Mina Javaherbin is an award-winning children’s picture book author. She emigrated from Iran to the US over forty years ago. An architect by training, Mina has written several children’s books exploring the cultures around the world inspired by Persian Literature, sports, and her childhood in Iran.
Mina’s books have been translated into seventeen languages and sold around the world. Her book The Secret Message, originally published by Disney and now published by Scholastic, is enjoyed by one million students every year since 2012 when it became a part of 4th grade literature textbooks across the USA.
Elephant In The Dark came out in hardcover in 2012 and in 2024 it was selected by Reach Out And Read to promote early literacy. Ten thousand copies were distributed to pediatrician offices and primary care providers.
Her book Goal!, illustrated by A.G. Ford, was an IRA Notable Book For A Global Society and was featured on the New York Public Library’s Best Books of 2010 list. Soccer Star was recognized by the Junior Library Guild Selection in 2014 and received multiple awards from the International Latin Book Awards in 2015. Her autobiographical book My Grandma and Me earned multiple starred reviews from Kirkus Review, Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, and Shelf Awareness. It’s translated into Arabic and Hebrew and listed on the Booklist’s Top 10 religion and spirituality books for youth. My Grandma and Me was named one of the 50 must-read children’s books by Book Riot.
My Father’s House, published in November 2024, is a companion book to My Grandma and Me which takes readers on a tour of Isfahan, a unique and historical city in Iran and designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Read more about the book’s back story in Mina Javaherbin’s Boston Globe interview.
Mina’s happy place is the ski slopes. She also likes to teach yoga since she’s a certified yoga instructor. She likes writing and producing animation shorts too. In 2018, she was a co-producer and writer on the animated short film Empty View which was showcased at the Cannes Film Festival.
Mina lives in California. Find her online at minajavaherbin.net and on Instagram @javaherbinwriter.
About (2010 Bio)
I was born in Iran and moved to the United States many years ago. I live in a beach city in Southern California with my husband and two children, who are enthusiastic soccer players and fans. Living here by the beach, of course, means we all swim and surf, and we can’t help but play tennis as well. It’s always tennis weather around here and almost all parks have tennis courts. I believe that even though I have an architectural education, and nowadays I write books too, I seem to really be my children’s chauffeur and “food manager”, a term they use to make me feel important and in charge! I’d like to add laundry manager, homework manager, and entertainment manager to the list as well.