Teenage trials and tribulations; every child goes through these years struggling with their sense of identity, growth pangs, hormonal imbalances and countless more rollercoaster rides, which often seem insurmountable at the time.

Aastha, a young and vivacious 15 year old, has penned down her emotions in the form of poetry, bringing her teenage angst to life beautifully for others who are at the same stage of life as her, to read. A student of class X at Pathways School Gurgaon, Aastha did not realise her potential till her parents discovered her writing, quite by chance, when she was scribbling some lines on a paper napkin while at a family dinner.

A treasure trove of well written and truly heartfelt emotions describing her teenage journey are captured within the covers of this lovely book  Pinkie’s Don’t Promise published by Notion Press. The illustrations are brought to life so wonderfully that they appear absolutely real and bring out the depth of each line.

The poems in the book are truly relatable for teenagers, allowing the poems to express the words which some may not be able to find. It provides teenagers with the reassurance that they are not alone in this world, and that the issues which may seem as if only happening to you, are present in many others’ lives as well.

Aastha Mehndirata is a vivacious fifteen-year-old who lives with her parents and brother in Delhi NCR. She has a profound love for poetry, and from the age of 11, has actively enjoyed writing poems for her own satisfaction.

Pinkies Don’t Promise inaugurates her journey as an author and a poet, allowing her to share her feelings with the world. She has compiled her life’s experiences and lessons in this set of poems to help spread awareness of issues that are faced by teenagers on a daily basis. She hopes they will read and understand that they are not alone in what they face now.

Astha is the daughter of our community member Pooja Mehndirata.