AUTHOR BIO
Sahtinay Abaza is an American Syrian whose ancestors are from the North Caucasus. She grew up in the United Arab Emirates before making Florida her permanent home. But It wasn't until she became a mother of two little girls, that she admired how fun and whimsical the holidays are in the United States. Unfortunately, she couldn't find an engaging tale to read to her kids about any of the Muslim holidays she celebrates. This motivated her to write her first picture book, "Looking for the Eid Moon", which won the 2020 SCBWI Emerging Voices Award. Her second book, "The Ramadan Drummer," made the 2024 Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection.
Sahtinay hopes her work will help demonstrate the importance that all children, regardless of their background and faith, see themselves in fun and light-hearted stories that are filled with hope… stories that offer a glimpse of the world we'd love to see.
