Vanda published her children’s book, Audrina’s 1st Tooth Party, in 2021. The story is inspired by the Armenian tradition of Atam Hatik, a celebration held when a baby’s first tooth appears. During the festivity, symbolic objects representing different professions are placed before the child, and whichever item the baby reaches for is believed to reveal their future career.

In the book, a little girl named Audrina navigates this tradition with the help of her heart—personified as witty, sassy, and outspoken. While adults around her try to influence her choices based on their own ambitions, Audrina’s heart empowers her to listen within and follow her own path. At its core, the book shares a powerful message: trust your heart and stay true to yourself.

Fun fact: Vanda based the character of Audrina on a series of vivid dreams she had of a little girl, which later inspired the story.

Vanda delights in visiting local schools to share her books with young readers, often pausing to watch their faces light up as they connect with the story. She finds their curiosity and interaction with the characters both endearing and inspiring, fueling her passion for supporting children’s literacy. Through these visits, Vanda hopes to spark imagination, nurture confidence, and encourage a lifelong love of reading.

“I find reading to children to be so amusing, especially the younger ones in preschool or kindergarten. The second I open my book, and they see Audrina (the main character) or Coco (the dog), all of a sudden you hear a chorus of little ones squealing in excitement and all wanting to tell you a random story of their own pet. I get to spend an hour or so away from my day job in corporate banking and rejoice in the presence of these little ones. I also have fostered a tremendous amount of respect for their very patient educators!”

Vanda has leveraged her children's book to support causes and initiatives she is passionate about, particularly those focused on children's literacy. She has generously donated all funds (every penny) from the sale of her book to charities that are making a direct impact on children’s lives.

Through the sale of her books and matching donations from her employer, Vanda was able to raise $10,000 for the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF), which she donated in memory of her late grandmother, Jemma Movsesyan.  “My maternal grandmother, Jemma, was instrumental to my upbringing and instilling in me and my siblings a strong sense of Armenian cultural pride.It was truly an honor for me to be able to celebrate my grandmother’s beautiful spirit and dedication to her homeland by donating the funds to COAF for the Youredjian Child and Family Center (CFC) that opened in Myasnikyan (Armavir) in 2024. The Center is one of four COAF established to serve families in need across the Armavir and Lori regions. I was particularly drawn to this initiative given I was born in Lori province (Vanadzor) myself.”

Fun fact: Vanda continues to donate all funds to charities. Supporters of her book can choose which charity to donate their funds too.