SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: Drawing Deena
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://henakhan.com
CITY: Rockville
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 389
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in MD; married; children: two sons.
EDUCATION:George Washington University, M.A. (international affairs).
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Worked in the international public health communications field; presenter at schools and conferences.
AVOCATIONS:Cooking, baking, travel, flamenco dancing.
MEMBER:Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Children’s Book Guild of DC.
AWARDS:Parents’ Choice Award, 2008, for Night of the Moon; Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature, Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association, 2022, for Amina’s Song.
WRITINGS
Contributor to anthologies, including Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices, edited by S.K. Ali and Aisha Saeed, Amulet Books (New York, NY), 2020.
SIDELIGHTS
Hena Khan has been writing since she was a little girl, when she created articles for a family newspaper. In an interview in Hijab Librarians, Khan talked about her early experiences as a reader: “I loved the book Little Women, probably because that family was more traditional and conservative than modern American families, and I could relate to it on many levels. But I never saw a true reflection of myself, a Pakistani American Muslim girl, in the literature. When I was in college I searched for myself and found South Asian authors, but most were women from India, so I could only relate to a point. I saw elements of my experience in other literature I read—African American, Caribbean, and East Asian.” She concluded, “The first time I truly recognized myself and my life in a book was The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri when I was in my 30s.”
A number of Khan’s books are written from the perspective of Muslim youth and are intended to help educate young readers about the aspects of this often-misunderstood faith. On her website, Khan remarked, “I’m a Pakistani American Muslim who was born and raised in Maryland, and enjoy sharing and writing about my culture and religion.” In addition to her work for young readers, Khan serves as a writer and editor for “international organizations that work to improve the health and lives of people around the world,” she said on her website. With her novel Amina’s Voice, she inaugurated the Salaam Reads imprint from publisher Simon & Schuster, devoted to telling stories featuring Muslim characters.
Khan’s published books for children, although primarily nonfiction titles, also include the picture book Night of the Moon. Featuring artwork by Julie Paschkis, the book was a special labor of love for Khan who, as a Muslim American of Pakistani descent, enjoyed communicating some of the traditions that surround the Islamic holidays of Ramadan and Eid. The title of Night of the Moon refers to the start of Ramadan, a month-long fasting holiday which begins with the crescent moon of a new lunar cycle. In Khan’s story, young Yasmeen learns more about the holiday as her family has special dinners, celebrates at a community center, and finally exchanges gifts for Eid, the holiday that celebrates the end of the Ramadan fast.
Night of the Moon was honored with a 2008 Parents’ Choice award, and critics have praised its combination of a gentle story and informative details. “Khan deftly weaves information about the culinary and cultural traditions of Ramadan and Eid with the little girl’s love of her family,” a Kirkus Reviews writer noted of the book. “The upbeat tone of the writing” and the illustrations by Paschkis result in what Booklist critic Ilene Cooper described as a “vibrant, visually exciting treatment” of the Muslim holiday, and a Publishers Weekly reviewer recommended Night of the Moon as “a good choice both for children who celebrate these holidays and for others seeking a bridge to their [Muslim] culture.”
In It’s Ramadan, Curious George, Khan borrows a classic character from children’s literature to explore the Muslim celebration of Ramadan. Curious George, the inquisitive monkey friend of the Man in the Yellow Hat, became famous through a series of children’s books written by H.A. Rey and Margret Rey. Here, George helps his young friend Kareem during the holy month celebration and the required daylight fasting. The inquisitive monkey keeps Kareem’s mind off his hunger by playing games. Later, George goes with Kareem to help with donation drives and charity work at the mosque. When Ramadan is over and the festival of Eid begins, George joins in happy occasion of feasting and celebration. Through the story, “young readers will get a sense of some of the activities that accompany [Ramadan’s] observance,” observed Julia Smith in Booklist.
In an interview with Deborah Kalb on the website Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb, Khan expressed her gratitude for being allowed to use Curious George in her book. “I was honored to be able to write such an established and beloved character and to be able to be a small part of his incredible legacy,” she told Kalb. Khan further remarked to Kalb, “I think Curious George having Muslim friends and being respectful and sharing in their traditions is a wonderful, positive alternative to the hateful rhetoric and disturbing statements being made today.”
Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors is a “sophisticated color-concept book featuring a contemporary family introduces Islam to young Muslims and children who don’t practice this faith,” commented a Kirkus Reviews contributor. Khan includes all the basic colors, plus gold and silver, to highlight the uses of color in the Muslim religion and to emphasize elements of Muslim religious practice. The narrator, a young girl, speaks in rhyme, and comments on features such as the gold of the mosque dome, the red prayer rug that her father kneels on, the blue of her mother’s hijab, the green of a copy of the Quran, and the silver of fanoos, or lanterns. She also tells how Muslims work to provide help to the poor through donations collected in a yellow zakat box, and how gifts are exchanged at the festival of Eid, celebrated at the end of Ramadan. Throughout the book, Khan’s “emphases are both the particulars of Islam and the universal concerns of all caring societies and religions,” noted a Publishers Weekly contributor. The Kirkus Reviews writer called the book a “vibrant exploratory presentation” of the Muslim religion.
Khan wrote another concept book about Muslim life, Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets: A Muslim Book of Shapes. With Islam discouraging followers to create images of humans and animals, Muslim art often makes ornate use of shapes, and this picture book focuses on the shapes found in Islamic architecture, teaching readers words like mimbar, ayah, and wudu along the way. In Booklist, Ilene Cooper called Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets “a thoughtful, multilayered offering,” while a Kirkus Reviews writer summed the book up as a “beautiful picture book [that] simultaneously explores shapes, Islam, and the cultures of the Muslim people.”
A related title, One Sun and Countless Stars: A Muslim Book of Numbers, offers a counting book from a Muslim perspective. The volume offers “a tour of the Islamic faith,” remarked a Kirkus Reviews contributor. Khan writes about the morning call for prayer (adhaan), serving tea at a religious study group (halaqa), and formal worship (salah). The Kirkus Reviews critic called the book “creative” and “fun.”
The narrator of Amina’s Voice, Amina Khokar, is a “Pakistani American Muslim sixth-grader who struggles to stay true to her family’s culture while fitting in at school,” commented Washington Post writer Mary Quattlebaum. Amina experiences many of the usual issues faced by a sixth-grade girl, with the additional stresses of being Muslim in a non-Muslim community. At school, she has a best friend, Soojin, a Korean girl who will soon be granted her American citizenship. When this happens, she wants to adopt a new, more American name. Worse for Amina, Soojin seems to be drifting away from her and more toward classmate Emily, a girl Amina dislikes and distrusts. At home, the musically talented Amina faces a case of nerves over an upcoming public recitation from the Quran. She also must deal with the more stringent religious views of a visiting uncle from Pakistan who declares her interest in music to be un-Muslim. When the mosque she attends is severely vandalized, Amina also has to confront the difficult realities of religious intolerance and violence.
Amina’s Voice “gracefully addresses the difficulty of reconciling individual beliefs with those of others, especially those you love,” commented a Publishers Weekly writer. A Kirkus Reviews contributor observed that Khan “deftly—and subtly—weaves aspects of Pakistani and Muslim culture into her story,” which gives her readers the opportunity to “unconsciously absorb details and develop understanding and compassion for another culture and faith.” Khan “gracefully balances portraying the unique features of Amina’s cultural and religious background with familiar themes of family, belonging, and friendship worries,” producing a story that will appeal to many different readers, commented Booklist reviewer Selenia Paz.
In the sequel Amina’s Song, Amina wraps up a summer trip to Pakistan and then starts seventh grade in Wisconsin. Missing Pakistan but also enjoying life in the United States, Amina writes a song about her warm feelings for both locales. A new friend, Nico, helps write the music. Amina struggles to do justice to her love of Pakistan while also helping educate her friends about the country. In a Publishers Weekly interview with Namera Tanjeem, Khan discussed the origin of the story: “I think for me, growing up like her, as someone straddling two cultures and trying to figure out where I fit in, that is something that I relate to very deeply. And I feel like it’s a very common feeling among children of immigrants, whose parents may hold on to the culture they bring with them. You feel a connection to it—you love it, because it’s a piece of you, but you may not always know how to negotiate that connection and how much of it belongs to you or doesn’t belong to you.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor concluded that “readers will enjoy being along for the ride as Amina sorts through mild middle school turbulence and finds satisfying ways to express and share her true self.”
