Souad Shehab is a Palestinian writer and teacher who was born in a refugee camp in southwest Syria. Forced to flee the Syrian civil war, Shehab escaped first to Lebanon and then came to Canada in 2017 and settled in Edmonton where she teaches pre-school children.
Fiction (Juvenile, Picture book)
Ayah and the Big World Outside
Co-author: Julie Sedivy.
Illustrated by Barkha Lohia.
Victoria, BC: Orca Book Publishers, 2026.
Forthcoming April 2026.
Publisher’s Synopsis (From its website)
Once a week Ayah and her mother get to use the tandoor oven at their refugee camp. While they bake, Ayah talks about her teacher asking the class what they want to be when they grow up. Her mother wonders if Ayah wants to be an engineer or a singer…but Ayah has never met anyone like that.
While getting some fresh air, Ayah rests her eyes until a swallow says hello. “Please can I have some bread?” it asks. Ayah shares her snack, and the swallow tells her about its travels. Ayah has never seen the world outside the fence—she thought it was all dangerous. The sparrow explains that there are many places without war, and he invites her to climb on his back to fly with him and see the world for herself. Together they soar over fields and mountains and busy cities, and when Ayah returns, she can dream of a future where she’ll be free.
Links
Publisher Orca Book Publishers