M.O. Yuksel

Of Uzbek heritage, M.O. Yuksel was born in Türkiye, raised in New York, and now lives in New Jersey with her family and two cats. A graduate of Columbia University and Fordham University, she writes books for young readers when she’s not on the soccer field cheering for her kids. She’s on the board of the Muslim Literary Festival, served as a juror for the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature, and is a member of the planning committee and a mentor for the Highlights Foundation Muslim Writers Fellowship Program.

M.O. Yuksel is the author of the critically acclaimed picture book, IN MY MOSQUE, illustrated by Hatem Aly (HarperCollins, 2021). In a starred review by School Library Journal, IN MY MOSQUE has been described a

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