Nafiza Azad – Jill Grinberg Literary Management

Nafiza Azad

Nafiza Azad is a young adult author. She is the author of The Candle and the Flame, a 2020 William C. Morris YA Debut Award finalist, The Wild Ones, and Road of the Lost. She co-edited the anthology Writing in Color: The Lessons We’ve Learned with Melody Simpson, and will co-edit A Thousand Nights with Intisar Khanani, a new anthology forthcoming from Candlewick in 2026. Her writing can be found in the anthologies Come On In, Every Body Shines, and Magic Has No Borders. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Children’s Literature from the University of British Columbia. Born in Fiji, she currently lives in British Columbia, Canada, with her family.

Agent

Katelyn Detweiler

A Thousand Nights

In the mold of Arabian Nights, this groundbreaking YA anthology—featuring sixteen Muslim women writers—links together fantastical stories that a group of refugees tell one another within a riveting frame story.

On her way across the desert, fleeing the soldiers who have destroyed all she knows, one refugee meets another. And another and another. As they travel together, on a journey in search of safety, they take turns telling one another stories—stories woven in the imagination; tales with echoes of the reality they face now. Tales of young people stolen away by jinn and tales of siblings rescuing one another; tales of lands encroached on by settlers and abandoned by rain; tales of magic found in caves, deserts, mountains, lakes, and, above all, in people, community, and faith. With a frame story written by Nafiza Azad and Intisar Khanani interwoven with stories from fifteen additional authors of various backgrounds, drawing on the mythologies and legends of their cultures, this extraordinary collection will appeal to lovers of fantasy and to those looking for books that center refugees and diverse narratives.

Stories contributed by:
Hanna Alkaf
Sara Sharaf Beg
Loretta Chefchaouni
Heba Helmy
Zeyneb Holdridge
Ausma Zehanat Khan
Diana Ma
Ardo Omer
Haneen Oriqat
Sarah Mughal Rana
Farah Naz Rishi
Laila Sabreen
Zeba Shahnaz
Ream Shukairy
Zaynah Qutubuddin

Praise for A Thousand Nights

“A successful homage to the original A Thousand and One Nights, this exquisite short story collection is a folkloric tour de force.” —School Library Journal, starred review

“A timely collection, full of marvels and hard-won hope.” —Kirkus

“Expertly unfolding a realistic story of survival to create a gripping anthology, A Thousand Nights provides a beautiful tribute to the magic of storytelling and its ability to create bright stars of hope and community in even the darkest of midnight skies.” —BookPage

“Gorgeous and resonant, A Thousand Nights takes readers down winding paths of darkness and light with deeply nuanced tales of the jin, phoenixes, curses, blessed pots, brave cats, and, ultimately, the power of hope and community. Readers will savor each tale of this beautifully curated anthology. A fairy-tale collection for our times.” — Natasha Deen, author of The Signs and Wonders of Tuna Rashad

Publisher

Candlewick

Publication Date

September 8, 2026

Age Category

Young Adult

Genre

Anthology

Rights

JGLM

Writing in Color: The Lessons We’ve Learned

Rethink the way you approach writing in this revolutionary and informative new anthology from fourteen diverse authors that demystifies craft and authorship based on their experiences as writers of color—perfect for fans of Fresh Ink and Our Stories, Our Voices.

So, you’re thinking of writing a book. Or, maybe you’ve written one, and are wondering what to do with it. What does it take to publish a novel, or even a short story? If you’re a writer of color, these questions might multiply; after all, there’s a lot of writing advice out there, and it can be hard to know how much of it really applies to your own experiences. If any of this sounds like you, you’re in the right place: this collection of essays, written exclusively by authors of color, is here to encourage and empower writers of all ages and backgrounds to find their voice as they put pen to page.

Perhaps you’re just getting started. Here you’ll find a whole toolkit of advice from bestselling and award-winning authors for focusing on an idea, landing on a point of view, and learning which rules were meant to be broken. Or perhaps you have questions about everything beyond the first draft: what is it really like being a published author? These writers demystify the process, sharing personal stories as they forged their own path to publication, and specifically from their perspectives as author of color.

Every writer has a different journey. Maybe yours has already started. Or maybe it begins right here.

Contributors include: Julie C. Dao, Chloe Gong, Joan He, Kosoko Jackson, Adiba Jaigirdar, Darcie Little Badger, Yamile Saied Mendez, Axie Oh, Laura Pohl, Cindy Pon, Karuna Riazi, Gail D. Villanueva, Julian Winters, and Kat Zhang.

Praise for Writing in Color

“The honest, useful craft book that all fledgling writers need.” –Kirkus, starred review

Publisher

Margaret K. McElderry Books/S&S

Publication Date

August 22, 2023

Age Category

Young Adult

Genre

Nonfiction/Writing

Rights

JGLM

Road of the Lost

Perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince, this gorgeous young adult fantasy follows a girl who discovers she’s spent her life under an enchantment hiding her true identity on her quest into the magical Otherworld to unlock her powers and discover her destiny.

