Asian Authors Directory
Farhana Zia is a critically acclaimed children’s book author. Her stories blend humor and tradition, memories and contemporary moments. A former elementary school teacher, she currently keeps busy writing, substitute teaching and taking leisurely walks in her neighborhood. Ms. Zia enjoys sharing her work with schools, libraries, book stores and other cultural and educational institutions. Her book readings and interactive, lively presentations bring her audience up close and personal with the world of her characters while creating multicultural awareness and sensitivities in the young viewers.
Farhana Zia was born in Hyderabad, India and immigrated to the United States in 1967. She lives in Massachusetts.
Her books can be purchased on Amazon. They are also available through her publishers (Lee and Low; Peachtree) and at bookstores.
Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji (Lee and Low, 2011)
The Garden of my Imaan (Peachtree, 2013)
Child of Spring (Peachtree, 2016)
Lali’s Feather (Peachtree, 2020)
TBA (Peachtree, 2024)
Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji: 2012 Kirkus Starred Review; 2012 APALA (Asian Pacific American Librarians Association)Honor book; 2012 Best Children’s Books of the Year Bank Street College of Education; 2014 USBBY list; 2020 Gold House Book List goldhouse.org/news
The Garden of my Imaan: Kirkus Review https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/farhana-zia/garden-my-imaan; Publisher’s Weekly Review: https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-56145-698-7; 2013 Society of School Librarians International Book Awards K-6 Novels category http://www.freewebs.com/societyofschoollibrarians/; 2014 United States Board on Books for Young People List USBBY – USBBY; 2014 South Asia Book Awards Honor Recipient; 2014 IRA Social Justice Literature Award for a Novel; Booklist’s Editors’ Top 10 Religion Books for Youth.
Child of Spring: Publisher’s Weekly Review ; Parent’s Choice Gold Award http://www.parents-choice.org/award.cfm?thePage=books&p_code=p_boo&c_code=c_fic&orderby=award; 2017 Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year list https://www.bankstreet.edu/center-childrens-literature/childrens-book-committee/best-books-year/2016-edition/and 2017 edition.
Lali’s Feather: Kirkus Review https://www.kirkusreviews.com/…/lalis-feather; Publisher’s Weekly Review https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-68263-129-4 ;2020 Parents Choice Book Award Silver Honor; 2020 NY Times list: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/04/books/picture-books-miyakoshi-akiko-i-dream-of-a-journey.html ; Matthew Winner Podcast https://www.matthewcwinner.com/post/farhana-zia-lali-s-feather