Saturday, April 13, 2024, 12pm Eastern / 9am Pacific
On Zoom and the IALA YouTube Channel

FEATURED AUTHORS
ASTRID KAMALYAN, Author - Bábo
LEILA BOUKARIM, Author - Lost Words

The April 2024 Literary Lights event features Astrid Kamalyan, author of Bábo, one of the New York Public Library’s 2023 Best Books for Kids, and Leila Boukarim, author of Lost Words.

Bábo
It’s rug-washing day! Little Tato sneaks a few cherry plums before racing off to help Bábo—her grandmother—with a favorite chore. Tato is big enough to really help now. When the hose drenches everyone and the chickens get out, is Tato big enough to save the day? This celebration of a childhood ritual invites the reader to spend a day full of fun and love with an Armenian family. Learn more about Bábo.

Astrid Kamalyan comes from a big, happy family and is the oldest of five. She spent most of her childhood in Armenia. As a child, she wished she could one day paint the beautiful mountains of Artsakh. Now she paints with words and writes for the most important people in the world—kids. Astrid holds an MBA degree from the American University of Armenia. She currently shares her time between Chicago and Yerevan, Armenia.

Lost Words
What is it like to walk away from your home? To leave behind everything and everyone you’ve ever known? Poetic, sensitive, and based on a true family history, this inspiring picture book about the Armenian Genocide shares an often-overlooked history and honors the resilience of the Armenian people. Learn more about Lost Words.

Leila Boukarim writes stories for children that inspire empathy and encourage meaningful discussions. She enjoys reading (multiple books at a time), embroidering, nature walking, and spending time with people, listening to their stories and sharing her own. Boukarim lives in Berlin, Germany.

Literary Lights is a monthly reading series organized by the IALA, the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR), and the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center. The series features new works of literature by Armenian authors. Each event—held online—will feature a writer reading from their work, followed by a discussion with an interviewer and audience members.

CO-SPONSORS
International Armenian Literary Alliance (IALA)
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR)
Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center