Once Upon a Sari

ZENIA WADHWANI is the author of 'Twas the Night Before Diwali, a South Asian rendition of a familiar holiday poem, and the introduction of a new character to the much-celebrated festival of Diwali, the mithai monster! Zenia is an avid reader, an advocate for literacy and a promoter of emerging writers, but it took the pandemic and a looming milestone birthday to unleash her first children's story. By day, Zenia spends her time working on issues of equity and social justice; by night, she lets her creativity flow into her writing. Zenia lives in Toronto, Canada, with her family, and many of her stories are inspired by her daughter Avani.

AVANI DWIVEDI ​is an author and illustrator living in Jersey City, USA. She graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art with a B.F.A. in illustration. Avani grew up in Mumbai, India, and later moved to the United States to pursue her passion of becoming an artist. Even when away from home, she held on to her most precious gems: memories of her sweet childhood, the lived experience of being a South Asian woman and her love for creating whimsical art. She aims to paint stories and illustrations through which she can share a more diverse perspective of the world.