The Home We Make

Told from the perspective of a young refugee girl, debut children's book author and New Voices winner Maham Khwaja tells the story of a family forced to flee their home due to violence. Emotive illustrations by Daby Zainab Faidhi balance the family's love for one another and hope for the future with the harrowing journey to escape on foot, travel by boat, and then finally resettle in a safe place. Through it all, the young girl tries to hold on to all the pieces of her life before and find a way to rebuild a sense of home.

Maham Khwaja is a Pakistani American writer and filmmaker. Maham has worked in feature film and network television production, as well as children's programming, including Sim Sim Hamara (Pakistan's Sesame Street). Currently, Maham is developing her first feature, Auntie Express, a story about a boisterous trio of Pakistani American aunties who run a successful food truck. The Home We Make marks her children's book debut. You can learn more about her at mahamkhwaja.com.