It was a privilege to welcome award-winning author Tasneem Abdur-Rashid to Downe House to speak to our Upper Fourth students. Tasneem spoke about her career as a writer, the inspiration behind her ideas, and her latest novel, Odd Girl Out, which has received widespread acclaim, shortlisted for several awards including the Warwickshire Teen Book Awards, Redbridge Book Awards and the Girls Day School Trust Book Awards, in addition to a Carnegie Medal nomination.

In this compelling coming-of-age story, protagonist Maaryah must navigate a move from Dubai to London while facing challenges surrounding identity, friendship, family and belonging.

It was wonderful to see Fara and Bea (UIV) host the talk with such confidence. The session began with their thoughtful and well-prepared questions, which among other things, covered the challenges Tasneem faced in writing her first book, how she stays motivated when writing gets difficult, and the role of research in her work.

Reflecting on the talk Farah commented: Tasneem’s honest and relatable portrayal of teenage life has resonated with readers across the country earning praise for its warmth, and authenticity and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to hear about her experiences as a writer, the inspirations behind her work, and the journey of bringing Odd Girl Out to life.”

Tasneem then opened the floor to our Upper Fourth students for a Q&A. The girls were so eager to ask questions that the session ran for a full 30 minutes. It was great to see just how engaged the girls had been with the talk!

“I have never seen so many questions asked during an author visit before, Tasmeen was not only inspiring but relatable and easy to talk to. The girls thoroughly enjoyed her visit.”

Ms Dani Kirby, Library and Murray Centre Manager

Thank you Tasmeen for such an engaging and inspiring session. Your reflections on identity, friendship, family and belonging sparked thoughtful conversations and encouraged many of our pupils to continue to pursue their own creative writing journeys!