Suitcase Full

Maryam Kia is an award-winning psychologist and author. A Suitcase Full is her debut picture book. When she was young, her family immigrated from Iran to the island of O'ahu. Along the way, she experienced multiple countries, languages, cultures, and schools, inspiring her career as a resilience, wellness, and mindfulness expert. As an author, Maryam hopes to empower young readers to see the wonder and magic in their own suitcases and to appreciate the treasures others carry. Maryam lives in Southern California, where she and her kids are always on the lookout for shooting stars, rainbows, and waterfalls.Jaclyn Sinquett grew up playing in her dad’s garden, feeding worms to box turtles, and tossing French fries to seagulls at the Jersey shore. She received her BFA in Illustration from the University of the Arts and now illustrates books for children. In addition to A Suitcase Full, some of her works include How to Get Your Octopus to School, Loud Mouse, and I Love Strawberries! She’s also created thousands of greeting cards and enjoys incorporating hand lettering into every project she can. Most of all, Jaclyn loves helping people connect with each other and themselves through her art. Her favorite color is yellow ochre, and she lives in Brick, NJ, where she spends her time avoiding sunburn at the beach with her husband and daughter, chasing her cat off the kitchen table, and listening to her parrot impersonate an alarm clock.

“A heartwarming story of a girl's unconventional childhood reminds readers that everyone carries their own suitcase; the contents of everyone's experiences differ, but all are valuable and important.”