Creator Corner: Author and Illustrator Farida Zaman
Welcome to Creator Corner, a blog series where we interview the creators of our recent and upcoming books. For this post, we interviewed Samina Goes to a Wedding author and illustrator Farida Zaman, whose book published February 17, 2026!
Owlkids Books: Farida, what inspired you to write this book?
Farida Zaman: The inspiration for this book came from my childhood trips back to Bangladesh from the UK to visit family—especially the weddings. Those trips felt magical to me. I spent my early years in Bangladesh before moving abroad with my family, but we returned often, and each visit felt like stepping back into a world that was both familiar and full of wonder.
Family weddings were always the highlight. I remember the color, the noise, the music drifting through the house, the rustle of richly-embroidered fabrics, and the sparkle of gold jewelry catching the light. There was always a sense of excitement building in the days leading up to the celebration—outfits being prepared, relatives arriving, rooms filling with laughter.
As a child who grew up between two places, those trips shaped my understanding of identity and belonging. Weddings, in particular, felt like a powerful expression of culture, tradition, and togetherness. Writing this book allowed me to revisit those memories—the textures, patterns, and emotions—and recreate that sense of anticipation and joy through Samina’s eyes. In many ways, the story is rooted in those real experiences: the feeling of returning, reconnecting, and being surrounded by family and celebration.
Owlkids Books: What themes or topics do you enjoy exploring in your illustrations?
Farida Zaman: The themes or topics that I am drawn to is typically my heritage, culture, family, and multi-generational stories. l love nature- and food-focused stories too.
OKB: What was the most enjoyable part of bringing this story to life? What was the most challenging part of the process?
FZ: Embellishing the decorative and cultural detail and color in the illustrations was a lot of fun to do. The most challenging was making the characters look consistent in different outfits.
OKB: Is there a wedding tradition you love most in this book?
FZ: The tradition of gifting fish to the bride’s home, plus splashing each other with color.
OKB: What do you hope readers will take away from this book?
FZ: I hope readers come away with a sense of joy, warmth, and curiosity. At its heart, Samina Goes to a Wedding is a celebration—of family, of culture, of tradition, and of the small details that make special occasions unforgettable. For readers who may be unfamiliar with South Asian weddings and traditions, I hope the story opens a door into a new cultural experience in an inviting and accessible way. Through the patterns, clothing, jewelry, and celebration, I hope children see that while traditions may look different, the feelings underneath—excitement, nervousness, love, belonging—are universal.
For children who recognize their own experiences in the pages, I hope the book offers something even more personal: a sense of visibility and pride. Seeing familiar fabrics, ceremonies, and family dynamics reflected in a picture book can affirm that their stories matter and deserve space on bookshelves. I also hope readers begin to look more closely at illustrations—at how details repeat, how patterns carry meaning, and how visual storytelling supports the written word. If the book encourages children to pay attention to texture, color, and design in their own lives, then it has done something meaningful.
OKB: What’s an interesting fact people may not know about you?
FZ: An interesting fact people may not know about me is how much time I spend cross-referencing the tiniest details in my illustrations. If a character is wearing a specific patterned sleeve on one page, I will flip back multiple times to make sure the motif, scale, and color stay exactly the same on the next spread. I’m a little obsessive about visual continuity—especially when it comes to clothing and jewelry. I’m also constantly working in a sketchbook, often experimenting with collage. I collect scraps of patterned paper, textures, and color combinations the way some people collect souvenirs. Even when I’m not actively working on a book, I’m building a visual library for future stories. Most people see the finished illustrations, but behind them is a lot of quiet pattern-checking, layering, and rearranging—sometimes with paper pieces spread all over my studio floor.
Thank you so much Farida for taking the time to do this interview and creating a wonderful book! We hope readers enjoy Samina Goes to a Wedding as much as we did!
Grab your copy today!
