Building Zaha: The Story of Architect Zaha Hadid

Book excerpt: An inspiring picture book biography about British Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid, who was a pioneer in her field against all odds, told by debut author-illustrator Victoria Tentler-Krylov. The city of Baghdad was full of thinkers, artists, and scientists, the littlest among them Zaha Hadid. Zaha knew from a young age that she wanted to be an architect. She set goals for herself and followed them against all odds. A woman in a man's world, and a person of color in a white field, Zaha was met with resistance at every turn. When critics called her a diva and claimed her ideas were unbuildable, she didn't let their judgments stop her from setting goals and achieving them one by one, finding innovative ways to build projects that became famous the world over. She persisted, she followed her dreams, and she succeeded.