An Interview with Authors Zahra Lari and Hadley Davis and Illustrator Sara Alfageeh

From author and screenwriter Hadley Davis, five-time Emirati National Champion Zahra Lari, and illustrator Sara Alfageeh comes Not Yet: The Story of an Unstoppable Skater, an inspiring tale of courage and determination that’s loosely based on the life of Lari, the first figure skater to compete internationally in a hijab. In this eye-opening interview, Lari, Davis, and Alfageeh discuss their backgrounds, collaboration, creative process, and the messages they’d like readers to take from this book. 

Tell us a bit about yourselves.

Lari: Over the years there has been interest in the story of how I became the first skater to compete in a hijab at the international level. I have told my story to newspapers and magazines, to television programs, in videos, in speeches, and on panels at conferences. This has had the effect of making me a storyteller! But what I always love the most is talking to kids – and I knew that a picture book would be the best way to share my story with children.

Davis: In third grade, a review I wrote landed on the jacket cover of Marc Brown’s Arthur’s Valentine, and I got to see my words and name in print for the first time. I was hooked! Throughout elementary school I would say I wanted to be “a children’s author” when I grew up. I kept writing – eventually moving to Los Angeles as a screenwriter for television and film. Now, at long last, I am also a children’s author! 

Alfageeh: I became an illustrator by accident. This was not the plan. I just wanted to draw goofy comics, draw my favorite characters for my friends, and entertain myself in math class. One day, a teacher said, “You know that’s a job right?” and I didn’t really believe her. Anyway, people who looked like me didn’t have jobs like that. In my first year of college however, the comic Ms. Marvel came out. A comic written by someone who looked like me, featuring a character who identified like me – and the rest is history. I had to become a storyteller too! 

What have been the biggest influences – people or experiences – in your work? 

Lari: Much of Not Yet comes from my own life. I happened to see Hadley’s movie, Ice Princess, at the cinema when I was 12 and from then on decided I had to skate. I always talk about this influence because if I hadn’t seen that film, it never would have occurred to me, a girl from the desert, to be a figure skater. From the day Hadley and I got in touch we knew we were meant to work on something together! 

Davis: As a child, I adored a book series by photojournalist Jill Krementz that chronicled the lives of A Very Young… Gymnast, Dancer, Rider, Skater, etc. I was fascinated by the dedication of these real and talented kids. Meanwhile, I was a pretty serious ballerina who gave up dancing for college – then turned the story of my unrequited dream into a screenplay (with skating in place of ballet). Years later, I opened The New York Times and read that a remarkable young woman named Zahra Lari had started skating after watching my movie! I was moved and overjoyed. Before long, Zahra and I had a friendship and a new dream together: this book. 

Alfageeh: As a storyteller, I love stories of unexpected heroes, whether they were knights like King Arthur, or kids playing in the woods like Calvin and Hobbes. For art style, there is a recipe. It’s what you love + how you see the world + your special brand of laziness. What you love: your favorite books, movies, shows, music, colors, and whatever you enjoy! How you see the world: who you are, your experiences, and how you present yourself will give you a unique experience. Your special brand of laziness: your stopping point, when it stops becoming fun for you. 

What was your creative process like for this book? 

When Lari told Davis she wanted to do a children’s book, Davis reached out to Alfageeh. They subsequently met with her over Zoom (and across many time zones!) to talk about a vision based on Lari’s skating “origin” story. Then, mostly over early morning or late-night direct messages between Los Angeles and Abu Dhabi, Lari shared authentic details with Davis that became part of the text she wrote. This is a peek at that process: 

Davis: “So what do you remember most about your first skating lessons?” 

Lari: “FALLS!” 

Now here’s the book’s text after Zahra steps on the ice for the first time: “She falls. And falls again. And again.”

Alfageeh: I worked alongside Hadley and Zahra to find the heart of this book. I had to go back into my own childhood and remember what it was like to dance around my house too, to be told “No” by the people who cared about me, and to follow a dream! After Hadley gave me the script, I researched skaters, and watched videos of Zahra herself. I then sketched ideas on paper to come up with designs, and different ways I could imagine each page. When I found one I liked, I sent it to my editor. My editor would then give me notes, or different ideas, and then I would draw it again— but better this time. Finally, I would add the colors, the sparkles, the extra lil’ bit of magic, and the page would be done! And I’d start all over again. 

If there was one message that you’d want every reader of this book to have, what would it be? 

Lari: Follow your dream! It’s okay if it hasn’t come true yet. Everyone faces obstacles, but dreams can’t come true if you give up. 

Davis: Once you put a story out into the world you never know the impact it will have. Tell your story! It just might change someone’s life. 

Alfageeh:  If you’re a little scared when you try something new, that’s ok! That means you’re being brave, and all stories need brave heroes.

Interview Courtesy of Scholastic