Talar Keoseyan is on a mission to preserve and share her family’s Armenian heritage, one children’s book at a time , Keoseyan’s was born in Syria and her journey began at the age of seven when her family fled Aleppo, Syria to Philadelphia. She later moved to Los Angeles, California and had 2 boys. Her grandparents, survivors of the Armenian Genocide, instilled in her a deep sense of cultural duty and continuity. This upbringing has shaped Keoseyan’s work, translating her family’s history into compelling narratives that resonate across the Armenian diaspora.
Keoseyan’s path to becoming an author was not straightforward. After graduating from high school, she pursued a degree in history, drawn to the complexities of the human mind. However, her passion for storytelling and her commitment to preserving her cultural heritage never waned. “I always knew that I wanted to do something that would make a difference in the lives of Armenian children,” she says. “I wanted to create a connection to their roots that was both educational and emotional.”
Her debut picture book, Mom, Dad, Why Do I Need to Know My Armenian Heritage?, published in 2008, introduces young readers to the importance of their cultural roots. The story follows a boy who initially resists his heritage but eventually embraces it through a dream that connects him to his family’s past. The book’s accessibility and emotional resonance have made it a valuable tool in classrooms used by some teachers and cultural programs.
The 2020 Artsakh war marked a turning point in Keoseyan’s writing. The conflict pushed her to address the contemporary human costs of war and the intimate experiences of those affected. Her subsequent works, Tigran’s Song and Our Tigran, shift focus from inherited memory to the immediate and personal impacts of conflict. These books offer a poignant perspective on loss and duty, highlighting the domestic reverberations of war. Tigran’s Song is told from a sister’s perspective, capturing the aching absence of a beloved brother. Our Tigran, a longer narrative, is built from interviews with a soldier’s family and friends, providing a more comprehensive look at the emotional landscape of war.
Keoseyan’s commitment to preserving Armenian heritage extends beyond her books. She writes a regular column for Armenian Weekly, recording testimonies from mothers and wives of soldiers. These interviews function as a dynamic archive, preserving raw, sorrowful, and everyday experiences that could potentially disappear from future generations. “I wanted to create a space where these stories could be told and heard,” Keoseyan explains. “These women have so much to share, and their experiences are a vital part of our collective memory.”
Vanna’s Adventures, released in July 2024 to coincide with Vardavar, is Keoseyan’s most recent and perhaps most luminous offering. The book follows a young girl on a summer visit to Armenia, where she discovers the immediate tether of everyday rituals and family cadence to her cultural heritage. Published in English and in Eastern and Western Armenian, Vanna’s Adventures is both a travelogue and a primer, insisting that traditions are living practices accessible to curious children. The book is a celebration of Armenian culture, filled with vibrant illustrations and heartwarming stories that bring the past to life.
Vardavar became an interactive classroom during the launch of Vanna’s Adventures, organized by the nonprofit Hayk for Our Heroes. The event featured readings, music, water-throwing, and older relatives leading children in long-held songs. Keoseyan pledged all net proceeds from Amazon sales to Armenian charities, underscoring the intersection of cultural work and community support. “It was incredible to see the community come together,” Keoseyan recalls. “The energy was electric, and it felt like we were all part of something much bigger than ourselves.”
Educators and cultural organizers praise Keoseyan’s books for meeting a practical and urgent need. Many Armenian language programs struggle to find age-appropriate materials that teach vocabulary and convey cultural context without requiring fluent instructors. Keoseyan’s titles provide that bridge, offering teachers a way to celebrate tradition while imparting language skills. Talar is currently working on getting the Los Angeles Unified School District to adopt the title for its dual-language program, which will demonstrate the book’s potential as both a curricular tool and a cultural keepsake.
You can find Talar’s books on Amazon (links included).
https://a.co/d/74Gzpyc, https://a.co/d/hdTjnGc, https://a.co/d/8UN9Fjs, https://a.co/d/42dj8tE, https://a.co/d/dD8J78f, and in Abril bookstore located in Los Angeles, California.