Meet storyteller Sybil

The five year old who drew whimsical figures with charcoal on the walls of her modest home in the southern village of Gintota, Galle, in Sri Lanka, today is an internationally celebrated children's book writer and illustrator. For over five decades now, Sybil Wettasinghe has been amusing, entertaining and winning the hearts of millions of kids across the globe through her engaging stories and colourful illustrations.

Wettasinghe started writing for children at a time when children's literature in Sri Lanka was in its nascent stage. 'Kuda Hora' ('Umbrella Thief'), first published in 1956, changed the mindset of the Sinhala book lovers, who till then had never even considered giving their children any reading material other than their school textbooks. When 'Kuda Hora' was published, its bright illustrations and large text seemed an unlikely rival to the imported English books. "But it was, in fact, a new beginning for children's literature in the country," says Reggie Siriwardene, journalist, writer and critic.

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