Zeyna Lost and Found

Ages 9 to 13, Grades 4 to 7

An American Booksellers Association Indies Introduce Selection!

A fun, witty, and fast-paced adventure story enriched by the main character's growing understanding of her dual cultural identity

In 1970, twelve-year-old Zeyna has grown up in London but has never quite felt like she fits in.Her monotonous life is suddenly interrupted when Zeyna's parents decide to visit their native Pakistan—where Zeyna feels she doesn't fit in either. But then her parents disappear, leaving behind a string of clues that connect them to an international jewel heist. Along with her annoying little brother and her clever Pakistani cousin, Zeyna sets out to find her parents and clear their names. Along the way, she discovers that being shaped by two cultures doesn't have to mean she's always an outsider.

From our store manager, Grace: "I love historical fiction, and I especially love historical fiction set in a time and place we rarely (if ever) see in middle grade. Zeyna is an eminently relatable twelve-year-old in 1970, visiting Pakistan (and maybe some other countries, too!) who always wants a mystery to solve…and finds a real one. Shafaq’s voice really comes through in such delightful ways in this super fun historical fiction mystery!”

About the Author

Shafaq Khan is a mom and lawyer. Born to Pakistani parents, she grew up in a small port city in Saudi Arabia, along the Persian Gulf, called Jubail Industrial City. Shafaq attended college in New York City, majoring in political science and Middle Eastern and Asian languages and cultures, before heading to law school. She worked for nearly a decade as a legal services attorney, representing low-income people with disabilities facing eviction and benefits issues. In this role, Shafaq became acquainted with people's stories—the ones we tell and the ones we don't—and learned to listen to the stories beneath the surface. Shafaq works at Stanford Law School and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and children.