Farhana Zia

The arrival of new student Marwa, a fellow sixth-grader who is a strict Muslim, helps Aliya come to terms with her own lukewarm practice of the faith and her embarrassment over others' reactions to their beliefs.

The Garden of My Imaan

Child of Spring

A vivacious and endearing story of identification, values, and the rewards in looking closely and thinking imaginatively. Lali finds a little feather in the field. Who might it belong to? Lali sets out to find the feather a home, but one bird after another rejects it. The feather is too small for Rooster, too slow for Crow, and too plain for Peacock. That is until Lali decides to keep the little feather and discovers all the things she can do with it, and the other birds begin to recognize its value. Farhana Zia offers a charming tale with an inventive circular structure that reveals the importance of looking beyond first impressions. Illustrator Stephanie Fizer Coleman brings this delightful story of imagination and inspiration to life.

Lali's Feather

It’s hard enough to fit in without also having to decide whether to fast for Ramadan and wear the hijab. Aliya already struggles with trying to fit in, feeling confident enough to talk to the cute boy, or brave enough to stand up to mean kids—the fact that she’s Muslim is just another part of her life. But then Marwa, a Moroccan girl who shares Aliya’s faith, if not her culture, moves to town. Marwa’s quiet confidence leads Aliya to wonder even more about who she is, what she believes, and where she fits in. In a series of letters to Allah she writes for a Sunday school project, Aliya explores her dreams and fears, hoping that with hard work and faith, something beautiful will grow in the garden of imaan—the small quiet place inside where belief unfolds, one petal at a time. This award-winning novel from author and educator Farhana Zia captures the social and identity struggles of middle school with a fresh, new voice.

This endearing story of identification and values shows the rewards in looking closely and thinking imaginatively. Lali finds a little feather in the field. Is it lost? Lali sets out to find feather a home, but one bird after another rejects it. The feather is too small for Rooster, too slow for Crow, and too plain for Peacock. Once Lali decides to keep the little feather and discovers all the things she can do with it, the other birds begin to recognize its value. Farhana Zia’s charming tale employs an inventive circular structure that reveals the importance of looking beyond first impressions. Illustrator Stephanie Fizer Coleman brings this delightful story of imagination and inspiration to life.

Farhana Zia

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