Morning Now Dawned: A Middle Eastern Kidlit Podcast
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In episode 1, I interview Moujan Adl, author of A Girl Named Mithra: A Poem About Yalda, the Winter Solstice.
About the book:
Join little Mithra as she recalls a Yalda celebration with her mother and describes the sights, sounds, and tastes of a magical winter solstice night. A message of hope and resilience, Mithra's story gives readers a joyful reminder of her namesake and what it represents, the triumph of good over evil, of light over darkness. Written in rhyming verse, the book includes a beautiful translation to Persian. The book also includes an introduction that explains the history and customs of the Iranian celebration of the winter solstice, including a reference to the poet Hafez. The exquisite illustrations are inspired by the traditional Gilaki clothing of northern Iran, and make children and inner children happy!
Learn More:
Pomegranate Publishing's website, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
About Moujan Adl, author; Mona Danesh, illustrator, and Farzad Hemati, translator.
Here is Mona Danesh's online portfolio, and you can follow her on instagram as @nazarjoonart.
Learn more about Yalda from the Iran Touring and Tourism Organization.
To learn about Hafez' poetry: https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/hafez/ A comprehensive encyclopedia article about Hafez, with reference to translations in English and German, among many other things.
Listen to the episode here.
Credits:
Theme Music: Paul Amiel
Technical Assistance: Dr. Eric Taylor, Ali Hattab
Facebook Page: facebook.com/groups/cmesuarizona/
About the books:
Bashir Boutros and the Jewel of the Nile - Shy, eleven-year-old Bashir Boutros dreads going back to America after an amazing summer in Lebanon. He’s always felt invisible back home, where he doesn’t have any real friends. Then, Bashir makes a lucky discovery—a long-lost ring containing a jinn whose magical aura brings power to those who wield it.
But the ring’s untold power makes Bashir a target for monsters—including Ali Adin, the world’s most dangerous demon. When Ali Adin kidnaps Bashir’s parents, Bashir joins forces with an ancient society sworn to protect the world from supernatural beings. Together, they set off on a race to stop Ali Adin from conquering the world as Bashir attempts to harness the ring’s abilities.
Shad Hadid and the Alchemists of Alexandria - Twelve-year-old Shad Hadid has never quite fit in. The other kids at school don’t understand him, so he spends most of his time alone, cooking for his teta and daydreaming of opening his own Arabic bakery full of tasty treats. But when Shad is attacked by a shadowy monster, he learns his late baba was an alchemist with the ability to mix charms, elixirs, and mists—and he’s one too!
Then Shad receives an invitation to the mysterious Alexandria Academy, a fabled school for alchemists, where he hopes he’ll find safety and learn more about the ancient science. But when he arrives, no one at the school seems to know what alchemy is! As Shad digs deeper into the mystery, he discovers a sinister evil lurking in the shadows, and only he holds the key to stopping—or fulfilling—their plans.
(book descriptions from amazon.com)
And you can now pre-order Bashir Boutros and the Forgotten Realm! Available on May 19, 2026.
Author: George Jreije
Bio: George Jreije is the Lebanese-American author of the acclaimed Shad Hadid and Bashir Boutros series, among other things. He has also written short stories in collaboration with Scholastic, UNICEF, and more. He served as the inaugural author-in-residence for the Concord Library in 2023 and has been a guest of honor and instructor at the Gotham Writers Workshop, the Highlights Foundation, and other writing workshops.
Learn More:
Here is George Jreije's Website and you can follow him on Instagram as @bygeorgejreije.
Link to episode 2: https://rss.com/podcasts/morning-now-dawned
Other authors mentioned include:
Nadia Shammas and Sarah Alfagee, authors of a Young Adult book, Squire: A Graphic Novel
Rhonda Roumani, author of Middle Grade novel Tagging Freedom and a picture book, Umm Kulthum: The Star of the East, which won the Middle East Nonfiction Book Award from the Middle East Outreach Council in 2025.
Credits:
Theme Music: Paul Amiel
Technical Assistance: Dr. Eric Taylor, Ali Hattab
General encouragement and assistance: Professor Mahmoud Azaz, Professor Emerita Anne Betteridge, Dr. Julie Ellison, Thomas Kenney, Jenessa Ricklefs.
Logo/ Thumbnail: University of Arizona College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Marketing and Communications Team
Facebook Page: facebook.com/groups/cmesuarizona/