◆◆◆◆ Zahra Omar Shansab is an award winning author and started writing poetry and short stories when she was in 4th grade in Kabul, Afghanistan. She was forced to flee Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation. She lived in India for several years before immigrating to the United States. She has a degree in psychology and enjoyed working with children of diverse backgrounds. Her personal experiences as a woman and an immigrant compel her to tell the stories of the downtrodden and the desperate. Her first two books, The Shoeshine of Kabul and Light Chaser were recipients of multiple awards, including Mom’s Choice Award, Readers’ Favorite International Book Award, and Next Generation Indie Book Award.
Mir nd M gic Pond
Twelve year old Mira has to sell her mother’s homemade samosas to motorists and commuters at one of the busiest intersections of a city in India. Living in a tiny room in the slums is also getting harder, as the monsoon storms are becoming fiercer and more violent. She often wonders why the weather is becoming hotter and more unpredictable. One eventful day, as she heads home, Mira decides to take the long way back and stroll through her favorite forest. What happens next in the forest makes Mira realize that nature had chosen her to relay an important message that could save nature itself and life in a race against time.