About S.K. Ali

S. K. Ali* is the author of Saints and Misfits (Simon & Schuster, 2017), a finalist for the American Library Association’s 2018 William C. Morris award. Her debut novel won critical acclaim for its portrayal of an unapologetic Muslim – American teen’s life. Saints and Misfits was featured on several Best Teen Novels of 2017 lists including from Entertainment Weekly, Kirkus Reviews and the New York Public Library. It was also a CBC Canada Reads 2018 longlist title and featured in The Globe and Mail, NBC News, Huffington Post, Salon, Bustle, CBC Radio’s The Next Chapter, The Social, The Morning Show and other North American media.

Sajidah’s second novel, Love From A to Z (Simon & Schuster, 2019), a story about finding love in the time of Islamophobia, was a Goodreads Choice finalist for best YA book, and on several best 2019 lists, including Kirkus’ and Entertainment Weekly’s top ten. Love from A to Z was the first YA title chosen to be part of Today Show’s “Read With Jenna” book club and was named a best teen book of all time by Reader’s Digest and Good Housekeeping. It was featured in The Globe and Mail and The Washington Post and other North American and global media.

Misfit in Love (Simon & Schuster, 2021), the sequel to Saints and Misfits, was a People magazine best book of summer 2021.

Her picture book, The Proudest Blue (Little Brown, 2019), co-authored with Ibtihaj Muhammad, debuted on the New York Times Bestseller list and was featured in the New York Times, NPR, Amazon Editor’s Choice, The Today Show, among other media. Along with We Need Diverse Books co-founder, Aisha Saeed, Sajidah is the co-editor of a Middle Grade anthology called, Once Upon an Eid (Amulet, 2020), winner of the Middle East Book Honor Award and a Kirkus and School Library Journal Best Book of 2020.

Sajidah has six more books on the way, including Love from Mecca to Medina (Simon & Schuster, October 18, 2022), the sequel to Love from A to Z.

S. K. Ali has a degree in Creative Writing and lives in Toronto with her family, which includes a very vocal cat named Yeti and a very quiet cat named Mochi.

*first name: Sajidah (Saj-da)

Quick bio:

S. K. Ali is the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of several books, including the Morris Award finalist Saints and Misfits and Love from A to Z, both named as top ten YA titles of the year by various media including Entertainment Weekly and Kirkus Reviews. Her other books include the critically-acclaimed middle grade anthology Once Upon an Eid and the New York Times bestselling picture book, The Proudest Blue.

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