This is an interview with Moujan Adl, author of A Girl Named Mithra, a picture book about the Iranian winter solstice holiday of Yalda.

Links:

Moujan Adl, author: https://www.pompub.com/aboutus

Mona Danesh, illustrator: https://mdanesh.myportfolio.com/, @nazarjoon

Farzad Hemati, translator to Persian: https://www.pompub.com/translator

Yalda is traditionally celebrated with readings from the poet Hafez. For more information:

https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/hafez/

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20170109-the-mystical-poet-who-can-help-you-lead-a-better-life

For information on the University of Arizona Center for Middle Eastern Studies, go to: https://cmes.arizona.edu/.

For information on the Middle East Outreach Council, go to: http://www.meoc.us/

MEOC Book Award information, including a list of all winners is at: http://www.meoc.us/book-awards.html

Abby Limmer can be reached at alimmer@arizona.edu .

Bio: George Jreije is the Lebanese-American author of the acclaimed Shad Hadid and Bashir Boutros series, among other things. He has also written short stories in collaboration with Scholastic, UNICEF, and more. He served as the inaugural author-in-residence for the Concord Library in 2023 and has been a guest of honor and instructor at the Gotham Writers Workshop, the Highlights Foundation, and other writing workshops.

Learn More:

Here is George Jreije's Website and you can follow him on Instagram as @bygeorgejreije.

His books are:

Shad Hadid and the Alchemists of Alexandria

Shad Hadid and the Forbidden Alchemies

Bashir Boutros and the Jewel of the Nile

And you can now pre-order Bashir Boutros and the Forgotten Realm! Available on May 19, 2026.

Other authors mentioned include:

Nadia Shammas and Sarah Alfagee, authors of a Young Adult book, Squire: A Graphic Novel

Rhonda Roumani, author of Middle Grade novel Tagging Freedom and a picture book, Umm Kulthum: The Star of the East, which won the Middle East Nonfiction Book Award from the Middle East Outreach Council in 2025.

Credits:

Theme Music: Paul Amiel

Technical Assistance: Dr. Eric Taylor, Ali Hattab

General encouragement and assistance: Professor Mahmoud Azaz, Professor Emerita Anne Betteridge, Dr. Julie Ellison, Thomas Kenney, Jenessa Ricklefs.

Logo/ Thumbnail: University of Arizona College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Marketing and Communications Team

Facebook Page: facebook.com/groups/cmesuarizona/

Instagram: @cmes_ua