Author • Psychologist • Educator
Maryam Kia
A Suitcase Full is a heartfelt picture book about the love of family, the power of one’s story, and the beauty of embracing change while leaving and finding home. When a young girl’s family is forced to flee Iran, there isn’t time to make a plan. Kimia can only take one suitcase, leaving behind many cherished possessions and people, including her beloved grandmother, Nana-joon. Travelling halfway around the world, Kimia learns to weave her past into her present, celebrating both her roots and her growth.
Through stunning illustrations and poignant storytelling, A Suitcase Full invites readers to explore their own life stories and identities, to embrace changes as opportunities, and to appreciate travel around world!
Based on the author’s childhood, A Suitcase Full encourages shared storytelling and conversations about family history, migration, language, culture, and resilience.
Pre-order A Suitcase Full now. Available August 18, 2026.
About me
Our stories are filled with inevitable change, beauty, joy, and connection. What’s inside your suitcase?
Hi, I’m Maryam Kia—an author, child psychologist, mom, and lifelong storyteller. My debut picture book, A Suitcase Full, is inspired by my own journey across the world as a child. I want to empower young readers to see the wonder and magic in their own suitcases and to appreciate the treasures others carry.
When my family left Iran, we didn’t have time to pack much—my suitcase was filled mostly with hope and love. Along the way, through many countries, languages, and schools, I learned that home isn’t just a place—it’s the people, stories, and memories that shape us. Those early experiences sparked my lifelong fascination with resilience, belonging, and the beauty of human connection.
For over two decades, I’ve worked as a psychologist, helping children, families, and communities grow stronger after hardship. My academic path took me from Dartmouth to Yale to Harvard to Boston University to the University of California. But the heart of my work has always been storytelling—whether through science, community healing, children’s media and now through children’s books.
As an author, I hope my stories inspire readers to honor their roots, celebrate their uniqueness, and find magic in their own journeys. Today I live in Southern California with my family, where we spend our days chasing shooting stars, rainbows, and waterfalls—and filling our suitcases with stories along the way.
Featured In: Psychology Today • NPR • Self Magazine • CNN • Santa Barbara Independent • Harvard Immigration Initiative • American Psychological Association • Center for Scholars and Storytellers • Reimagining Migration
Scientific Research
My research on wellness, resilience, youth empowerment, community engagement, and participatory science can be found on Google Scholar and ResearchGate.
Helping Kids See Strength in their Stories
Change can be hard—but it can also be beautiful. A Suitcase Full is a heartfelt story about finding courage, hope, and belonging when life takes you somewhere new.
Inspired my own journey, the story follows a young girl who leaves Iran with her family and travels across the world—to London, Paris, Boston, and finally Honolulu. Along the way, she discovers that even when everything changes, the love, memories, and stories we carry stay with us.
Young readers are invited to explore their own family stories, celebrate their heritage, and appreciate the richness of different cultures.
Perfect for classrooms or family reading, A Suitcase Full encourages conversations about change and belonging. It reminds children—and adults—that every new experience adds treasures to our suitcases. Kimia’s classroom project is a creative storytelling tool for educators, providing students with enrichment, connection, and growth as they celebrate their own and one another’s stories.
Teaching Kids and Parents Tools for Resilience
My HEROES family resilience program teaches kids and parents about mindfulness and other protective factors, and teaches communication and connection skills.
Breathe & Reset with Guided Meditation
My Power of Drishti collection of guided meditations and original music is created to nurture calm, compassion, and clarity in everyday life. “Drishti,” meaning focused gaze in Sanskrit, reminds us that where we place our attention shapes what we see—and how we experience the world. Whether you are a parent, educator, or simply someone seeking stillness in a busy world, these practices invite you to find your center and return to what matters most: presence, love, and the stories that ground us. Bridging ancient wisdom and modern science to support emotional resilience and collective well-being, you can explore the Meditations here.
My lineage traces back to the ancestral lands of Mazandaran, where the indigenous language and culture were passed down through oral tradition over thousands of years. Living in four countries during my childhood and raised on the island of O’ahu, I learned first-hand the interconnections between all living beings, and the ancient wisdoms that help people thrive.
Lineage
Let’s connect
Please reach out via email to connect or collaborate. You can also find me on Instagram, LinkedIn, or Bluesky.
