Maria Marianayagam

Maria Marianayagam is a Tamil Sri Lankan-Canadian children’s book author. Named a Top 40 under 40 in 2025, she was born in India and grew up in Nigeria and four provinces across Canada. Maria graduated from the University of Calgary with a B. Sc. in Chemical Engineering and spent a decade working in the energy industry. She fell in love with children’s books (again!) after becoming an Amma (mom). Maria now writes lyrical picture books centered on STEM, faith, and South Asian culture, as well as high-concept middle grade grounded in culture.