won book of the year at the NZ children’s book awards (2014), was a White Raven’s selection (2014) and was named an IBBY Honour Book (2016). I am the Universe (2020), won the NZSA Heritage Literary Award, the NZ Booklovers Award and the PANZ Book Design Awards for Best Children’s Book 2021. After surviving an Aotearoa school system where all the books were about Pākehā, Vasanti is led to create books that our multicultural tamariki and rangatahi can relate to.
During her residency Vasanti is working verse novel, aimed at junior to young adult readers. It tells the story of an Aotearoa-Indian market gardening family. Set in set in the ‘60s and ‘70s the story examines our evolving culture, our experience of assimilating into a Pākehā-dominated society and the history of the land around us. It explores the relationships between early Indian migrants and Māori. It also speaks about the power of creativity to rise above one’s circumstances.