Bio

Maitha Al Khayat is a member of a new breed of superheroes. The mother of five is one of the UAE’s most prolific Emirati children’s illustrators and writers. She is a Board Member at the UAE Board of Books for Young People – IBBY, and an ambassador of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.

In less than 10 years, Al Khayat has published 17 books; five in English, including the award-winning My Own Special Way and Turn Off the Lights.

Al Khayat writes for children’s TV shows, including the newly relaunched Arabic version of Sesame Street and the Emirati cartoon series Hamdoon.

Her most recent book, Nawaf Al Jallaf, is for preteens.