Inspired by her husband and sons’ love for the game of basketball, Khan authored the “Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream” chapter-book series, about fourth-grader Zayd and his goal of being the first Pakistani American to make the NBA. For now, he just wants to get off the D team to make the Gold Team, which his friends play on, but violin practice is starting to get in the way. When he secretly skips lessons, his parents find out and ground him from basketball—right when tryouts are rolling around. In Booklist, Lindsey Tomsu called Power Forward a “promising” series starter told from a “refreshing perspective, which will appeal to plenty of sports-loving readers.” A Kirkus Reviews writer appreciated how the story is “told with humor and artfully filled with interesting cultural matter” and praised the “moral of staying true to yourself and honest with others.”
The “Chasing the Dream” series continues with On Point, in which Zayd’s best friend, Adam, is losing interest in basketball as the team loses games. Meanwhile, Zayd’s uncle Jamal is getting married, a celebratory—and complicated—event within the family. As Adam drifts away from the court, Zayd takes over as point guard and learns how to keep things under control. In Booklist, Tomsu affirmed that Khan again achieves “a great balance between sports action and realistic fiction featuring the everyday life of a boy from a traditional Pakistani family.” A Kirkus Reviews writer called On Point “a delightful follow-up from a writer who understands children, family, and culture.” In the series’ third book, Bounce Back, Zayd finds his role on the team shift when he goes through an ankle injury, while the upcoming wedding offers him a chance to bond with his sister. A Kirkus Reviews writer declared, “Readers will enjoy watching Zayd grow in his game, his maturity, and his changing family life.”
With regard to her picture book Under My Hijab, Khan affirmed in an interview with Hannah Erlich on the Lee & Low Books website, “I wanted to write a book that celebrates the women I know who choose to wear hijab, and presents them as they are: strong, independent, educated, successful, and fashionable individuals who are talented in a multitude of ways and not limited by their headcovers.” Telling the reader about all the different ways that women in her life wear hijab—the Muslim head covering—the narrator profiles her grandmother, a baker; her mother, a doctor; her aunt, an artist; and her cousin Iman, an ace at karate. In an author’s note, Khan discusses reasons why Muslims wear hijab or decline to. In Booklist, Amina Chaudhri praised the “affirming tone and message of this timely book,” while a Kirkus Reviews writer declared, “Informative and genuine,” Under My Hijab offers “a window into the world of a Muslim-American girl and the diverse women in her family and community.”
Inspired by one of her favorite books from childhood, Little Women, Khan updated the plot and introduced a Muslim cast to create More to the Story. Narrator Jam is a seventh-grade aspiring journalist with three sisters—beautiful and studious Maryam, sweet Bisma, and aggravating Aleeza. When their father leaves town on international business, a cute British Pakistani boy enters their lives, but things get complicated by money problems and a sudden illness in the family. A Kirkus Reviews writer observed that the “characters are believable and endearing, and their problems are emotionally weighty,” making More to the Story “a delightful concept well executed.” A Publishers Weekly writer hailed how Khan “nimbly incorporates details of modern life” into a narrative that proves “strongest in the moments when family dynamics are on display.”
[open new]Billed as “A Pick-Your-Path Adventure” are Khan’s “Super You!” titles Power of Flight and Power of Invisibility, cowritten with Andrea Menotti. The action kicks off in Power of Flight when a summer-camp visit to the Center for Avian Science leads to the protagonist—the reader, addressed as “you”—getting scratched by a large bird. Gaining the ability to fly, one is faced with recurring choices over how to proceed in a swirl of diverging storylines, often featuring the evil Dr. Zeus. A Kirkus Reviews writer found abundant “excitement” as the “number of options is rather dizzying, and readers will spend hours exploring the possibilities, most of which present moral dilemmas.” An invisibility device invented by aliens with dubious motives in visiting Earth sets up Power of Invisibility, which a Kirkus Reviews writer found “rich with imaginative, unusual possibilities for fans of the genre.”
Khan rewinds time for the family of previous series protagonist Zayd Saleem to depict life for his older sister Zara in the “Zara’s Rules” series. Khan told From the Mixed-Up Files that she conceived of this series “during the pandemic while listening to children playing outside in droves and thinking about my own childhood. I adored Beverly Cleary’s books, characters like Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins, and reading about their clever antics. … I wanted to write a series that similarly makes kids wish they were part of the neighborhood and imagine themselves joining in the fun, just like I did.”
In Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun, ten-year-old Zara, dubbed “Queen of the Neighborhood” by dear departed Mr. Chapman (he moved to Florida), worries about her social status among her diverse friends when two outgoing new kids move into the neighborhood. Getting acquainted with theGuinness Book of World Records, Zara sets about trying to set a record or two of her own, with amusing—and enlightening—results. A Kirkus Reviews writer enjoyed the “strong pacing, fluid prose, engaging hijinks, and heartwarming scenes of family life and outdoor play” in this “charming contemporary story with a classic feel.” The theft of Zara’s new bike during a trip to the park forces her to earn money to replace it in Zara’s Rules for Finding Hidden Treasure. Eventually she helps clear out family clutter with a roving wagon sale, but trouble arises when she accidentally sells a box of her mother’s keepsakes. A Kirkus Reviews writer observed that references to Marie Kondo and the organic plot “make this fun, quick read … about a relatable mishap–and our often complex relationships with material possessions”—“feel fresh and realistic.”
Khan’s middle-grade novel Drawing Deena portrays seventh-grade artist Deena as she learns to cope with anxiety. Between a clenched jaw at night and nausea in the morning, Deena wants to take action to relieve her regular stress. Since money is a factor for her family, she boosts everyone’s mood by helping market her mother’s home-based clothing-design business online. When relationship trouble and her parents’ bickering spurs a panic attack for Deena, school figures step in to make sure she gets the counseling and support she needs. Meanwhile, making art makes a difference in Deena’s life.
Woven into Drawing Deena are various words in Urdu, the language Khan spoke at home with her parents while growing up—until American schooling and her older sister’s example led her to favor English. Eventually the two youths responded to their parents’ Urdu with English and thus gradually lost their fluency in Urdu. Lamenting that she now cannot teach Urdu to her own children, Khan told MG Book Village, “I tell kids all the time that it’s one of the biggest regrets of my life to have lost my ‘mother tongue.’ … And I always encourage kids to avoid making the same mistake as me and to speak a second language if they have one at home since it’s a gift.”
Khan took inspiration from a real-life Pakistani American artist, Sobia Ahmad, whom she interviewed, for the character of Salma in Drawing Deena. Khan told MG Book Village, “I loved the way she framed the idea of art helping us to express and answer our own questions, which is what I realized writing is for me.” Regarding her own artistic impulses, Khan explained: “When I was younger, I thought I needed to have things figured out to create art. …I felt like I had to have the final product fully imagined before I started and that it needed to be perfect. I didn’t understand that the process of creating art can be about exploring unresolved feelings, connecting thoughts, or even expressing our confusion—and that it’s okay for it to be messy or evolving. Now I know that making and sharing art can be enormously cathartic and helpful.” A Kirkus Reviews writer affirmed that “thoughtful questions about the arts, mental health, social media, parent-child relationships, and the pressures adolescent girls face” make Drawing Deena a “nuanced and quietly powerful story.” [close new]
In an interview with JoAnn Yao on the We Need Diverse Books website, Khan recounted her advice for young writers: “I tell kids all the time who I meet now that your story matters, and no matter what your background is, it’s important. People need to hear it, and I didn’t know that as a kid. I loved writing. I used to write for fun, but I didn’t even write stories that reflected my own experience. Because I didn’t see that anywhere else. It wasn’t validated. So I wish I could go back and tell myself, ‘Believe in your stories and believe that they matter. Write them and don’t be afraid to share them.’”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, October 1, 2008, Ilene Cooper, review of Night of the Moon, p. 51; March 15, 2013, review of Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors, p. 20; November 15, 2015, Julia Smith, review of It’s Ramadan, Curious George, p. 49; February 1, 2017, Selenia Paz, review of Amina’s Voice, p. 38; April 1, 2018, Lindsey Tomsu, review of Power Forward, p. 80; April 15, 2018, Ilene Cooper, review of Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets: A Muslim Book of Shapes, p. 53; May 1, 2018, review of On Point, p. 81; September 1, 2018, Lindsey Tomsu, review of Bounce Back, p. 103; November 15, 2018, Amina Chaudhri, review of Under My Hijab, p. 51.
