More About Aya Ghanameh (She/Her)
Languages: English and Arabic
Aya Ghanameh is a Palestinian illustrator, writer, and designer from Amman, Jordan currently based in New York City. Her work moves away from state-centric ways of thinking to center the voices of ordinary people in historical and political narratives. Aya graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Illustration and a minor in Literary Arts & Studies. Previously a Children's Books & Gifts Design Fellow at Chronicle Books, she is now a Designer at Penguin Workshop (Penguin Random House).
Her debut children's picture book, THESE OLIVE TREES (Viking Books, 2023), is inspired by the experiences of her family who cultivated her love of the earth throughout her upbringing in exile. She recently illustrated DEAR MUSLIM CHILD (Balzer + Bray, 2024) by Rahma Rodaah, a heartfelt love letter urging Muslim children everywhere to courageously embrace the tenets of their faith. She is currently illustrating a forthcoming picture book with Interlink Publishing.
Aya is represented by Anjali Singh at Anjali Singh Literary Agency.
You can find Aya online at:
Aya’s strengths:
As an author-illustrator and designer, Aya’s been at different ends of the publishing field and can support mentees through the intricacies of the creative process from ideation to publication.
Artistically, her strengths include:
Unearth the emotional core of a story and translating it into both words and pictures.
Developing storytelling that blends authenticity with universal relatability.
Refining pacing through thoughtful paneling and dynamic page turns.
Strengthening character/environmental design to match personality and enhance narrative depth.
Pushing artistic boundaries by experimenting with style, composition, and perspective.
Breaking free of conventional story structures to craft narratives that stand out.
Simplifying more complex ideas into accessible, engaging content for young readers.
From a publishing standpoint, her strengths include:
Researching agents, editors, and publishing houses to find the best career match.
Building a platform that highlights unique voice and style.
Strategizing ways to make a portfolio resonate with today’s publishing market while staying true to artistic vision.
Preparing for pitches and submissions.
Aya is looking for…
Aya is looking for a mentee who is passionate about creating impactful stories and interested in pursuing a career in publishing. Aya is particularly drawn to mentees who are working on picture books in hybrid formats that explore themes of identity, culture, social justice, and personal histories. She has a deep appreciation for manuscripts that weave heartfelt, poignant narratives with moments of hope. She hopes to work with a mentee that shares her understanding of children’s literature as a cradle for radical acts of imagination, acts required to realize our collective liberation.
Aya hopes to guide her mentee through not only the creative aspects of the craft but also the business side of publishing, from finding an agent to developing a professional portfolio. She is excited to connect with a mentee who is ready to work hard, collaborate, and bring their unique perspective to life through their pictures and words!
A Note from Aya:
“Thank you for already being brave enough to put yourself out there! You’re already doing something amazing! My advice is to just be authentic and intentional in your application. Share what truly drives you as a creator, and be open about where you want to grow and how you hope this mentorship can help you.
My hope is that you can leave this experience with confidence, and actionable next steps for your project/s. I can’t wait to work with you!”
Aya’s Picture Books
THESE OLIVE TREES: A PALESTINIAN FAMILY’S STORY, written and illustrated by Aya Ghanameh
DEAR MUSLIM CHILD, written by Rahma Rodaah and illustrated by Aya Ghanameh
If Aya created a Visual Wish List, it would be made up of…
*Unless otherwise stated, the below serves as a wish list only. Each mentor is excited about the opportunity to find a manuscript they can’t stop thinking about. Please apply if you think you’d be a good fit.
Small in the City by Sydney Smith
Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora
Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine by Hannah Moushabeck and Reem Madooh
The Journey by Francesca Sanna
Grief is an Elephant by Tamara Ellis Smith and Nancy Whitesides
The Light She Feels Inside by Gwendolyn Wallace and Olivia Duchess
A Map for Falasteen by Maysa Odeh and Alia Betawi
Being Home by Traci Sorell and Michaela Goade
Aya is a good fit for…
Author/illustrators
Unconventional story-telling
Nonfiction
Illustrators who work in Procreate
Multigenerational / Family / Community
Lyrical
Celebrations / Holidays / Traditions
Graphic/hybrid (Comics)
Books dealing with "heavy" subject matter for children
Illustrators who work digitally
Aya is not a good fit for…
Just-for-fun humor stories
Illustrators who work (only) traditionally
Biography
Who can apply to Aya? Unagented and Agented Illustrators and Author-Illustrators.
Click below to register for our Mentee Announcement (on Zoom) on May 15, 2025 at 8:00pm Eastern Time!