Writing Fantastic Families

Writing fantastic families

Planet Omar author Zanib Mian talks about how she takes inspiration from friends, family members and even strangers for her brilliant characters. Find out how you too can be inspired by your friends and family and use them to create brand new stories.

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Zanib Mian

Zanib Mian’s books have featured on BBC’s CBeebies Bedtime Stories and The Guardian for their contribution to diversity in children’s literature. Zanib studied Molecular Cell Biology at University College London and went on to teach Science in secondary schools before she made the decision to give up the career to create change within children’s publishing. She felt that diverse characters from all minorities and backgrounds weren’t being fully represented in books for young children. She launched Sweet Apple Publishers with a clear commitment to publishing inclusive books, many of which she has authored herself. She regularly features in the Bradford Literature Festival, was commissioned to write an opera for The Mahogany Opera Group, and is also on the panel of judges for the prestigious Young Muslim Writers Awards. The Planet Omar series is her first for older readers, and is published by Hachette Children’s Group.