Meet the author

Rashin Kheiriyeh.

Illustrator · United States

Rashin Kheiriyeh: an award-winning Iranian-American illustrator whose vivid, folk-rooted artwork brings warmth and empathy to picture books about home, heritage and belonging.

Rashin Kheiriyeh is an award-winning Iranian-American illustrator, author, animator and painter based in the United States, whose vivid, folk-influenced artwork has appeared in scores of children's books published around the world. Her warm, textured illustrations bring emotional depth to picture books about home, heritage and belonging, from her Persian New Year story Welcome, Uncle Nowruz! to Kyo Maclear's tender refugee tale Story Boat, where a child's ordinary treasures become a boat that keeps hope afloat. Named a Maurice Sendak Fellow and a winner of the Bologna Ragazzi New Horizons Award, among many international honours, she has a distinctive style rooted in Persian visual tradition and painterly colour. Kheiriyeh is a wonderful choice for families seeking beautifully illustrated, empathetic stories that open windows onto migration, culture and the small things that carry us through hard times.