Children’s Bookwatch, April, 2019, review of Under My Hijab.
Entertainment Weekly, March 14, 2017, Nivea Serrao, review of Amina’s Voice.
Horn Book, March-April, 2017, Shoshana Flax, review of Amina’s Voice, p. 92.
Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2008, review of Night of the Moon; June 1, 2012, review of Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns; January 15, 2017, review of Amina’s Voice; March 1, 2018, review of Power Forward; April 1, 2018, review of On Point; April 15, 2018, review of Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets; August 15, 2018, review of Bounce Back; November 15, 2018, review of Under My Hijab; July 1, 2019, review of More to the Story; January 15, 2021, review of Amina’s Song; February 1, 2022, review of One Sun and Countless Stars: A Muslim Book of Numbers; April 1, 2022, review of Power of Flight; September 15, 2022, review of Zara’s Rules for Finding Hidden Treasure; August 1, 2022, review of Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun; March 1, 2023, review of Power of Invisibility; August 15, 2023, review of Zain’s Super Friday; December 1, 2023, review of Drawing Deena; March 1, 2024, review of The Door Is Open: Stories of Celebration and Community by 11 Desi Voices.
Publishers Weekly, July 7, 2008, review of Night of the Moon, p. 58; April 16, 2012, review of Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, p. 67; January 2, 2017, review of Amina’s Voice, p. 56; November 19, 2018, review of Under My Hijab, p. 91; July 1, 2019, review of More to the Story, p. 72.
School Library Journal, September, 2008, Fawzia Gilani-Williams, review of Night of the Moon, p. 151; April 4, 2017, Amanda Macgregor, review of Amina’s Voice; May, 2017, Kiera Parrott, “Friendship, Family, and Food: Hena Khan and Karuna Riazi on Writing for Salaam Reads,” author interview; May, 2018, Martha Rico, review of Power Forward, and Kyle Lukoff, review of On Point, p. 85; February, 2024, Amira Walker, review of The Door Is Open, p. 94.
Washington Post, March 20, 2017, Mary Quattlebaum, “A Step toward Greater Diversity in Children’s Books: Hena Khan’s Amina’s Voice,” author profile.
ONLINE
Author Village website, https://theauthorvillage.com/ (July 1, 2024), author profile.
Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb, http://deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com/ (June 6, 2016), “Q&A with Hena Khan.”
Chronicle Books website, http://www.chroniclebooks.com/ (May 26, 2017), “What Ramadan Means to Children’s Book Author Hena Khan.”
From the Mixed-Up Files, https://fromthemixedupfiles.com/ (October 28, 2022), Melissa Roske, “Author Spotlight: Interview with Hena Khan.”
Hena Khan website, https://henakhan.com (July 1, 2024).
Hijab Librarians, https://hijabilibrarians.wordpress.com/ (June 14, 2018), Hadeal Salamah and Ariana Hussain, author interview.
Lee & Low Books website, https://blog.leeandlow.com/ (February 5, 2019), Hannah Erlich, author interview.
MG Book Village, https://mgbookvillage.org/ (January 29, 2024), “Interview with Hena Khan about Drawing Deena.”
Publishers Weekly, https://www.publishersweekly.com/ (February 18, 2021), Namera Tanjeem, author Q&A; (February 8, 2024), Pooja Makhijani, author Q&A.
United by Pop, https://www.unitedbypop.com/ (March 1, 2024), Kate Oldfield, “Hena Khan on Her Compassionate New Middle Grade Novel, Drawing Deena.”
We Need Diverse Books website, https://diversebooks.org/ (July 11, 2018), author interview; (March 7, 2022), JoAnn Yao, author interview.
Hena Khan
USA flag
Hena Khan is a Pakistani-American who was born and raised in Maryland, where she still lives. She enjoys writing about her culture as well as all sorts of other subjects, from spies to space travel.
Genres: Children's Fiction
New and upcoming books
February 2024
thumb
Drawing Deena
April 2024
thumb
The Door Is Open
November 2024
thumb
Like A Boss
(Best Wishes , book 4)
Series
Amina's Voice
1. Amina's Voice (2017)
2. Amina's Song (2021)
thumbthumb
Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream
1. Power Forward (2018)
2. On Point (2018)
3. Bounce Back (2018)
thumbthumbthumb
Unicorn Rescue Society (with Adam Gidwitz)
6. The Secret of the Himalayas (2021)
thumb
Zara's Rules
1. For Record-Breaking Fun (2022)
2. For Finding Hidden Treasure (2022)
3. Zara's Rules for Living Your Best Life (2023)
thumbthumbthumb
Best Wishes (with Sarah Mlynowski)
4. Like A Boss (2024)
thumb
Novels
More to the Story (2019)
Drawing Deena (2024)
thumbthumb
Anthologies edited
The Door Is Open (2024)
Hena Khan has been publishing books for children, including many that center Pakistani American and Muslim characters, for over two decades. She writes award-winning books in a multitude of formats, including picture books, middle grade fiction, pick-your-path adventures, and graphic novels. Her stories are often centered around her culture, community, friendship, and family, and draw from her own experiences. Hena’s bestselling novels include Amina’s Voice and More to the Story. She is also the author of the Zayd Saleem Chasing the Dream, Zara’s Rules, and Super You! series. Hena’s acclaimed picture books include Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, Under My Hijab, and It’s Ramadan, Curious George. She holds an MA in International Affairs from The George Washington University, has served on the board of We Need Diverse Books, and is a member of the Children’s Book Guild of DC. Hena lives in her hometown of Rockville, Maryland.
LONG VERSION BIO
About Hena
Hena Khan is an award-winning author of picture books and middle grade fiction. Her
groundbreaking middle grade novel Amina’s Voice was named a Best Book of 2017 by the Washington Post, NPR, Kirkus Reviews, and others. The sequel, Amina’s Song, won the 2022 Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature.
As a child, Hena spent countless hours at the public library, but never saw her life as a Pakistani American Muslim reflected on the pages of a book. It didn’t occur to her that someone like her deserved to be a character in a story. After completing her MA in International Affairs from The George Washington University, Hena worked with non-profit health organizations as a writer and editor for many years.
Hena began writing for kids with Scholastic book clubs over twenty years ago, publishing books for popular series including Spy University, Space University, and How to Survive Anything. She also wrote adventure-filled pick-your-path books and was thrilled to revisit the genre with her Super You! series, which includes The Power of Flight and The Power of Invisibility.
Hena wrote the Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream and Zara’s Rules series and More to the Story, a novel inspired by her all-time favorite book, Little Women. Hena’s award-winning picture books include Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, Under My Hijab, It’s Ramadan, Curious George, and Like the Moon Loves the Sky, among others.
Hena has also enjoyed co-authoring books with friends, including Adam Gidwitz for the Unicorn Rescue Society, Sarah Mylnowksi for Best Wishes and Andrea Menotti for Super You! and believes that two creative minds are better than one.
Hena’s own novels are often centered around her culture, community, friendship, and family, and draw heavily from her own experiences. She divides her time between writing and presenting to children, educators, and others, and serves on the board of We Need Diverse Books. Hena lives in her hometown of Rockville, Maryland with her family but is grateful to have traveled a lot—and she hopes to add to the 35 countries she has visited so far. Her favorite things are getting letters from kids, perfect cappuccinos, and reading in bed.
Like so many writers, I grew up with my nose in a book. My mother believed children should be seen reading and not heard whining about boredom, and she regularly took us to the Rockville Public Library with grocery bags to fill with books. Along with grabbing new titles each visit, I often chose the same ones over and over again. And I reread treasured personal copies of my favorites until they fell apart.
The books I connected with as a child left a bigger impression on me than almost anything I come across today. I still think of the characters, stories, and random facts that I absorbed years ago. That’s why I love writing for kids—in the hopes that they’ll pick up something I write more than once, and let it become part of who they are.
