About the book
Hayat Apartmanı is a warm and heart lifting story of friendship, sharing, and the unexpected magic of community life. Through the wide eyed gaze of a young boy named Mehmet, we are welcomed into an old apartment building in Istanbul where every floor holds a different world. There is Muhammet, who dreams of football glory; Sinan, a quiet chess master; Necla Nine and Hayri Dede, who have a century of memories between them; and Caroline Teyze, who has an uncanny talent for choosing the perfect gift. Their stories intertwine in small, quiet moments — a shared meal, a whispered secret, a helping hand — showing that a real neighbourhood is less a collection of flats and more an extended family. But when a mysterious new neighbour moves into the sixth floor, Mehmet’s chance encounter sets in motion a chain of surprises that will change not only his own life, but the story of the whole apartment.
Written by Özge Lokmanhekim and illustrated by Başak İşbilir, Hayat Apartmanı was published by Fom Kitap in January 2025. The story draws deeply on the author’s own childhood years in Istanbul and her time living in the historic Simotas Building in Kuzguncuk, where neighbourly bonds and small scale kindnesses shaped her own understanding of what it means to belong. In an age of digital isolation, where urban life often thins the ties between people, Lokmanhekim’s tale is a gentle reminder of how much we still need one another — for empathy, for support, for the simple joy of being part of something larger than ourselves. The book weaves together the old and the new, blending local Turkish flavours with universal values of tolerance and cooperation.
At its heart, Hayat Apartmanı celebrates diversity as a quiet treasure. Every character carries habits, viewpoints and life stories that are uniquely their own, yet it is precisely these differences that make the community richer. Young readers are gently encouraged to observe, to question, and to put themselves in another’s shoes — learning that disagreements are not obstacles but opportunities for growth. With lively illustrations and a tender narrative voice, this 32 page picture book is ideally suited for children aged 6–8. It is a perfect choice for parents and educators seeking to nurture emotional intelligence and social awareness through a story that is as entertaining as it is nourishing.
About the author
Özge Lokmanhekim is an Istanbul‑born author of children‘s literature, a passionate traveller, and a former lawyer. She graduated from Marmara University Faculty of Law in 2003 and later studied Arbitration and Mediation Law at the University of Texas School of Law. After completing a legal internship in London, she earned her master’s degree in Economic Law from Istanbul Bilgi University in 2010. The same year, she began writing a travel blog, and soon her travel essays appeared in major publications including Forbes Türkiye, Elele, Esquire Big Black Book, Time Out Istanbul and many others. She also wrote columns on parenting and family travel for Milliyet Cumartesi, Hürriyet Pazar Eki, Parents, and the kids‘ supplements of Elle and Elele. After becoming a mother, she took a break from her legal career — which she deeply loved — to focus on writing for children. She has since published over twenty picture books, contributed to two collective works, and translated four children’s books into Turkish.
Lokmanhekim has continuously deepened her craft through international training. She has studied children‘s book writing at the University of Cambridge and Penguin Random House, as well as at the University of California, San Diego. At the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, she trained in the holistic book approach and interactive reading. She also completed the Philosophy for Children (P4C) educator programme at Boğaziçi University. Her book Hayat Apartmanı (Life Apartment, Fom Kitap, 2025) draws directly from her own childhood memories of Istanbul and her time living in the historic Simotas Building in Kuzguncuk, where neighbourly bonds and small acts of kindness shaped her understanding of community. As Lokmanhekim explains, in an age of urbanisation and social media, relationships have become more superficial and neighbourly ties have nearly disappeared — yet empathy, cooperation, and friendship are more essential than ever. Hayat Apartmanı gently reminds young readers that differences are not obstacles but opportunities for growth, and that living in a community is a shared adventure. For parents and educators seeking stories that nurture emotional intelligence and social awareness, Özge Lokmanhekim is a warm and thoughtful voice in contemporary Turkish children’s literature.
About the translator
