Zia's Story is based on the author's own experiences as a young mother with a young son having to flee an Afghanistan torn apart by war.
Shahnaz Qayumi was born and raised in Kabul. Zia's Story is her first book for young people and is closely based on other Afghans and her as a refugee from war-torn Afghanistan. After fleeing Afghanistan, she found refuge in Canada. She now lives in Vancouver and teaches at Langara University.