Here are a few details about me: I’m a Pakistani-American Muslim who was born and raised in Maryland, and enjoy sharing and writing about my culture and religion. I’ve written about a bunch of other topics, from spies to space travel, that take me out of my reality and on adventures. I’ve had a few adventures of my own, managed to get to some pretty fantastic places on our planet, and met incredible people along the way. I’m slightly obsessed with Spain, ceramic tiles and pottery, food, flamenco, and good coffee. When I’m not cooking up a story, I’m often actually cooking food or baking treats for my family or friends. I also spent a good chunk of my life writing and editing for international organizations that work to improve the health of people around the world.
BIO
FAQ
HI-RES IMAGES
Did you always want to be an author?
Honestly, when I was a kid I had no idea I could be an author. I never met an author or even thought they were regular, living people. And I didn’t see characters like me in books. But I always loved writing and did it in various forms since I was very young.
How did you get your start in children’s publishing?
I started writing for Scholastic Book Clubs for series like Spy University, Space University and others. I realized at that point that I loved it, and that I had stories of my own that I wanted to share, especially ones featuring characters who looked like me and my family.
Where do you get your ideas?
Mostly from personal experience, but also from research, interviews and reading interesting things. I’m often inspired by my children, and other people in my life, and by the idea of creating books that I would have loved to have had read myself as a kid.
Will you write books for adults?
Maybe one day, but for now I’m happy writing for kids.
Can you read my manuscript?
I’m sorry I don’t review manuscripts, but I recommend joining SCBWI and forming a critique group with a group of writers you trust who can give you feedback on your work. And it’s always a good idea to read as many books in the genre you are writing as you can and really familiarize yourself with it.
Can you help me publish my book?
I wish I could! But I don’t have any special connections or inroads into getting your book published. A literary agent is far better suited to do that than I am. I found an agent to represent me after 8 years of selling and publishing on my own, and after plenty of rejection. Literary Rambles is a great site to start researching potential agents who might be a good fit for you.
What is your best writing advice?
I meet so many people who say that they want to write, or have a story that lives inside them, but they don’t actually write. The first step is to just take the time to get your thoughts out on the page. Your first draft will stink, but that’s okay because they all do. And then you can revise it to get it where it needs to be. Writing, like any other skill, takes practice and training yourself to get better at it. In the meantime, keep reading!
Hena Khan (she/her)
“I want kids of all backgrounds to meet someone like me and know it is absolutely possible for them to be storytellers, artists, and creators too. My goal is to make sure they believe that their voices and stories have value, and that they deserve to be heard and shared.”
Biography
Hena Khan is an author of picture books and middle grade fiction. Her groundbreaking middle grade novel Amina’s Voice was named a Best Book of 2017 by The Washington Post, NPR, Kirkus Reviews, and others. The sequel, Amina’s Song, won the 2022 Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature.
Hena wrote the Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream and Zara’s Rules series and More to the Story, a novel inspired by her all-time favorite book, Little Women. Hena’s award-winning picture books include Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, Under My Hijab, Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets, Night of the Moon, It’s Ramadan, Curious George, and Like the Moon Loves the Sky.
As a child, Hena spent countless hours at the public library, but she never saw her life as a Pakistani American Muslim reflected on the pages of a book. It didn’t occur to her back then that someone like her deserved to be a character in a story. After completing her MA in International Affairs, Hena worked for many years with non-profit health organizations as a writer and editor of research findings.
Hena began writing for kids with Scholastic book clubs, publishing books for popular series including Spy University, Space University, and How to Survive Anything. She also wrote adventure-filled pick-your-path books, including the Worst Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure Mars and Amazon and is excited to revisit the genre with her Super YOU series, which includes The Power of Flight and The Power of Invisibility.
Hena’s novels are often centered around her culture, community, friendship and family, and draw heavily from her own experiences. She divides her time between writing, presenting to children, educators, and others, and being mom to two sons. Hena lives in her hometown of Rockville, Maryland with her family but is grateful to get to travel a lot. Her favorite things are getting letters from kids, perfect cappuccinos, and reading in bed.
Author Spotlight: Interview with Hena Khan
Three years before the pandemic hit, I had the great luck of sharing a train ride with Hena Khan, the award-winning author of Amina’s Voice. Hena and I were headed home from #nErDCampLI, and I remember feeling wiped out—and talked out—from the conference. But once I sat down next to Hena and started chatting, my weariness evaporated and an instant connection was formed. For the next 60 minutes, we talked about writing (we were both debut authors); parenting (Hena’s two sons were in middle school; my daughter was a senior in high school); and countless other topics that newfound friends on a train often discover.
Since Amina’s Voice came out in 2017, Hena has gone on to publish multiple MG novels, including Amina’s Song (2021), More to the Story (2020), and the Zayd Saleem: Chasing the Dream series. She is also the author of seven picture books and has contributed to six children’s anthologies, including Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices. A popular guest speaker in classrooms, school auditoriums, and libraries across the country, Hena’s latest MG novel, Zara’s Rules for Finding Hidden Treasure, is out now from Salaam Reads, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Here’s a brief summary:
Zara’s Rules for Finding Hidden Treasure
Zara lives for bike rides with her friends—so, when her shiny, brand-new bike goes missing from the park one day, she’s crushed. After her parents insist she earn the money for another bike herself, Zara’s determined to start a business. But what kind? A lemonade stand? Not profitable enough. Selling painted rocks? Not enough customers.
Zara’s starting to get discouraged when she and her friend Naomi finally come up with the perfect idea: The Treasure Wagon, a roving garage sale that unloads knickknacks from the Saleem family basement and makes money all at once! But when a mix-up gets Zara in hot water again, will she have to give up everything she’s earned toward her new bike?
The Interview
MR: Welcome to the Mixed-Up Files, Hena! I’m so happy to have you here. I can’t believe it’s been five years since our paths crossed!
HK: I know! But it’s so nice to reminisce about that lovely train ride and our instant friendship! Thanks so much for inviting me to talk about my newest book.
MR: Zara’s Rules for Finding Hidden Treasure is the second of a trilogy. (Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun came out earlier this year; Zara’s Rules for Living Your Best Life pubs on March 21, 2023.) What was the inspiration behind the series?
HK: I came up with the idea during the pandemic while listening to children playing outside in droves and thinking about my own childhood. I adored Beverly Cleary’s books, characters like Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins, and reading about their clever antics (anyone else want to stomp around on coffee can stilts too?). I wanted to write a series that similarly makes kids wish they were part of the neighborhood and imagine themselves joining in the fun, just like I did.
MR: Zara has two loving parents, a cute-but-sometimes-annoying little brother, Zayd, a strong bond with her extended family, including her grandparents and her uncle, Jamal Mamoo, and a crew of caring, fun-loving neighborhood friends. Is this reflective of your own childhood? What are the main similarities and differences?
HK: The crew of neighborhood friends is very much based on the children I grew up with, and the Goldsteins are inspired by my lifelong friends who lived across the street. The extended family, however, is more reflective of my children’s experience and vantage point as third-generation Pakistani American Muslims. I’m fascinated by the way my kids interact with their grandparents (Naano and Nana Abu are essentially my real-life parents), aunts and uncles, and the way they relate to the culture. They find it alternately cool and hilarious and don’t have the same type of pressure, expectations, or awkwardness that I felt as a child of immigrants. I also didn’t get to grow up around many relatives, and always wished I had been as fortunate.
Trash and Treasure
MR: One of the main themes of Zara’s Rules for Finding Hidden Treasure is our emotional attachment to possessions. This resonated with me deeply, because I recently had to clear out my mom’s apartment, which contained 60 years’ worth of stuff. (The task was daunting, to say the least.) What made you focus on this theme? And where does Marie Kondo fit into the picture?
HK: Oh wow, my heart is with you—I’m sure that was incredibly difficult! I grew up with parents who saved everything, and we had a storage room much like the one I describe in the book. They were reluctant to part with anything, in the hopes that it could be useful in the future. I wanted to tackle the topic because it’s something I still wrestle with, both in terms of finding the right balance between saving, donating, and recycling my own things, and convincing my mother to part with her “junk.”
I thought a lot about the idea of trash versus treasure, why we value the things we do, sentimental value, and what really matters. And it felt both cathartic and wishful to write some of the scenes. I’ve heard a lot about Marie Kondo, particularly the controversy around getting rid of books (the horror!), and thought it would be funny to include her although I’m not a disciple . . . at least not yet!
