From GATHERING VOLUMES
Saadia Faruqi, the author of the award-winning Yasmin series will speak at Maumee Valley Country Day School for a public event sponsored by Gathering Volumes bookstore on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 3-4:30 p.m. Seating begins at 2:30 p.m.
Faruqi’s visit is free and open to anyone who wishes to participate, but to ensure enough seating is provided registration is requested online or by calling Gathering Volumes at (567) 336-6188. Seating begins at 2:30 pm and the discussion will begin at 3pm. Following the discussion, the Yasmin books will be available for purchase and Ms. Faruqi will be signing books.
You can register for the event online here: https://g.co/kgs/gCPyUX or by contacting Gathering Volumes. For more information about Saadia Faruqi’s Perrysburg visit, call .
Saadia Faruqi is the author of the extremely popular and award-winning Yasmin series (Capstone) and upcoming middle grade novels “A Place At The Table” (HMH/Clarion 2020) co-written with Laura Shovan, and “A Thousand Questions” (Harper Collins 2020). She has also written “Brick Walls: Tales of Hope & Courage from Pakistan” a short story collection for adults and teens. Saadia is editor-in-chief of Blue Minaret magazine, and was featured in Oprah Magazine as a woman making a difference in her community. She resides in Houston, TX with her husband and children.
The Yasmin series, launched in 2018, is about a young girl grappling with childhood challenges such as getting lost in the park, doubting herself while completing a class project, and competing in the school art show. Inspired by Faruqi’s own kids — particularly her nine-year-old daughter — Yasmin skillfully depicts the struggles and emotions of early grade-school life.
Although Yasmin’s ethnic identity and faith are not major plot points, they are casually woven into the stories, such as when Yasmin’s mom puts on a hijab to go to the market, and in the way Yasmin’s dad calls her “jaan,” an Urdu nickname for a loved one. By telling the story in this way, the stories concentrate on the ways that childhood experiences are often universal. Kids of all backgrounds will recognize themselves in Yasmin. According to Faruqi, “My teacher friends call this the mirror-and-window effect.” The phrase “mirrors and windows” was initially introduced by Emily Style for the National SEED Project. A mirror is a story that reflects the reader’s culture and helps them build their identity. A window is a resource that offers the reader a view into someone else’s experience.
