Muna Imady was born to an American mother and a Syrian father. She earned a BA in English Literature and a diploma in English-Arabic Translation from Damascus University, as well as a Maitrise from the Sorbonne. Imady has designed for children a beginner's English reading course, and has written several text books for teaching children English as a second language. She has also written and translated many short Arabic children's stories which were published in several Arabic magazines. She had a lifelong interest in folktales and promised herself that one day she would write a book of the folktales she had collected. Imady lived in Damascus with her husband Dr. Nizar Zarka and her three children Nour, Sammy, and Kareem. She taught English as a second language to young children and collected folktales in her free time. FURTHER READING New York Times tribute » Lady of the Largest Heart – Remembering Muna Imady »