Schools

Local Schoolteacher Gives Reading and Signing of First Children's Book

Local teacher Farhana Zia recently celebrated the release of her first picture book, Hot, Hot Roti for Dadi-ji.

Farhana Zia came to the United States from India in 1967, and has lived in this country longer than any other. Living in Framingham, and a teacher in Northborough for 28 years, she first worked at the Lincoln Street School and has now taught grade four at the Marion E. Zeh School for the past decade.

Not only is Zia a teacher, but a writer, as well.

"My books" she said, "blend reminiscences of life in India as well as  experiences here."

Find out what's happening in Northboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Zia's first picture book, Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji, was released by Lee and Low publishers of NY in March, and has garnered some good reviews — including a starred review by Kirkus, which is a respected reviewer of children's books.  

A humorous tale with multi-cultural flavor, Zia paints the story of a yoga performing grandfather who regales his grandson, Aneel, with fantastic tales of a boy from a village far away who received stupendous powers, just by eating a roti. The roti that "sizzled and wizzled on his mother's wood hearth." Hoping for Dada-ji to regain his powers, too, Aneel makes some roti for him.

Find out what's happening in Northboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"The theme of the book speaks to inter-generational relationships and bonds and how much each generation learns from each other," said Zia.

Zia is working on a second book, geared for upper elementary and middle school students, called The Garden of my Imaan, which will be released in 2013.

Though she has several manuscripts currently sitting with agents, these children's books are Zia's first officially published pieces. It was important to her to make a kids' book available that speaks about the cultural heritage of the Indian subcontinent. While there are many writers who capture this for adults, there are few for children, she said.

"I hope that my books will bring some multicultural awareness to the young readers," said Zia. "My picture book is purely fiction but inspiration to write generally comes from  family situations and anecdotes. I believe in the importance of intergenerational relationships and have appreciated the give and take that happens in my nephew’s home." 

Her nephew's home is in Illinois, where where four generations "live together in harmony." In the home, grandchildren, great grandchildren, grandparents and great grandparents contribute much to one another’s lives and important values are being lived and passed on.

"I wanted to share some of these important lessons with my audience without being didactic in the least," she said. "Children are selective and they read only what is appealing, so I try to insert my message in subtle ways, within a framework that works for children. My picture stories are fun and fast-paced and my longer works are action-packed and humorous, but underneath it all, I have some important messages that speak to the importance of valuing elders, sharing and unselfish giving." 

Zia is taking part in the Read Aloud event at on Wednesday, Nov.  9  at 7 p.m. at the Zeh School. The students who are currently attending the Zeh School have been given information if they would like to pre-purchase a book, which Farhana will sign earlier in the evening. 

"We are hoping to offer this within the larger Northborough community to Mrs. Zia’s students who are now attending Melican Middle School or Algonquin," said Susan Whitten, principal at the Zeh School. 

An order form is available on this page; Click the image of the form to print this out. The public is also encouraged to order the book and attend the reading/signing on Nov. 9.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Northborough