Karuna Riazi

Fourteen acclaimed authors showcase the beautiful and diverse ways holidays are observed in this festive anthology. Keep the celebrations going all year long with this captivating and joyful read! From Lunar New Year to Solstice, Día de Los Muertos to Juneteenth, and all the incredible days in between, it’s clear that Americans don’t just have one holiday. Edited by the esteemed Dahlia Adler and authored by creators who have lived these festive experiences firsthand, this joyful collection of stories shows that there isn’t one way to experience a holiday. With stories by:Dahlia Adler, Sydney Taylor Honor winner of Going BicoastalCandace Buford, author of Good as Gold A. R. Capetta and Cory McCarthy, authors of the Once & Future seriesPreeti Chhibber, author of Payal Mehta’s Romance Revenge PlotNatasha Díaz, award-winning author of Color Me InKelly Loy Gilbert, Stonewall Book Award winning author of Picture Us in the LightKosoko Jackson, USA Today bestselling author of The Forest Demands Its DueAditi Khorana, award-winning author of Mirror in the SkyKatherine Locke, award-winning author of This Rebel HeartAbdi Nazemian, Stonewall Book Award–winning author of Only This Beautiful MomentLaura Pohl, New York Times bestselling author of The Grimrose GirlsSonora Reyes, Pura Belpré Honor winner of The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic SchoolKaruna Riazi, contributor to The Grimoire of Grim Fates

Sabrena's father has always claimed their family is descended from the legendary sailor Sinbad. But when the sea calls Sabrena to a whole new world, she'll have to fight to claim her own story. From the author of the acclaimed A Bit of Earth, this reimagining of the classic characters from One Thousand and One Nights is perfect for fans of The Last Mapmaker and Ma analand. Any other story would begin with "once upon a time." But Sabrena's story is different. "Fulfilling all my worst fears," her mother says, "you were born by the sea." And it's true that the sea has always seemed to call to Sabrena. Her father reminds her that they are, of course, descended from the legendary sailor Sinbad. So it's basically qadr--fate--that Sabrena has an affinity toward the sea. Even so, Sabrena has had a truly ordinary life: trying to be an exemplary daughter, meeting all of her parents' high expectations. Despite, maybe, wanting something more interesting for herself. At least she can escape into the family's favorite book--One Thousand and One Nights--and all the adventures and magic found there. But one day, the sea's call will not be denied. It sweeps her away to be fished out of an ocean both strange and oddly familiar. It only takes her a moment to realize that she's in the stories spun by the legendary queen Scheherazade. Yet no one here has ever heard of Sinbad, a frightening jinn is terrorizing the kingdoms, and nothing seems to be going quite as it does in the stories. Inspired by the classic One Thousand and One Nights, acclaimed author Karuna Riazi has crafted a tantalizing tale about fate, choice, and being torn between them both. Sabrena Swept Away is a thematically rich story that will resonate with fans of Christina Soontornvat's The Last Mapmaker and Kiyash Monsef's Once There Was.

“Karuna Riazi has a way with words. This story will find its way into your heart.”—Tae Keller, Newbery Medalist for When You Trap a Tiger“As timeless as it is timely, A Bit of Earth is a rare gift.”—Laurel Snyder, author of National Book Award nominee Orphan Island“Extraordinary, poetic, and inventive. A Bit of Earth is such a special book. Prickles and all, Maria Latif captured my whole heart.”—Jasmine Warga, author of Newbery Honor book Other Words for Home“An ambitious re-envisioning of a long beloved classic, this book is sure to be a big hit.”—Padma Venkatraman, award-winning author of The Bridge Home“Beautiful! Simply beautiful! My heart needed this!”—Ellen Oh, author of Finding Junie Kim“A sweet and warm-hearted tale with unforgettable characters.”—Aisha Saeed, bestselling author of Amal UnboundMaria Latif is used to not having a space of her own. But what happens when she feels the sudden urge to put down roots in the most unexpected of places? Karuna Riazi crafts a tender coming-of-age story about friendship, family, and new beginnings. A Bit of Earth is a reimagining of the classic The Secret Garden, perfect for fans of Other Words for Home and The Bridge Home. Growing up in Pakistan, Maria Latif has been bounced between reluctant relatives for as long as she can remember—first because of her parents’ constant travel, and then because of their deaths. Maria has always been a difficult child, and it never takes long for her guardians to tire of her. So when old friends of her parents offer to “give her a better life” in the United States, Maria is shipped to a host family across the world. When Maria arrives on Long Island, things are not quite what she was expecting. Mr. Clayborne has left on an extended business trip, Mrs. Clayborne seems emotionally fraught, and inexplicable things keep happening in the Claybornes’ sprawling house. And then Maria finds a locked gate to an off-limits garden. Since she’s never been good at following rules, Maria decides to investigate and discovers something she never thought she’d find: a place where she feels at home. With a prickly main character, a sullen boy, two friendly allies, and a locked garden, A Bit of Earth has everything a reader could want from a retelling of The Secret Garden. Karuna Riazi’s evocative prose is interspersed with poetic verses, illuminating each character’s search for a place they can truly call home. This tender yet incisive reimagining of a classic work will captivate fans of the original—and widen the appeal for a modern audience.

