Meera draws from her life straddling the East and West to tell stories. She grew up in India and moved to the United States at the turn of the millennium. An electrical engineer in the past, she now writes for children and advocates for diversifying bookshelves. Meera felt compelled to tell her stories when she noticed children that looked like her own, as well as immigrant and cross-cultural experiences, were missing in the stories her family was reading.
Meera has published several remarkable children’s books both in the US and in India. Her picture books include the multi-award winner A Gift For Amma: Market Day In India, Dumpling Day featured in The New York Times, A Garden In My Hands shortlisted for the SCBWI Crystal Kite, and The Spice Box—a CALIBA Golden Poppy Award Finalist. Her work has been selected Best Book of the Year by School Library Journal, Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), and Bank Street College. She’s a two-time recipient of the esteemed South Asia Book Award. Her books have been included in several state reading lists and received starred reviews from Kirkus, SLJ, and Publishers Weekly. They have been translated into several languages—the Spanish edition Un Regalo Para Amma also won the Premio Campoy-Ada Honor Award for Spanish literature. Meera’s books strive to offer representation, tackle difficult topics, break stereotypes, and open up conversations among caregivers, educators, and children of all backgrounds.
Meera was trained in leading story-times for early learning by the Alameda County Library in California. She went on to be involved in several early literacy initiatives for over a decade around cities in the Bay Area. These days, she volunteers her time in helping amplify new voices in her role as the Equity & Inclusion Awards Coordinator for the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI) San Francisco North & East Bay region. She also enjoys teaching creative writing to aspiring authors and offers editorial services to picture book writers. Passionate about early and multicultural literacy, Meera believes stories have the power to take us into newer spaces and into unseen lives; she hopes they leave us more empathetic and inspired to celebrate our diverse world. Meera loves chai and yoga, woodsy hikes and urban murals, and lives with her family in Berkeley, California.
“Meera is fantastic! She connects with her audience, emphasizes the importance of picture books as ways to connect people and experiences, and inspires young creators to share their stories. Meera worked with multiple ages and across different topics – we are so grateful for her visit to our school!” — American International School Dhaka, 2025