Saadia Faruqi author page

Saadia Faruqi biography

Saadia Faruqi is a Pakistani American author and interfaith activist known for her contributions to children’s literature. Born in Karachi, Pakistan, she moved to the United States in 1998. Faruqi holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Central Florida and a master’s degree in liberal arts with a concentration in sociology from Baker University in Kansas.

Faruqi began her writing career with the short story collection Brick Walls: Tales of Hope & Courage from Pakistan, published in 2015. She gained prominence with the Yasmin series, an early reader collection featuring a Pakistani American girl navigating everyday adventures. Illustrated by Hatem Aly, the series includes cultural elements such as Urdu vocabulary and facts about Pakistan.

Her middle grade novels include A Place at the Table (co-authored with Laura Shovan), A Thousand Questions, Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero, and The Partition Project. Faruqi also authored the graphic novel Saving Sunshine, which was nominated for the Eisner and Harvey awards in 2024 and recognized as a Kirkus Best Book in 2023.

In addition to her writing, Faruqi serves as editor-in-chief of Blue Minaret, a magazine dedicated to Muslim art, poetry, and prose.