Many children’s books have talking animals. Very few make an animal feel like someone readers truly know. That is what Tiju Mundakappalli has done with Maniyan, a donkey who laughs, learns, cares, makes mistakes, and grows through life. Maniyan may be a donkey, but his thoughts and feelings remind readers of people they have met, and even of themselves.
Tiju Mundakappalli, an award-winning author from Kaipattoor in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district, created Maniyan after carrying the idea in his mind for many years. The character slowly took shape until he became the heart of a book series that speaks to children and adults alike.
Why Maniyan Is Different from Other Children’s Characters
Many stories give animals human voices. Tiju wanted to go much further. He imagined a donkey living through many parts of human life. Maniyan meets new people, builds friendships, falls in love, faces hard moments, and learns from every experience.
This simple idea gave Tiju the freedom to tell stories that are warm, funny, and full of feeling. Children enjoy Maniyan’s playful nature, while older readers often see parts of their own lives in his story.
For Tiju, Maniyan is much more than the main character. He is someone who can grow with every book and reach readers from different age groups.
One Character, Three Stories, Endless Possibilities
The first book, A Short Vacation of a Donkey, brings Maniyan into the human world. Readers meet his master, Shreeju, and watch Maniyan slowly understand people, friendship, love, and life.
The story continues in Metamorphosis of Maniyan the Donkey, where the character grows through fresh experiences. The third book, Maniyan’s Bakery and the Magic Muffins, takes him into another fun story while keeping the warmth that readers came to love.
Each book adds something new to Maniyan’s life. As the series grows, so does the character.
Two more books are already on the way—Maniyan Meets Laika and Maniyan in Japan. These stories will take Maniyan into fresh places while keeping the heart of the series the same.
Real Places, Real Feelings, Fictional Stories
Much of the warmth in the Maniyan books comes from Tiju’s childhood in Kaipattoor. He grew up among quiet roads, open fields, simple homes, and close families. Those memories still shape his writing.
He believes the best stories grow from real life. Even when the people and events are fictional, the feelings come from places the writer truly knows.
That belief has become one of the main ideas behind all his books.
Finding Time to Write While Working Abroad
Tiju now lives and works in Kuwait, yet he keeps time aside for writing. Some days many pages are written. On other days he simply sits with his thoughts or writes down small ideas that come to mind.
He believes every idea has value. A single note written during the day can later grow into an important part of a story.
This quiet habit has helped him shape the Maniyan series over the years.
A Character That Speaks to Every Age
Tiju Mundakappalli has received the Young Adult Author of the Year award from Ukiyoto Publishing and the Sahitya Sparsh Award. While these honours are meaningful, his biggest focus remains Maniyan.
With every new book, Maniyan becomes a richer character. Children enjoy his humour and kindness. Adults see feelings and moments from their own lives through him.
That is what makes Maniyan one of children’s most original literary characters. He is a donkey by name, yet his heart feels deeply human, making his stories easy to enjoy long after the final page.
