Charis and The Agnes Scott College Writers' Festival welcome ASC alumna, Reem Faruqi, in conversation with Fahmida Azim for a celebration of Amira's Picture Day. Ramadan has come to an end, and 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the Agnes Scott College Writers' Festival. The full lineup of events is available here: https://www.agnesscott.edu/writersfestival/

Just the thought of Eid makes Amira warm and tingly inside. From wearing new clothes to handing out goody bags at the mosque, Amira can't wait for the festivities to begin. But when a flier on the fridge catches her eye, Amira's stomach goes cold. Not only is it Eid, it's also school picture day. If she's not in her class picture, how will her classmates remember her? Won't her teacher wonder where she is?

Though the day's celebrations at the mosque are everything Amira was dreaming of, her absence at picture day weighs on her. A last-minute idea on the car ride home might just provide the solution to everything in this delightful story from acclaimed author Reem Faruqi, illustrated with vibrant color by Fahmida Azim.

Reem Faruqi is an acclaimed children's book author. Her debut picture book, Lailah's Lunchbox, was named an ALA Notable Book and a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People and was selected for the International Literacy Association's Choices reading list. Reem's debut middle grade book Unsettled is forthcoming from HarperCollins. Amira’s Picture Day is her first book with Holiday House. Reem immigrated from Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, to Peachtree City, Georgia, when she was 13 years old. She now lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and children. Find her online at www.ReemFaruqi.com.

Fahmida Azim is an illustrator and storyteller whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Dallas News, NPR, Vice, Eater, and more. Born in Bangladesh, Fahmida immigrated to Virginia as a child and later graduated from VCUarts. Her publishing debut, Muslim Women Are Everything, written by journalist Seema Yasmin, published in 2020. Amira’s Picture Day is her first book with Holiday House. She currently lives in Seattle, Washington. Find her online at Fahmida-Azim.com.

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Amira's Picture Day: Reem Faruqi in conversation with Fahmida Azim