Viewing Life from a Younger Lens
MR: Compared to some of your previous MG novels (Amina’s Voice, Amina’s Song, and More to the Story), the Zara’s Rules trilogy skews younger, ages seven-10, with shorter chapters and numerous illustrations. What’s the main challenge when writing for a younger audience? What’s the most fun?
HK: I’d say the biggest challenge is having less space to fully flesh out characters and plots, which is very important to me even in a shorter book. But it’s so fun to be able to jump right into the action, and to examine the world through the lens of a 10-and-three-quarter-year-old. Kids at that age are very aware and engaged with the world but still so earnest and innocent, and I love to explore the things that I’m thinking about now from that perspective.
Series Versus Stand-alones
MR: In addition to the Zara’s Rules trilogy, you’ve written the Zayd Saleem: Chasing the Dream series, with six books in total. What’s it like to work on a series as opposed to a stand-alone book?
HK: The biggest difference is that you get to know your characters deeply, so it feels like getting to play with old friends in each story. I never really believed authors who talked about their characters deciding what happens in a story, but I kind of understand that concept now. When characters become so fully developed in your mind, you have an idea of what they would say or do in a situation, and it becomes easier to write them. At the same time, it’s critical to keep the stories fresh and interesting and avoid repetition. I love making passing references to former books as little surprises to those who have read them all.
Picture-Book Love
MR: You also write picture books, including the acclaimed Under My Hijab. Is it tricky to switch from MG to picture books—and from picture books to MG…?
HK: It’s not too hard to switch back and forth between the formats since they use very different writing muscles. I generally don’t work on two middle-grade projects at once, but often turn to a picture book during breaks. I love the economy of words and the way one sentence can make or break an entire book. It forces you to be a sharp editor and pay attention to every syllable.
Celebrating Diversity
MR: Your books are lovingly infused with elements from your Pakistani heritage, and your characters are ethnically, culturally, and religiously diverse. What can authors—and publishers—do to increase the visibility of authentic, diverse characters in kidlit?
HK: Thank you! The people I love inspire so much of what I write. But it’s important to remember that I represent only one subset of the Pakistani American Muslim community, which also has diversity within it—in terms of level of cultural assimilation, socioeconomic status, religious observance and more. And then, of course, the American Muslim community is even more diverse. I think it’s wonderful to see more diverse representation in kidlit, but we need a bigger variety of stories and characters in all genres. Also, while it’s wonderful to have books to celebration diversity, culture, and traditions, I hope to see more stories where identities aren’t necessarily emphasized but are simply woven into the background like in Zara’s Rules.
Plotter or Pantser?
MR: What does your writing routine look like? Do you have a particular schedule? Also, are you a plotter or a pantser?
HK: I wish I had a routine, but I don’t. I write at all times of the day, sometimes every day for a while and then not for weeks. But I’d like to find some discipline someday! Overall, I’m more of a plotter than a pantser.
The Secret to Success
MR: You’ve written 13 (and counting!) middle-grade novels, seven picture books, and stories included in six anthologies. What’s the secret to being such a prolific author?
HK: Well, I’ve been at it for a while now, and sometimes it feels like I’ve published a lot, and at other times I think I could have done more! I think the key to staying engaged and motivated is to keep challenging myself to improve my craft, to try to reach audiences in different ways, and to only write about what genuinely excites me.
What’s Next?
MR: What are you working on now, Hena? Enquiring Mixed-Up Files readers want to know…
HK: I’m excited to be starting on my second graphic novel, finishing up a new middle-grade novel, and editing an anthology that hasn’t been announced yet. I’ve also got some new picture books on the way! Please connect with me to get updates on my new titles.
Lightning Round!
MR: And finally, no MUF interview is complete without a lightning round, so…
Preferred writing snack?
I prefer cookies but settle for nuts or kettle corn.
Coffee or tea?
Coffee all the way! I drink espresso with a little bit of milk.
Marie Kondo: Yea or nay?
Nay, can’t do it!
Zombie apocalypse: Yea or nay?
If I had to choose an apocalypse, it would be the one.
Superpower?
I’d have to go with invisibility.
Favorite place on earth (besides Seville, Istanbul, and Seattle)?
Turks and Caicos is just incredible.
If you were stranded on a desert island with only three things, what would they be?
My husband and two sons. Or if they count as one family, then ice cream and my laptop.
MR: Thank you for chatting with us, Hena—and congratulations on the recent publication of Zara’s Rules for Finding Hidden Treasure!
Thank YOU!
Bio
Hena Khan is an award-winning author of picture books and middle-grade fiction. Her middle-grade novel Amina’s Voice launched Simon & Schuster’s groundbreaking Salaam Reads imprint and was named a Best Book of 2017 by the Washington Post, NPR, Kirkus Reviews, and others. The sequel, Amina’s Song, won the 2021 Asian/Pacific Award for Children’s Literature. Hena wrote the popular Zayd Saleem Chasing the Dream series, and More to the Story, a novel inspired by her all-time favorite book, Little Women. Hena’s acclaimed picture books include Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, Under My Hijab, Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets, Night of the Moon, and It’s Ramadan, Curious George. Learn more about Hena on her website and follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
(For more on Hena Khan, check out this MUF interview by Jonathan Rosen!)
Hena Khan On Her Compassionate New Middle Grade Novel, Drawing Deena
"Most of the themes of the book are tied to things that I’ve been thinking about lately, including what it means to make art and engage with an audience while you’re still evolving as a creative person."
By Kate Oldfield Last updated Mar 1, 2024
0
Share
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of being immersed in the middle grade fiction world, you’ll be no stranger to bestselling author, Hena Khan, and the heart that fills the pages of her books. Releasing February 2024, her newest MG novel, Drawing Deena, is yet another must-have for bookshelves everywhere. A kind and compassionate exploration of mental health in children, Drawing Deena, is a beautifully written, fun, and warm story of a young aspiring artist learning the importance of self expression and speaking up for ones own needs. To celebrate the release of this truly special story, we had the honour of chatting to Hena all about it.
Hi Hena! I’m so incredibly excited to get to chat to you today to celebrate the release of your beautiful new middle grade novel, Drawing Deena. For readers who may just be learning about it, how would you best describe it to them?
Thanks so much for inviting me and for this conversation. So, Drawing Deena is about what it means to be a creative person in the era of social media, how to recognize the signs and learn coping skills to manage anxiety, the benefits of finding a mentor, advocating for yourself, discovering the people closest to us can still surprise us, and more!
Can you tell us a little about the inspirations behind the book and Deena’s story?
Sure! Most of the themes of the book are tied to things that I’ve been thinking about lately, including what it means to make art and engage with an audience while you’re still evolving as a creative person. Like many people, I have a complicated relationship with social media even as an adult. Although I know it has many important benefits, it stresses me out, makes me insecure, and takes up so much time if I let it! And I know that for young people, it can introduce new challenges and sources of anxiety. I’ve personally dealt with increased anxiety over the past decade, and witnessed younger family members work to both recognize and confront their own, and that was something I wanted to explore in this book. And I also wanted to focus on important family relationships, like cousins and the mother-daughter relationship in a new way than I have written about in the past.
Over the past few years, anxiety (and mental health in general) has gone from being rarely represented in MG novels, to being more frequently explored and the way you portrayed Deena’s anxiety throughout the novel was truly wonderful. What was your process when it came to exploring mental health in a way that was accessible for a younger audience?
Thank you so much! I wanted to address it a way that felt organic and accessible and take the reader through Deena not knowing that she was feeling anxious, to her coming to terms with it. It can be hard to diagnose anxiety in young people, especially if it manifests in stomach aches or fears, and—like in the case of Deena—if they don’t share what they are experiencing with the grown-ups in their life. At the same time, there are valuable resources available that people may not be aware of, including in a public school setting. Before writing, I interviewed a friend who is a school psychologist, who walked me through the steps of getting support as well as some of the common obstacles and concerns of parents. That was enormously helpful.
If Amina from your novel, Amina’s Voice, were to release an album someday, what direction do you think Deena would go in when designing its cover?
