Jemima Shafei-Ongu at Paperchain Bookstore

Join us at Paperchain to hear Jemima Shafei-Ongu, author of A Lemon for Safiya, in conversation with Rhiân Williams.

They reached a giant lemon tree.

The old woman sat up, tapping an urgent finger against the window.

'Hay! Hay! Hanna zarr'et ha. Hay!'

She's saying that Hanna planted this tree,' Mama said as Dad pulled over.

'It's a beautiful tree, shajrah hhelweh,' Mama said to the old woman.

When a little girl, Safiya, and her family help Maryam, a lost and confused stranger by the side of the road, to find her way home, they begin to understand who she is and the rich and remarkable life she has lived. Through kind-natured Safiya, we come to see Maryam, a woman who had been made invisible by society because of her ethnicity, race, religion, language, age and now dementia.

With Arabic text interspersed throughout, A Lemon for Safiya is a wonderful exploration of language, diversity and culture.

Together, Jemima and Rhiân will explore the themes at the heart of the book - memory, belonging and the connections between generations - and the ways a community can help make visible a life that has been overlooked. As we mark Dementia Action Week (21-27 September), this discussion will offer an opportunity to reflect on how we see and support people living with dementia, and on how powerfully and beautifully a children’s book can hold up a mirror to our shared humanity.

'A gentle and respectful story . . . Exquisite illustrations deepen the story by giving insight into a lost past and a distant homeland . . . Empathy and humanity are depicted on every page' Books+Publishing

Jemima Shafei-Ongu is a Dharug/Sydney-based writer, psychologist and teacher who is passionate about picture books and their power to connect readers of all ages.

Inspired by her family and community's collectivist West Asian heritage, Jemima's writing explores themes of belonging, wellbeing and inclusion; expressing diversity as a natural way of being in the world.

Jemima’s titles include A Lemon for Safiya (Lothian); Aslan and Benny (Penguin Random House) and the upcoming Midnight Creep (Barefoot Oct 2026) and Zaatar (Allen & Unwin, 2027). She has also co-authored Shirin and Amir and the Dragon Smoke, as part of an inclusive health messaging project with ANU.

When she’s not writing, Jemima enjoys water colour painting, playing the derbakke, and having lip-sync battles with her adult daughters. She recently became a teta to her first grandchild. She lives with her partner, their mini schnauzer, and whichever of their three daughters is in the country at the time.

Rhiân Williams is the Guest Creative Director for the Kids and YA Program of the 2026 Canberra Writers Festival. She is the author of four acclaimed and best-selling picture books including Emergency! Emergency! Vehicles to the Rescue, which featured in this year’s Guardian Australia's Top 50 Australian Picture Books as voted by readers, and One Little Dung Beetle, a 2025 Children’s Book Council of Australia Honour Book.

Rhiân is also familiar voice on ABC Canberra Afternoons, where, she co-hosts the weekly Book Corner segment with Alice Matthews, where they explore the best new children's books and host the monthly ABC Canberra Book Club, which also includes a Book to Film Club with the National Film and Sound Archive.

This event is free but as space is limited please book to secure your place.