Bela and Lily

Natasha Khan Kazi

$39.99

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

Kokila
17 September 2025

Children's & young adult fiction & true stories; People & places (Children's&YA)

A heartwarming picture book about two young girls who don't speak the same language and still become fast friends, by Bangladeshi American writer and artist, Natasha Khan Kazi.

A heartwarming picture book about two young girls who don't speak the same language and still become fast friends, by Bangladeshi American writer and artist, Natasha Khan Kazi.

Lily looks at my eyes, lips, and shoulders as if they are pieces of a puzzle.

Bela, who has recently arrived in the United States from Bangladesh, meets Lily on the swings. But how do you make a friend when you don't speak the same language? Based on Natasha's own experience as a five-year-old immigrant making her first friend, Bela and Lily is about how

two kindred spirits forge a bond through smiles, giggles, and a shared love of adventure, while also learning each other's words.

By: Natasha Khan Kazi
Imprint: Kokila
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 260mm, Width: 260mm, Spine: 10mm
Weight: 434g
ISBN: 9780593858912
ISBN 10: 0593858913
Pages: 40
Publication Date: 17 September 2025
Recommended Age: From 4 to 8 years
Audience: Children/juvenile , English as a second language
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Natasha Khan Kazi was born in Bangladesh, raised in Texas and Pennsylvania, and now lives in Southern California, where she writes and illustrates books for young readers. Natasha's creative work is rooted in empathy, diversity, and childhood joy. Her debut picture book, Moon's Ramadan, was a 2023 Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection with a starred review from School Library Journal. Natasha is a 2023 Highlights Foundation Muslim Storyteller Fellow and the creator of Art with Miss Natasha and IslamiMommy, where she shares her love of art with children around the world. You can also find Natasha on X/Twitter and Instagram @NatashaKhanKazi.

Reviews for Bela and Lily

Praise for Bela and Lily by Natasha Khan Kazi: “Inspired by her own experiences as an immigrant, Khan Kazi captures the frustration of language barriers, as well as the joys of transcending them.” –Kirkus Reviews