I love this question! I can imagine Deena getting inspiration from one of the Pakistani women artists she learns about, Shahzia Sikander, and creating a motif where Amina’s cover is truly representative of who she is as a person. I could see Deena putting a retro spin on her design, as a nod to Amina’s love of Motown classics, and including elements that reflect her strong identity as a Pakistani American Muslim and need to include all parts of herself. I envision it including lots of orange, but that’s probably because of the gorgeous book cover that was illustrated by Abigail De La Cruz who I was lucky enough to also have illustrate the stunning Drawing Deena cover.
If young Hena Khan had the chance to spend the day with Deena and her friends/family, how would she have liked to have spent it?
Oh, that would be so fun! When I was growing up, we would visit family friends frequently and they were some of the happiest times of my childhood. I imagine a day with Deena and her family would involve a delicious meal of some kind, since food is such a big part of hosting friends and hospitality in my culture. And then it would be time to retreat to a bedroom where we would probably play board games, listen to music, talk, joke around, and bond about how to get through school and life together.
Are there any middle grade titles you’ve read recently you think readers who loved Drawing Deena would enjoy?
I think they would love Mirror to Mirror by Rajani LaRocca, Merci Suarez Plays It Cool by Meg Medina (and the entire series for that matter!), Tagging Freedom by Rhonda Roumani, and Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee. These books all emphasize interpersonal dynamics and center families, and feature protagonists who both think and care deeply about others while they are figuring themselves out.
Jumping off that; are there are 2024 MG releases you can’t wait to get your hands on?
I’m excited about many forthcoming titles, but especially about the Amil and the After by Veera Hiranandani since I adored The Night Diary, and The Unbeatable Lily Hong by Diana Ma since it sounds so relatable and fun and because I’m a fan of Diana’s work.
Finally, are you currently working on anything new and if so, is there anything you can share with us about it?
I’m currently working on my second graphic novel, which involves a big international family trip and lots of shenanigans! My debut graphic novel, We Are Big Time, releases this summer and I’m thrilled to be writing another one! You can learn about all my current and upcoming books on my website www.henakhan.com, and connect with me on social media @henakhanbooks or sign up for my newsletter to stay informed about my work and share your thoughts with me. I love getting feedback from readers!
Hena Khan (she/her/hers) is a Pakistani American writer and winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature. She is the author of the middle grade novels Amina’s Voice, Amina’s Song, More to the Story, Drawing Deena, and the Zara’s Rules series and picture books Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, Under My Hijab, and It’s Ramadan, Curious George, among others. Hena lives in her hometown of Rockville, Maryland, with her family. You can learn more about Hena and her books by visiting her website at HenaKhan.com or connecting with her @HenaKhanBooks.
Tour details:
Sunday, February 4, 2024 at 2:00pm ET
In-store event at People’s Book (Takoma Park, MD)
In conversation with Sabaa Tahir
Monday, February 5, 2024 at 7:00pm ET
In-store event at Scrawl Books (Reston, VA)
In conversation with Saira Mir
Tuesday, February 6 at 6:00pm ET
In-store event at Politics and Prose at The Wharf (Washington, D.C.)
In conversation with James Ponti
Thursday, February 8 at 6:00pm ET
In-store event at Books of Wonder (New York, NY)
In conversation with Alyson Gerber
Saturday, February 10 at 2:30pm ET
Off-site event at Islamic Center of North Fulton (Alpharetta, GA)
In partnership with Little Shop of Stories
In conversation with Aisha Saeed
Sunday, February 18 at 1:00pm ET
Barnes & Noble (Rockville, MD)
In conversation with Leah Henderson
Get your copy of Drawing Deena by Hena Khan here.
Interview with Hena Khan about DRAWING DEENA
JANUARY 29, 2024 ~ BOOKVILLAGEADMIN
Anne: Hello, Hena! Welcome back to MG Book Village! Your newest MG novel, Drawing Deena, will hit shelves next week, so let’s tell readers a bit about it. Would you start with a super-brief summary of the story?
Hena: Thanks for having me back! Drawing Deena follows Deena, a young artist who is trying to find her own style, her role in her family, and her place in the social media landscape, all while dealing with her attention-seeking cousin and confronting her undiagnosed anxiety.
Anne: Thank you. You show Deena feeling anxious, then having a panic attack and needing help from a counselor. I really like how you invite readers to see therapy as a good thing—a way to talk through issues and develop healthy coping skills. How autobiographical is Deena’s story? Have you struggled with anxiety, yourself, or is the story based on someone you know well?
Hena: I wanted to explore the aspects of discovering and learning to manage anxiety in adolescents, since it can be difficult to diagnose and easy to confuse with other physical ailments, like acid reflux or other gastrointestinal issues. The story is both based on personal experience and those of family members whose journey I’m intimately familiar with. Anxiety can be tricky and manifest in unexpected ways. I get stomach aches and insomnia, but have never had a full panic attack, thankfully. I’ve seen others deal with them, and they seem terribly frightening. But the parts about Deena cracking a tooth and needing a nightguard are based entirely on me, since that’s one of the ways my anxiety gets me!
Anne: I wear a nightguard, too! (And it’s surprisingly comfortable. Just saying.)
Hena: I also wanted to include the aspect of seeking counseling and getting outside support to help manage anxiety since a diagnosis can be hard to accept, especially among immigrant families who might not be as familiar with available services in the school setting, or who may fear stigma around mental health challenges generally. I’ve witnessed debates around seeking professional help for kids and heard some of the concerns that parents have about potential consequences. But I think it’s important to learn coping skills as early as possible.
Anne: Agreed. Drawing Deena deals with social media and learning to cope with that—the story is timely! But you don’t depict the Internet as all-bad all the time. Tell us about your process in deciding how to incorporate social media issues into the story.
Hena: I was honestly thinking about my own relationship with social media when writing the book. I struggle with it a lot, although I know it’s an important tool for advertising and sharing creative works. But how much of what we share is motivated by “likes”? And how authentic can we actually be? Does having a constant and immediate audience change the way we create art? I wanted Deena to wonder about and wrestle with these questions, especially as she observes those around her get sucked in by socials and obsessed with them.
Anne: Great questions!
Hena: I know younger kids who haven’t yet gotten into the world of social media often have a surprising amount of clarity about it. They may even make promises about how they will or won’t behave once they’re allowed to join the platforms. But that is often easier said than done, as we all know, since social media is such a powerful force. And Deena is grappling with the newness of the experience and all that it can entail, which is a lot!
Anne: Yes, it really is a lot, and it’s helpful for kids to encounter characters who are dealing with this stuff.
Now, let’s switch gears and talk about the art in the story: I loved your mention of working artists, such as Pakistani American visual artist Shahzia Sikander. You encourage readers to see creative expression as “speaking your truth” and inspiring change. The character named Salma says that her art “always focuses on a question” and “art gives us space to claim our narratives.” When you began writing this story, did you plan to include these insights about art, or did they emerge along the way?
Hena: I adore Salma as a character! But I can’t take credit for her vision. I interviewed a “real-life” (as Deena would say) Pakistani American artist named Sobia Ahmad while I was writing the book, and those insights are hers. I loved the way she framed the idea of art helping us to express and answer our own questions, which is what I realized writing is for me.
When I was younger, I thought I needed to have things figured out to create art, whether it was visual art or writing. Like many kids, I felt like I had to have the final product fully imagined before I started and that it needed to be perfect. I didn’t understand that the process of creating art can be about exploring unresolved feelings, connecting thoughts, or even expressing our confusion—and that it’s okay for it to be messy or evolving. Now I know that making and sharing art can be enormously cathartic and helpful to others who share in our journey.
Anne: Oh, yes, the messy process. So true. And while Deena is trying to process her anxiety-filled life, there’s a morning when she doesn’t feel well and her dad gives her a concoction that turns out to be Sprite, lemon juice, and salt. (I thought, Ha! Homemade Gatorade. Get some electrolytes into your system, Deena!) What is your family’s comfort food or drink when someone isn’t feeling well?
Hena: That was it! My mom would make us that very concoction. And if there was no soda around, she’d squeeze lemon juice into water instead. Another family staple was a homemade chicken broth, made with chicken bones, onions, garlic, cloves, cardamom, and peppercorns. My mom would strain it and give it to me in a mug to drink like medicine. The best part is that the Urdu word for it is “yukh-nee” which is how I felt about it as a kid: yuck! But now I love it.
