I can’t wait to see what adventures will happen this year! #12x12pb

I was told if I want to be a picture book writer, read picture books, so I did!

599 picture books read because I did manage to sneak in one novel.

Do you also keep track of books on Goodreads?

My heart breaks for the 200 CHILDREN being held in Israeli jails. Why? No one knows why they are in jail.

Did you know Israel is the only “democracy” to hold children in jail without due process?

How can anyone live in a country that jails children without telling them what they did wrong?

So true!

Unfortunately Arab American #KidLit books are missing from American libraries, so I never felt like I belong in a #library because no one looked or talked like me.

When is an appropriate time to tell visiting guests that your furniture has tails? When they call to make arrangements to visit or when they arrive?

#Caturday

Day 4 without power. We in under red sea but are safe and comfortable. My heart goes out to the folks in the freezing cold, trying to get us unred.

No need to panic, libraries are open so I could stop by to grab the 45 #KidLit picture books I need daily to survive.

Visual depiction of me at library looking for Arab #KidLit to read to my 2 year old nephew.

I wish I had seen this map growing up in Oklahoma, after we had immigrated from Libya.

But sadly I never learned Native American history & felt like an idiot in college not knowing the actual history of my adopted home.

#NativeAmericanHeritageMonth

Me to realtor, while looking at a potential future home: And what is the cat to human ratio of this neighborhood?

I told my #KidLit librarian I wanted to read books to my preschool kids to celebrate #NativeAmericanHeriageMonth & she gave me these beauties

Stolen Words by Melanie Florence & Gabrielle Grimard

We all Play by Julie Flett

When We are Kind by Monique Gray Smith & Nicole Neidhardt

#NAAHM

Welcome…but what is up with the ‘Invalid Handle’ under your name? Are you having a tough time coping with/handling the change in social media (sorry, couldn’t resist the joke…too easy🤣)

So proud of myself that I am at almost 500 picture books read

Yes, one or two grown up books might be on the list, but it is 99.99998% #KidLit

I never entered a library until I was brought to America, so missed out on reading as a child

Now I’m playing catchup to learn how to write them myself

One of my absolutely favorite things to do is read to kids as I love watching their faces connect words & pictures

DON’T EAT BEES by @devpetty.bsky.social & Mike Boltz is so hilarious & well loved on my library card.

This summer I got to meet Mike & get an autograph on my own copy!

Yes I swooned

Don't cha wish you lived closer to me?🎶
Don't cha? Don't cha?🎵🎵 Don't cha wish you could cook with me?🎶
Don't cha? (Ah-ah-ah) Don't cha?
#Jordan #Mansaf #BatataMahshi #Fattoush #CookWithAnArab #Seattle

So excited to book my first school visit for the 2025 April’s Arab American Heritage Month, with my early reader about Arabic words.

I’m sad that it is part of a set & schools/parents don’t want to spend $60 per child. Tons of lost #KidLit revenue to the publisher since I am doing an assembly.

So many great book lists to enjoy this month!

I host Seattle Arab refugee cooking classes. It educates about my culture in an intimate setting & produces an income for them.

Always asked for an online option. I say no. There are tons of online recipes, but only one way to experience nafas.

I explain it to kids in my #kidlit that is on sub🤞🏽

America has zero Libyan picture books in our libraries.

Zero.

Not a single #KidLit by a Libyan or Libyan American author.

Zero.

On May 25, 2019 I decided to become the first to help welcome our community into an American library.

I am still looking for a publisher to help me invite the kids in.