A Place at the Table
Page 24
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Saadia Faruqi
This book has been a labor of love for me. One doesn’t easily begin an endeavor that will showcase the ugly side of immigrant and first-generation life. A big thank-you to my partner in crime Laura Shovan for encouraging those stories and feelings, for those long conversations and shared experiences. I thought the end product would only be a book, but it resulted in an amazing friendship as well.
If we’re being honest, when Laura first approached me with the idea for a dual narrative immigrant friendship story, I didn’t think it would make for a great book. Who wants to read about the everyday trials and tribulations of newcomers to the U.S.? In my own culture, we tend to gloss over the challenges first generation kids face because they are so lucky to be here. Their lives are seen as blessed due to the sacrifices of their parents and grandparents. If they talk about their challenges—what kids say to them at school or how they feel disconnected from their own culture—they are called ungrateful. But at the same time, these were issues I realized my own children dealt with every day. So I decided to take a leap of faith and write about that.
There’s a lot of food in this book, but in case anyone is wondering, I am not a cook. I do love biryani like Sara does, but I cannot make it. Thank you to all the immigrant Pakistani women who cater for people like me. This book is a love letter to Pakistani food.
Overall, this book has been such a tremendous team effort, and a big thank-you goes to our agents Kari Sutherland and Stephen Barbara for guiding us so gently and happily through the process. There were a lot of cooks in this kitchen but we didn’t spoil the food, I think. I’m grateful to our editor Jennifer Greene and the entire HMH/Clarion team, especially Amanda Acevedo and Sammy Brown, who’ve been so supportive throughout. A big thank-you to our cover illustrator Anoosha Syed and designer Sharismar Rodriguez, who have brought so many themes in the book to gorgeous light through their art. And of course, thank you to the many writing friends who critiqued our pages and gave incredibly helpful feedback. This book is the result of so much hard work by so many people.
Thank you to my family—Nasir, Mubashir, and Mariam—who take up the responsibility of our everyday affairs while I hide in my office to write. I can see how proud you are of me, and I never want to let you down. Thank you to Ammi for always being encouraging and excited about my work and shouting it from the rooftops. Finally, thank you to my extended desi family who never once asked why I’m a writer instead of a doctor.
About the Authors
© by QZB Photography
SAADIA FARUQI is the author of the Yasmin early reader series, about a Pakistani-American girl. She lives with her husband and children in Houston, Texas, where she is editor-in-chief of Blue Minaret, a magazine for Muslim art, poetry, and prose.
Learn more at saadiafaruqi.com
© by Laura Joy Burke
LAURA SHOVAN is the author of two previous middle grade novels: The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary and Takedown. She lives with her family in Maryland, where she is a longtime poet-in-the-schools for the Maryland State Arts Council.
Learn more at laurashovan.com
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