Meet "Mary and her New Friends", the First Children’s Book by CED Alum, Dr. Fawzia Reza
College of Education alumna, Dr. Fawzia Reza has recently published her first children’s book, Mary and her New Friends. The book, which was created as an undergraduate project, explores South Asian culture and themes of empathy and inclusion through the protagonist, a young girl named Mary who is also in a wheelchair. In the story, the shy Mary uses her artistry skills for henna designs to help make new friends. Dr. Reza shared the book's inspiration came from a desire to create deeper awareness amongst educators on how to promote greater classroom diversity, and to also teach children the importance of empathy and inclusiveness. “My hope is that this book will help our young learners develop an understanding and appreciation of different cultural practices so that as they grow older, the concept of a truly inclusive education in America becomes a reality.”
Dr. Reza is an alumna of CED’s Early Childhood Education Master’s degree program and the Educational Leadership Doctoral program.
