I never expected Karl. But he arrived nonetheless — just as children sometimes do, appearing unexpectedly with joy and surprise.

Karl came with more than just his little story. He arrived in the middle of a eureka moment one day, while I was taking a break from an inbox full of hundreds of overwhelming “urgent” emails.

Ah! A kangaroo boy born with a pouch!

And the rest just spilled out.

I don’t have children myself — by choice — but Karl arrived in my life almost like one. Unexpected, insistent, full of joy, and carrying lessons I didn’t even know I needed. In that way, he’s become a kind of companion and teacher, reminding me daily about tenderness, difference, and the magic of seeing the world through fresh eyes.

His world is filled with heart, wisdom, kindness, lessons, love, secrets, and big feelings about life when you are different. After writing his overview story, I realized the depth behind it was even more than I could properly hold. So now I stand as the transmitter of his world and the characters in it, hoping to convey their messages in a tender, lighthearted way. Because life is much too serious already.

I have fallen deeply in love with Karl and his world because he is more than a character. He’s a reminder: that we all have something we carry — sometimes proudly, sometimes quietly — and that it’s worth telling stories about those things, even if you don’t feel ready. Because they matter.

This is the beginning of Karl’s story. And, in many ways, mine too.

Keep on bouncing,
Sarah <3