Anne: That’s great. And speaking of Urdu words, you wove lots of Urdu into Deena’s story, and I loved how Urdu added depth to the characters and made them come alive. Your bio says you grew up in Maryland. How did you learn Urdu? How much was Urdu spoken in your house when you were growing up, and have you taught your own children Urdu?
Hena: My parents spoke Urdu (with some Panjabi mixed in) to us while I was growing up. I’ve been told that I was fluent in Urdu as a young child, which I don’t remember. But apparently, after I started school, I began speaking in English to my sister who is five years older than me. And after a while, when my parents spoke to us in Urdu, we both responded in English. It didn’t occur to my parents that we would eventually lose the ability to converse freely or that we’d hesitate to speak Urdu. When they did realize it, we were already too self-conscious to make the switch back. I still understand household Urdu very well, and I can get by and be understood, but I know I mess up grammar and my vocabulary is basic.
I tell kids all the time that it’s one of the biggest regrets of my life to have lost my “mother tongue,” and I feel like a failure since I can’t teach it to my children. They only know a few phrases. It came in handy as a secret language for my husband and me, but I would rather have preserved the language and given them that skill! And I always encourage kids to avoid making the same mistake as me and to speak a second language if they have one at home since it’s a gift.
Anne: A beautiful gift—yes. Thanks for sharing that.
Before we wrap up this interview, please tell us what you’re working on now. What do you have coming out next?
Hena: I’m editing my second graphic novel now and revising a picture book, which is my favorite part of writing. After Drawing Deena, I have an edited anthology of South Asian American short stories called The Door is Open (Little, Brown) and my debut graphic novel We Are Big Time (Knopf) both coming out later this year, in addition to a picture book called Behind My Doors (Lee&Low) and a co-authored middle grade, Best Wishes #4, with Sarah Mylnowksi. That makes five new books for me in 2024!
Anne: Five in the coming year! That’s awesome.
Let’s end with your social media links. Where can readers go to learn more about you?
Hena: You can learn a lot more about me through my website, www.henakhan.com, which has dedicated pages for educators and for kids, along with information about all of my books, speaking and visits, interviews like this one, articles, reading guides and more! I send out an occasional newsletter you can sign up for. And you can also find me on Instagram and Facebook @henakhanbooks although I’m not super active or consistent on social media.
Anne: Thank you so much, Hena, for joining us at MG Book Village today, and for writing such an engaging story!
Hena: Thank YOU so much, Anne, for taking the time to read my book and asking me such thoughtful questions!
Photo by Havar Espedal
Hena Khan (she/her/hers) is a Pakistani American writer and winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature. She is the author of the middle grade novels Amina’s Voice, Amina’s Song, More to the Story, Drawing Deena, and the Zara’s Rules series and picture books Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, Under My Hijab, and It’s Ramadan, Curious George, among others. Hena lives in her hometown of Rockville, Maryland, with her family. You can learn more about Hena and her books by visiting her website at HenaKhan.com or connecting with her @HenaKhanBooks.
Anne (A.B.) Westrick (she/her) is the author of the older-MG novel Brotherhood. You can learn more about Anne at the MG Book Village “About” page.
Q & A with Hena Khan
By Pooja Makhijani | Feb 08, 2024
Comments Click Here
This year will be another abundant one for children’s author Hena Khan. By the end of 2024, she will have published five more books: Drawing Deena (Salaam Reads, Feb.), a tenderhearted middle-grade novel; The Door Is Open (Little, Brown, Apr.), an anthology of interconnected stories that celebrate the diversity of South Asian American experiences; Behind My Doors (Lee & Low, May), about the Al-Qarawiyyin Library—the oldest library in the world; We Are Big Time (Knopf, Aug.), a middle grade graphic novel featuring an all-girls, hijab-wearing basketball team; and Best Wishes: Like a Boss (Scholastic, Nov.), the fourth installment of the paperback series about a magical wish-granting bracelet. PW spoke with Khan about visual storytelling, collaborating with her peers, and her 2024 TBR list.
RELATED STORIES:
More in Children's -> Authors
More in articles by Pooja Makhijani
Request permission to reprint of this article.
FREE E-NEWSLETTERS
Enter e-mail address
PW Daily Tip Sheet
subscribeMore Newsletters
How does your Pakistani heritage and Muslim faith inform your work?
I write characters I wish I was more like when I was growing up. The very things that made me feel uncomfortable or slightly embarrassed are the things I celebrate in these books. Heritage and faith are a part of my characters’ existence. My characters don’t grapple with their identities or wish they were somebody else. They’re dealing with challenges—confidence, artistic expression, wanting to make a basketball team—while also being Pakistani and Muslim. The stories I loved reading were fun. I wanted to be those characters—or at least one of their friends—so badly. I hope my characters are just as relatable and likable as the characters I read about when I was growing up. They were different from me, but I loved them so much. I want Desi Muslim kids to feel proud to have my characters represent them and I want other readers to wish [my characters] were their friends.
We Are Big Time is your first graphic novel. Can you describe the creative and writing process, including your collaboration with Safiya Zerrougui?
One of the things that surprised me when I first started writing picture books was how little input I had over the art. It was fun to get to do that [with this project]. My first experience writing sequential art was through a talent development workshop I did with DC Comics. It was a huge learning curve, but such an incredible experience. That’s where I understood how comics work—the freedom that the form affords you and how to write panel-by-panel. I love the format, and I can see why kids love it so much. Seeing Safiya bring my descriptions to life felt magical. She brought enthusiasm and energy for the game and these characters.
Drawing Deena is a middle grade coming-of-age novel, in the vein of your Amina stories. What inspires you to write middle grade?
Deena is a young artist trying to find herself, and [her journey] is reflective of my own struggle as an artist and a creative person. How do you stay true to yourself and shut out the external noise, especially on social media? How can other people’s opinions influence your art and creative process? In Deena’s case, she’s also recognizing the signs of anxiety and learning how to ask for help. I like the sweetness of middle grade. That’s where my heart lies. Even though middle grade characters puzzle or grapple with big issues, the writing isn’t fussy, melodramatic, or angsty.
What type of research did you conduct in writing Beyond My Doors? How did you decide where to adhere to fact and where to yield to artistic interpretation?
I pitched a [picture book] about Fatima al-Fihri’s founding of the Al-Qarawiyyin University years ago, but the concerns then were that there was little known about the construction of this university and the details of this person’s life and that the university experience is far removed from that of the picture book audience. I noodled for many years until the story of the renovation of the library was in the news. The library was founded by a woman in the ninth century; she was an unlikely founder. Another Moroccan woman, Aziza Chaouni, led the renovation and the preservation of the library. I knew this was the story I wanted to tell.
This library was deteriorating. Its tiles were falling off the walls. There’s a branch of a river flowing underneath and threatening to destroy the books. I imagined this poor library wilting and suffering—and then getting saved. I decided to tell the story from the perspective of the library. It wants to be a place of learning and discovery and wisdom, and it’s fighting for that. Many libraries are fighting to keep their doors open; this story is relevant to today.
What motivated you to compile The Door Is Open?
When my parents immigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan, my father traveled from England on the Queen Elizabeth 2. On board, he met a Hindu man from India, who became one of his closest, life-long friends. People outside of the [South Asian] community don’t realize how much of an instant bond we have. Despite our differences, we have a shared heritage; I wanted to highlight that. The stories are centered at a community center and are linked: characters from one story appear in another story, and there’s a larger narrative arc about the community center itself. It was nice to bring all these authors together to focus on what we have in common across political and ethnic and religious lines.
Best Wishes is a multi-author series. What was the experience of writing Like a Boss like?
It was one of the most enjoyable writing experiences I’ve ever had. It’s such a fun premise and Sarah [Mlynowski] is an incredible co-author. The series is so clever, and characters from previous books appear in future books. My character, Maya, is a Pakistani American girl who wishes to be in charge—something she’s not particularly good at or used to, which leads to all sorts of antics and adventures. It’s really funny. We’re in copy edits now and I’m laughing as I reread it. This is the second time I’ve had this sort of opportunity. I co-authored book #6 of the Unicorn Rescue Society series with Adam Gidwitz. The characters and premise are established, and I get to play in these fun worlds.
