Planet Omar: Unexpected Super Spy

Zanib Mian's books have featured on BBC's CBeebies Bedtime Stories and The Guardian for their contribution to diversity in children's literature. She was a World Book Day author in 2021, and her work has been translated into multiple languages. 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. Nasaya Mafaridik is based in Indonesia. Self-taught, she has a passion for children's books and bright, colourful stationery. Nasaya can be found on Instagram: @a.nasaya

It has the feel of the Tom Gates and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, but here our hero is Omar, a young Muslim boy who lives with his parents, younger brother Esa and elder sister Maryam ... the illustrations are jolly, the writing is light on its feetand Mian's gentle mixing of humour and Muslim tradition is fresh and necessary.