Dada, dada A song by Anuja Khemka

Dada was written to celebrate the special bond between fathers and their children.

The relationship between a father and a child is foundational. Together, they experience the light and cheery moments of life, while also developing a deep emotional relationship.

My hope for Dada is that families will read the book together, enjoying its lyrical story and vibrant images. It was written to help parents unwind and destress after a long day at work, to instill happiness in their daily interactions with children, and at the same time, to create and verbalize a solid bond. Dada's illustrations invite children to search and discover the animals hidden on each page, stimulating their brains and helping them learn new things.

In my own family, reading time brings us joy and laughs. According to research, it also brings us closer together and supports the mental health and wellness of our children (6, 7). I hope that Dada also brings that memorable, magical moments to your family.

Anuja Khemka, MSW, is a New York City-based author, columnist, and nonprofit leader working in education, and mental health and wellness. An active columnist on Forbes, she shares how today's most successful leaders transform emotional obstacles (e.g., stress, burnout) into powerful motivators. She has also developed a series of books to help children build a sense of self, a growth mindset, and resilience. Anuja is currently the Executive Director of Children's Hope India, an organization dedicated to bringing high-quality education, healthcare, nutrition, and skills attainment to the most vulnerable populations in India and New York. From 2017 to 2020, as Executive Director of national mental health equity nonprofit the Steve Fund, she partnered with universities around the country to rebuild their campuses as culturally-sensitive environments and support 2.5 million young people of color. Anuja has spent 15 years in the corporate sector in senior roles, the Goldman Sachs Foundation, and JPMorgan Foundation. Her work has been featured in Huffington Post, Forbes, Thrive Global and New York Times. She graduated from Brown University and did a Masters in Social Work from Columbia University.