Rahela Nayebzadah of Burnaby is an Afghan Canadian whose autobiographical story, Jeegareh Ma (Key Publishing $19.99) is about dislocation and perseverance. When his wife dies of meningitis in Kabul, Afghanistan, the widower Ghulam takes their six children back to Herat but discovers life has changed radically since the Soviet invasion. Seeking refuge in Iran, they encounter severe prejudice as Afghans. Their prayers are answered when they are accepted as refugees to Canada. The novel appeared when Rahela Nayebzadah was Ph.D student at UBC's Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice.

In her debut novel, Monster Child (Wolsak & Wynn $20), Nayebzadah introduces three children of of Afghan immigrants trying to find their way in an often uncaring society. A sexual assault causes tragedy and mayhem for the family.

BOOKS:

Monster Child (Wolsak & Wynn 2020) $20 978-1-989496-30-5

Jeegareh Ma (Key Publishing 2012) $19.99 978-1926780283

[BCBW 2020]