“Karuna Riazi has a way with words. This story will find its way into your heart.”—Tae Keller, Newbery Medalist for When You Trap a Tiger“As timeless as it is timely, A Bit of Earth is a rare gift.”—Laurel Snyder, author of National Book Award nominee Orphan Island“Extraordinary, poetic, and inventive. A Bit of Earth is such a special book. Prickles and all, Maria Latif captured my whole heart.”—Jasmine Warga, author of Newbery Honor book Other Words for Home“An ambitious re-envisioning of a long beloved classic, this book is sure to be a big hit.”—Padma Venkatraman, award-winning author of The Bridge Home“Beautiful! Simply beautiful! My heart needed this!”—Ellen Oh, author of Finding Junie Kim“A sweet and warm-hearted tale with unforgettable characters.”—Aisha Saeed, bestselling author of Amal UnboundMaria Latif is used to not having a space of her own. But what happens when she feels the sudden urge to put down roots in the most unexpected of places Karuna Riazi crafts a tender coming-of-age story about friendship, family, and new beginnings. A Bit of Earth is a reimagining of the classic The Secret Garden, perfect for fans of Other Words for Home and The Bridge Home. Growing up in Pakistan, Maria Latif has been bounced between reluctant relatives for as long as she can remember—first because of her parents’ constant travel, and then because of their deaths. Maria has always been a difficult child, and it never takes long for her guardians to tire of her. So when old friends of her parents offer to “give her a better life” in the United States, Maria is shipped to a host family across the world. When Maria arrives on Long Island, things are not quite what she was expecting. Mr. Clayborne has left on an extended business trip, Mrs. Clayborne seems emotionally fraught, and inexplicable things keep happening in the Claybornes’ sprawling house. And then Maria finds a locked gate to an off-limits garden. Since she’s never been good at following rules, Maria decides to investigate and discovers something she never thought she’d find: a place where she feels at home. With a prickly main character, a sullen boy, two friendly allies, and a locked garden, A Bit of Earth has everything a reader could want from a retelling of The Secret Garden. Karuna Riazi’s evocative prose is interspersed with poetic verses, illuminating each character’s search for a place they can truly call home. This tender yet incisive reimagining of a classic work will captivate fans of the original—and widen the appeal for a modern audience.

The game begins again in this gripping follow-up to “exciting, clever” (Booklist) The Gauntlet that’s a futuristic Middle Eastern Zathura meets Ready Player One! Four years after the events of The Gauntlet, the evil game Architect is back with a new partner-in-crime—The MasterMind—and the pair aim to get revenge on the Mirza clan. Together, they’ve rebuilt Paheli into a slick, mind-bending world with floating skyscrapers, flying rickshaws run by robots, and a digital funicular rail that doesn’t always take you exactly where you want to go. Twelve-year-old Ahmad Mirza struggles to make friends at his new middle school, but when he’s paired with his classmate Winnie for a project, he is determined to impress her and make his very first friend. At home while they’re hard at work, a gift from big sister Farah—who is away at her first year in college—arrives. It’s a high-tech game called The Battle of Blood and Iron, a cross between a video game and board game, complete with virtual reality goggles. He thinks his sister has solved his friend problem—all kids love games. He convinces Winnie to play, but as soon as they unbox the game, time freezes all over New York City. With time standing still and people frozen, all of humankind is at stake as Ahmad and Winnie face off with the MasterMind and the Architect, hoping to beat them at their own game before the evil plotters expand Paheli and take over the entire world.

Incredible stories. Award-winning storytellers. Epic adventure, mystery, and fun? We've got it all in Ghostwriter—the extraordinary new series from the Emmy-award winning hit Apple TV+ show, created by your friends at Sesame Workshop. Masterfully adapted by Karuna Riazi, this playful retelling of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book is sure to delight today's readers for years to come. Featuring an introduction by Newbery and Coretta Scott King Award winning poet and writer Kwame Alexander. The book also includes bonus activities:GamesQuizzesPuzzlesVocabularyReading Comprehensionand Crafts!

The game begins again in this gripping follow-up to The Gauntlet that’s a futuristic middle eastern Zathura meets Ready Player One! Four years after the events of The Gauntlet, the evil game Architect is back with a new partner-in-crime—The MasterMind—and the pair aim to get revenge on the Mirza clan. Together, they’ve rebuilt Paheli into a slick, mind-bending world with floating skyscrapers, flying rickshaws run by robots, and a digital funicular rail that doesn’t always take you exactly where you want to go. Twelve-year-old Ahmad Mirza struggles to make friends at his new middle school, but when he’s paired with his classmate Winnie for a project, he is determined to impress her and make his very first friend. At home while they’re hard at work, a gift from big sister Farah—who is away at her first year in college—arrives. It’s a high-tech game called The Battle of Blood and Iron, a cross between a video game and board game, complete with virtual reality goggles. He thinks his sister has solved his friend problem—all kids love games. He convinces Winnie to play, but as soon as they unbox the game, time freezes all over New York City. With time standing still and people frozen, all of humankind is at stake as Ahmad and Winnie face off with the MasterMind and the Architect, hoping to beat them at their own game before the evil plotters expand Paheli and take over the entire world.

A trio of friends from New York City find themselves trapped inside a mechanical board game that they must dismantle in order to save themselves and generations of other children in this action-packed debut that’s a steampunk Jumanji with a Middle Eastern flair. Nothing can prepare you for The Gauntlet… It didn’t look dangerous, exactly. When twelve-year-old Farah first laid eyes on the old-fashioned board game, she thought it looked…elegant. It is made of wood, etched with exquisite images—a palace with domes and turrets, lattice-work windows that cast eerie shadows, a large spider—and at the very center of its cover, in broad letters, is written: The Gauntlet of Blood and Sand. The Gauntlet is more than a game, though. It is the most ancient, the most dangerous kind of magic. It holds worlds inside worlds. And it takes players as prisoners.