Event

The South Asia Book Award proudly presents the 2024 Winner in the Young Readers Category, The Carpet, An Afghan Family Story by Dezh Azaad and illustrated by Nan Cao.

Attendees will have a chance to win one of 20 available copies of the winning book! Don't miss the other webinars in the series here.

This poignant story, about an Afghan refugee child and the family carpet that connects them to home, inspires readers to live and learn in love, not fear.

The Carpet follows a day in the life of an Afghan refugee child, where every moment revolves around love, family, and the carpet that connects them to home. The carpet is the centerpiece of family life, where meals, stories, laughs, and memories are shared.

This moving story, inspired by the author’s life, celebrates what makes a home—no matter where you are.

"Inspired by Azaad’s own life, this powerful, lyrical tale speaks to the importance of sharing, learning, caring, and other values. A love letter to family, culture, and home." Kirkus

Dezh Azaad is an Afghan writer who’s been a refugee his whole life. He lives in Germany, where he teaches Persian to refugee children and leads seminars for teens and young adults on social change, race, and the climate crisis. Azaad loves tinkering with electronics and cooking meals that take five hours to make and five minutes to eat. Visit him online at dezhazaad.com.

Nan Cao is a New York-based illustrator. Her work is inspired by surrealistic imagery and her daily life in the big city. When she is not drawing, Cao loves to hang out with the squirrels in the park, daydream under the sun, or get lost in her book collection. She has worked with clients such as Johns Hopkins Magazine, Anorak Magazine, Link NYC, Bulletin Magazine, Spectrum, and Washingtonian magazine. Cao holds an MFA in illustration as visual essay from the School of Visual Arts. Her work has been recognized by American Illustration, Society of Illustrators, Communication Arts, AOI, 3x3, and Creative Quarterly.

The South Asia Book Award is given annually for up to three outstanding works of literature, from picture books to young adult novels, which accurately and skillfully portray the experience of individuals living in South Asia, or of South Asians living in other parts of the world. Honor Books and Highly Commended Books will also be recognized by the award committee for their contribution to this body of literature on the region. See all past winners, as well as educational resources, on our website.