Time Machines, Princesses & Blessings: Exploring Sikh Stories with Sanmukh Kaur

Sanmukh Kaur is the inspiring voice behind Full With Blessings, Miss Kaur’s Sikh Time Machine, and Meet the Khalsa Princesses - three vibrant children’s books that celebrate Sikh values, history, and spiritual wisdom with creativity, heart, and humour.

Through poetic affirmations, imaginative time travel, and empowering princess role models, Sanmukh gently opens the door to Sikh teachings while encouraging all children to embrace kindness, courage, and curiosity. Her writing reflects a deep respect for heritage and a belief that every child, regardless of background, can benefit from stories grounded in truth, light, and love.

In this Q&A, we learn more about Sanmukh’s motivations, her approach to faith-inspired storytelling, and her hopes for the next generation of readers.

What inspired you to begin writing children’s books rooted in Sikh faith and values?

Books shaped a lot of my values growing up. As a kid, I was a typical bookworm; my nose was always in a book, and I’d often use a flashlight to stay up late reading under my covers at night.

One thing that bothered me since my childhood was that there were no children’s books about my Sikh heritage, which I took great pride in. I had a little bundle of papers that I kept for several years, in which I periodically scribbled down my goals and dreams for when I grew up. One of the goals that I repeatedly wrote down was to one day create children’s books with Sikh representation.

Years later, I’ve been blessed to do exactly that. Representation continues to be an important goal for me, but even more than that, I am inspired to create books that can positively impact future generations by imparting powerful Sikh values.

Each of your stories carries a strong spiritual message in a child-friendly way. How do you balance depth and accessibility when writing for young readers?

If I’m perfectly honest, I often start off with an idea that I believe will resonate with children, but as I start writing, I forget my audience and simply write for myself! I just love the format of children’s books as a creative outlet, and I think that oftentimes they carry many layers which speak to audiences of many ages. Children’s books are a wholly different medium of self-expression for adult writers than novels; a lot is said without words, and a lot is also said in the illustrations, which is not explicitly stated in the text. This is part of what makes writing children’s books such an exciting pursuit for adult creatives.

While I normally start out writing with an idea that I think can help deliver a powerful message to children, in certain stories/books I do simply get immersed in the bliss of creative expression. I think that most of the time the end result works for kids, though!

Sikh history and identity are central to your books, but the messages feel universal. Was that an intentional part of your storytelling?

Yes, and no!

While I did intentionally craft some of my books to appeal to a universal audience, I was quite taken aback that some of my other stories also resonated so strongly with our publishing team when I first approached them. I truly didn’t expect it, and it was such a pleasant surprise. At the same time, I’ve always felt that Sikh values are universal and that Sikh narratives have so much potential to appeal to individuals from all walks of life. It’s very exciting for me to be able to help contribute to getting such narratives out into the literary world, since traditionally Sikh representation in children’s literature has been almost non-existent.

How has your experience as a Sikh woman influenced the kinds of stories you choose to tell?

I believe that being a mother of Sikh children has had the greatest impact on the stories I choose to tell. I started out with the goal of creating books for my children that represented our heritage and ideals since, at that time, there was almost no Sikh representation in children’s literature. This expanded into a greater vision of reaching and impacting a global audience.

Empowerment, especially of young girls, features strongly in your work. What messages do you hope children take away from your books?

Empowering young girls has always been important to me. I wrote the “Meet the Khalsa Princesses” book for my daughter, as I understood how important it is for her to be surrounded by empowering messaging as she grows, especially as a female minority with a distinct appearance.

Each of the books I write contains a different message which I hope for children to walk away with. “Full With Blessings” is near and dear to me. I wrote it after the passing of a loved one, as I wanted children to understand how we can have a mindset of gratitude and joy, even through the most difficult and harrowing of circumstances. In the Sikh faith, we call this mindset “Chardikala”, which means “Rising Spirits”. It means having a spirit of ever-abundant joy, even through tough times.

“Miss Kaur’s Sikh Time Machine” is a book that had been requested of me, and it’s equally important. It teaches children who Sikhs are and the universal values that we stand for. I hope that through this book, we can help build bridges and foster tolerance and understanding for minority communities such as ours.

The tone of your books blends playfulness, wonder, and reverence. What is your process like when shaping the voice and rhythm of your stories?

I think I speak for all writers when I say that sometimes an idea hits and it “just happens”. I never sit down with the intention to write a story unless I feel inspiration; I find it extremely unenjoyable and ineffective to force myself to write without this. Once inspiration hits, I have to get my thoughts out onto paper as quickly as possible!

While I do normally end up going through several revisionary drafts, my initial “process” really is just a light bulb moment and a lightning-fast transfer of idea to paper!

The illustrations across your books are bright, expressive and full of meaning. What has the illustration process been like for you, and how important is visual storytelling in your work?

I’m so grateful to the incredible illustrators I have been fortunate to work with. I don’t think that illustrators get enough credit when it comes to their role in bringing children’s books to life, but I definitely know that the children reading the books appreciate them immensely.

The illustration process has varied depending on the book. In some cases, I’ve had a strong vision for what the illustrations should look like in connection to the story, and I’ve been careful to communicate that to the illustrator. In certain cases this has been because the visual elements and written elements are meant to come together and complete one another for a more powerful storytelling impact.

In other cases, I have no idea what I want for the illustrations, and I sit back and let the illustrators use their own creativity. It is always fun to see what they come up with, and I’m never disappointed!

What role do you see books like yours playing in classrooms or homes?

My hope is that these books can help play a role in shifting mindsets. I truly hope that they can help enlighten, empower, and inspire children from all walks of life and create a more beautiful and peaceful world.

After creating my own picture books, I’ve now come to see what an important role that libraries – whether they be public libraries, school libraries, or home libraries – play in shaping children to be more open-minded, tolerant, and grounded in good values. I am grateful for the opportunity to have my work sit on the same shelves that have shaped generations in this way.

How can readers and educators connect with you or follow your work as an author?

You can follow my work on Instagram at @premraskids, where I share resources, insights, and updates tailored especially for Sikh families - though anyone interested in diverse children's literature is very welcome!

You can also find all my latest links, book info, and contact details through my Linktree at www.PremRas.org.