Berlin, MD – April 24, 2024 – Worcester County Public Schools (WCPS) welcomes Children’s Book Illustrator Nez Riaz, known for her illustrations in books such as My Name is Bana and Zain’s Super Friday. Riaz is famous for her vibrant and engaging artwork.
She will be visiting Showell Elementary School on April 26, 2024, for the school’s partnership with Salisbury University and their Children’s Literature Festival. This collaboration allows the school to bring authors and illustrators to the school and teach students about their work, their inspiration, and their career. It is with great hope that this event will encourage our children to become authors and illustrators.
Though she grew up in Boston, MA, Riaz has a rich background that blends Pakistani, Lebanese and Palestinian heritage, which significantly influenced her work, leading her to celebrate themes of family, identity, and nature in her illustrations. She studied illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design, which equipped her to bring stories to life with a mix of traditional and digital techniques.
Funding for this visit to Showell has been provided by the Worcester County Arts Council’s (WCAC) Arts in Education program. The funding for this program is designed to promote, strengthen, and enhance the arts and arts education in schools and community settings.
For more information on the April 27, Salisbury University Children’s and Young Adult Literature Festival, please visit https://www.salisbury.edu/academic-offices/education/early-and-elementary-education/child-lit-fest.aspx. In addition to Riaz, additional special guests include local artist Bryan Collier, Eric Rohmann and Jeffery Weatherford.