writing for children
OUR WORLD: TÜRKİYE
Emrah’s debut board book, Our World: Türkiye was released in March 2025, as part of Barefoot Books’s Our World series of global books for babies and toddlers. The story and the extended endmatter offer a glimpse into a day and life in Türkiye. The book, illustrated by Deniz Üçbaşar, provides a chance for readers to learn words in Turkish with pronunciation guides throughout the story.
AWAKE NOT SLEEPING
One of the authors of UN Women’s Awake Not Sleeping Initiative, a collection of 25 modern fairy tales reimagining fairy tales from across Europe and Central Asia for a new generation, challenging stereotypes and disrupting gender norms. Emrah’s story, A Tale of Two Ševalas, is a fictional recount of the first Muslim woman medical doctor in the Balkans, from the eyes of a little girl.
CHILDREN’S BOOK ACADEMY
A graduate of Children’s Book Academy, run by Dr Mira Reisberg, an award winning illustrator and writer. Completed the intensive courses, Craft and Business of Writing Children’s Books (2021) and Mastering Graphic Novels (2022), participated in Picture Book Palooza events in 2020 and 2021, and currently taking the Middle Grade Mastery course.
QUEER KIDLIT MENTEE
Selected as a mentee for #QueerKidlit Mentorship in June 2021 and matched with author Kyle Lukoff (A Storytelling of Ravens, Too Bright To See). Kyle worked with Emrah over the summer of 2021, on his picture book manuscript, Families of the Wild, an exploration of the growing diversity of modern human families through a close look at animal families.
ENGAGING IN EVERYTHING KIDLIT
A member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), participating in its regular online events. Continues to take courses, attend webinars and conferences from Storyteller Academy, the Writing Barn, Writing Blueprints, Children’s Book Insider, among others. Participating in Storystorm, a month-long story brainstorming event, created by picture book author Tara Lazar, since 2022.
12 x12 PICTURE BOOK CHALLENGE
Participant in the 12x12 Picture Book Writing Challenge 2022, a year-long writing challenge where members aim to write 12 complete picture book drafts for each 12 months of the year. Founded by picture book author Julie Hedlund, 12x12 has been supporting, encouraging, and educating writers, providing access to a community of 750+ picture book writers at all levels.