Even the most powerful magic can’t hide a secret forever.

Croi is a brownie, glamoured to be invisible to humans. Her life in the Wilde Forest is ordinary and her magic is weak—until the day that her guardian gives Croi a book about magick from the Otherworld, the world of the Higher Fae. Croi wakes the next morning with something pulling at her core, summoning her to the Otherworld. It’s a spell she cannot control or break.

Forced to leave her home, Croi begins a journey full of surprises…and dangers. For Croi is not a brownie at all but another creature entirely, enchanted to forget her true heritage. As Croi ventures beyond the forest, her brownie glamour begins to shift and change. Who is she really, who is summoning her, and what do they want? Croi will need every ounce of her newfound magic and her courage as she travels a treacherous path to find her true self and the place in the Otherworld where she belongs.

Praise for Road of the Lost

“Divided into three acts, the lush narrative demonstrates an exceptional balance between being plot- and character-driven and also offers a light dose of romance. The mostly magical cast is colorful in every way. An intricate and enchanting origin story.” –Kirkus, starred review

“Azad (The Wild Ones) elevates a traditional quest narrative with a vividly imagined fantasy setting in this sweeping adventure.” –Publishers Weekly

“A beautifully mythic world rich with heart and charming characters, ROAD OF THE LOST tells a powerful tale of self-discovery that gripped me from the very beginning of Croi’s journey, and held me wholly enchanted until the end.” –Ashley Shuttleworth, author of A Dark and Hollow Star

Publisher

Margaret K. McElderry Books/S&S

Publication Date

October 18, 2022

Age Category

Young Adult

Genre

Fantasy

Rights

JGLM

The Wild Ones

From William C. Morris Finalist Nafiza Azad comes a thrilling, feminist fantasy about a group of teenage girls endowed with special powers who must band together to save the life of the boy whose magic saved them all.

We are the Wild Ones, and we will not be silenced.

We are girls who have tasted the worst this world can offer. Our story begins with Paheli, who was once betrayed by her mother, sold to a man in exchange for a favor. When Paheli escaped, she ran headlong into Taraana—a boy with stars in his eyes, a boy as battered as she was. He tossed Paheli a box of stars before disappearing. With the stars, Paheli gained access to the Between, a place of pure magic and mystery. Now, Paheli collects girls like us, and we use our magic to travel the world, helping to save other girls from our pain, our scars.

When Taraana reappears, he asks for our help. Dangerous magical forces are chasing him, and they will destroy him to get his powers. We will do everything to save him—if we can. For if Taraana is no longer safe and free, neither are the Wild Ones. And that…is a fate that we refuse to accept. Ever again.

Praise for The Wild Ones

“A powerful feminist account of sisterhood, the longevity of pain, and the reclamation of power.” –Kirkus

“The Wild Ones is a breathtakingly unique story of empowerment, perseverance, and the magic of sisterhood. Azad’s exquisite prose and captivating voice will enchant readers for years to come. An astonishing literary jewel not to be missed!” –Julian Winters, award-winning author of Running With Lions

“Utterly unique storytelling. The Wild Ones is just as magical as the girls and cities found within its pages, weaving together a tale that refuses to flinch.” –Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

Publisher

Margaret K. McElderry Books/S&S

Publication Date

August 3, 2021

Age Category

Young Adult

Genre

Contemporary Fantasy

Rights

JGLM

The Candle and the Flame

Finalist for the William C. Morris YA Debut Award

Fatima lives in the city of Noor, a thriving stop along the Silk Road. There the music of myriad languages fills the air, and people of all faiths weave their lives together. However, the city bears scars of its recent past, when the chaotic tribe of Shayateen djinn slaughtered its entire population — except for Fatima and two other humans. Now ruled by a new maharajah, Noor is protected from the Shayateen by the Ifrit, djinn of order and reason, and by their commander, Zulfikar.

But when one of the most potent of the Ifrit dies, Fatima is changed in ways she cannot fathom, ways that scare even those who love her. Oud in hand, Fatima is drawn into the intrigues of the maharajah and his sister, the affairs of Zulfikar and the djinn, and the dangers of a magical battlefield.

Nafiza Azad weaves an immersive tale of magic and the importance of names; fiercely independent women; and, perhaps most importantly, the work for harmony within a city of a thousand cultures and cadences.

Praise for The Candle and the Flame

“A must-read for lovers of fantasy.”–Kirkus, starred review

“Azad’s splendid debut is an ode to cultural harmony that features exciting magic, an emotionally complex cast, and a touching romance.” –Booklist

Publisher

Scholastic

Publication Date

May 14, 2019

Age Category

Young Adult

Genre

Fantasy

Rights

JGLM