About Omar

Bio

Omar Abed is a Palestinian-American engineer and storyteller. His debut picture book, THE BOOK THAT ALMOST RHYMED, won several state and national awards, including the Irma Black Award for 2025. Omar's stories layer intelligence with absurdity, offering something for readers of all ages.

In his spare time, Omar enjoys spending time with his family and hacking away at passion projects to build a better world. Omar lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons.

History

I've always loved books. From a young age, I dreamed of becoming an old man surrounded by a library of books. In middle school, I would draft novels on my dad's computer. I uncovered a passive interest in poetry, but I put my literary passions on hold as I entered high school, deciding instead to pursue interests in math and science.

While pursuing a degree in computer engineering, I rediscovered writing as a creative outlet. I turned to spoken-word poetry, which led me on an unplanned path to writing picture books. In 2019, I self-published my first book (YOU, ME, AND A TREE). The next year, I got an agent and sold THE BOOK THAT ALMOST RHYMED to Penguin Random House. It has since gone on to win several awards.

My next book, DEBUG THIS BOOK, comes out with Simon & Schuster in 2026.

Check out my Book Profile to discover my favorite authors and books. Or visit In The Media for some of my media appearances.

You can connect with me on social media at @OmarAbedWrites or join my (rarely used) mailing list. You can also contact me or check out my Media Kit to collaborate.