What are you currently reading and what would you recommend?
I’m in the midst of reading James Ponti’s City Spies because we’re touring together. I’ll be reading The Liars Society by Allie Gerber next because we’re also touring together. I finished Amil and the After [by Veera Hiranandiani] recently. I got an advance copy at NCTE. I adored it and I’m excited for that to make a splash. I’m looking forward to Mid Air by Alicia D. Williams because Alicia is a brilliant writer and I love the premise of this book; Unstuck by Barbara Dee since it also deals with creativity and anxiety through the lens of a young writer; and The Hoop Con by Amar Shah because it sounds hilarious and is about a kid after my own heart who lives for basketball.
Do you think you will ever write for older teens or even adults?
I’ll never say never, but for now I’m a children’s writer. I’d intended We Are Big Time to be YA because it features a high school girls basketball team. But 10 out of 12 interested editors asked me to age it down. It’s still about a girls’ high school team, but is very much a middle grade book. My protagonist is a freshman in high school. I’d consider writing for older teens as long as I didn’t have to write too much romance. I’m very bad at it; I’m so awkward! I’m also not cool enough. There’s a certain coolness factor that readers pick up on.
Drawing Deena by Hena Khan. Salaam Reads, $17.99 Feb. ISBN 978-1-5344-5991-5
The Door Is Open: Stories of Celebration and Community by 11 Desi Voices, edited by Hena Khan. Little, Brown, $17.99 Apr. 23 ISBN 978-0-316-45063-8
Behind My Doors: The Story of the World’s Oldest Library by Hena Khan, illus. by Nabila Adani. Lee & Low, $20.95 May 7 ISBN 978-1-64379-423-5
We Are Big Time by Hena Khan, illus. by Safiya Zerrougui. Knopf, $21.99 Aug. 6 ISBN 978-0-593-43048-4; paper $13.99 ISBN 978-0-593-43047-7
Best Wishes #4: Like a Boss by Sarah Mlynowski and Hena Khan, illus. by Jennifer Bricking. Scholastic Press, $16.99 Nov. 12 ISBN 978-1-5461-0269-4
Khan, Hena POWER OF FLIGHT Penguin Workshop (Children's None) $8.99 5, 3 ISBN: 978-0-593-22485-4
This multistranded adventure provides many possible endings to the story.
Readers are put in the role of the protagonist, addressed directly by the omniscient narrator as "you": At summer camp, you take a trip to the Center for Avian Science, where you are scratched by a large, fierce bird, events depicted in dynamic black-and-white comic panels. Afterward, you discover you can fly, and you are presented with your first choice: Do you tell the camp nurse about your new abilities, or do you mislead her? From there, it's a mad dash through various scenarios. Many of them involve scenes with the nefarious Dr. Zeus. Will your encounters with him tempt you to behave badly or inspire you to do good? Some choices lead to death, including by goop. Others lead to a mediocre existence after losing your superpower. And then there's Hector, the big bird who scratched you: Do you free him? Only one path leads to greatness, while another leads to villainy. The number of options is rather dizzying, and readers will spend hours exploring the possibilities, most of which present moral dilemmas. There's lots of excitement for readers as they race to find the correct page to finish the version they've started, wherever that may lead. Black-and-white illustrations depict characters who appear White; names signal some ethnic diversity in the cast.
Plenty to entertain in each storyline; will keep readers absorbed. (Adventure. 8-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Khan, Hena: POWER OF FLIGHT." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A698656134/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=750d823d. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Khan, Hena ZARA'S RULES FOR FINDING HIDDEN TREASURE Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster (Children's None) $17.99 10, 18 ISBN: 978-1-5344-9762-7
When one of Zara's prized possessions goes missing, she realizes she has to get creative in order to replace it.
The second book in Khan's middle-grade series centering on 10-year-old Zara begins with the lively protagonist realizing that her brand-new bike has been stolen after she forgot to lock it while at the park with her friends. After she breaks the news to her parents, they are disappointed that she didn't take better care of her bike; now it's up to her to earn the money for a new one. When attempts at selling painted rocks don't generate much income, Zara's uncle suggests she host a garage sale, so she begins collecting unwanted items, carting her wares around in a wagon. But when Zara accidentally sells a box of her mother's keepsakes, Mama becomes upset, leading the whole plan to unravel. However, the mistake also helps Mama better understand Zara's grandmother (early on, Mama had encouraged her parents to sort through their clutter, to her own mother's consternation) and sparks a conversation between Mama and Zara about holding on to treasured belongings. Khan's loving depiction of Zara and her Pakistani American Muslim family is accompanied by energetic illustrations by Haikal. References to Marie Kondo, Zara's mother's worries about her parents, and the way the misunderstanding unfolds also make this fun, quick read feel fresh and realistic.
A tale about a relatable mishap--and our often complex relationships with material possessions. (Fiction. 7-10)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Khan, Hena: ZARA'S RULES FOR FINDING HIDDEN TREASURE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Sept. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A717107308/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=953849a8. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Khan, Hena ZARA'S RULES FOR RECORD-BREAKING FUN Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster (Children's None) $17.99 4, 19 ISBN: 978-1-5344-9759-7
A 10 ¾-year-old girl weathers changes in her social circle--and her sense of self.
Dubbed "Queen of the Neighborhood" by beloved neighbor Mr. Chapman, who has sadly left Maryland for balmy Florida, Zara is apprehensive when a family with two kids moves into his house, potentially upsetting the delicate social balance. Readers familiar with Khan's Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream books, set a few years after this series opener, will recognize the bustling Pakistani American Muslim household. Assertive, organized Zara and rambunctious 7-year-old Zayd live with their Mama and Baba; the siblings' grandparents and uncle are integral parts of their daily lives. Zara and Zayd enjoy playing outside with their friends--Black sisters Jade and Gloria, White Alan, and Chinese American Melvin. Mr. Chapman always said that Zara knew how to "rule with grace and fairness," but new arrivals Naomi and Michael, Jewish kids who are eager to engage socially, put this to the test. When Jamal Mamoo, Mama's brother, brings over his Guinness World Records book, Zara decides that becoming a world-record holder is the boost her social status needs. Her humorous (and futile) attempts to make her mark ultimately lead her to being a more patient and understanding big sister and more flexible and supportive companion to friends old and new. Strong pacing, fluid prose, engaging hijinks, and heartwarming scenes of family life and outdoor play are complemented by expressive illustrations.
A charming contemporary story with a classic feel. (Fiction. 7-10)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Khan, Hena: ZARA'S RULES FOR RECORD-BREAKING FUN." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A711906754/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b3a636bf. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Khan, Hena POWER OF INVISIBILITY Penguin Workshop (Children's None) $8.99 4, 25 ISBN: 978-0-593-22487-8
Whether it's encountering alien technology, interacting with aliens, or even traveling to their planet, the experiences in this choose-your-own-adventure tale are creative and intriguing.
Readers are invited to make choices at pivotal moments, directing the action and exploring the variety of outcomes. You might become a villain or a hero, and there are different levels of ordinariness and ignobility in between. It all starts when you find a device that turns you invisible. In subsequent scenarios, you might take the device and have fun teasing your friends or use it to get revenge on school bullies. Selling it to a technology company is another option. When you meet the aliens who created the device, the possibilities get even wilder. The aliens could take you to their planet and put you on display in a cage--where is the power of invisibility when you most need it? When you talk with the aliens, you might learn that they want to destroy Earth. If you join forces with them, you become the worst villain in history. But if you can persuade them to leave the planet in peace, you can work to innovate technologies to protect the Earth from future attacks. Black-and-white graphic panels are interspersed throughout to illustrate the aliens and key moments. Names and illustrations indicate diversity in the cast.
Rich with imaginative, unusual possibilities for fans of the genre. (Adventure. 8-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Khan, Hena: POWER OF INVISIBILITY." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A738705139/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=233bd687. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Khan, Hena ZAIN'S SUPER FRIDAY Lee & Low Books (Children's None) $19.95 10, 10 ISBN: 9781643794242
A young Muslim boy goes to the mosque with his father.
Zain wakes up ready to play at battling space aliens with his father. Disappointed that Dad must work, Zain busies himself with other adventures. When they head out for Friday prayers, Zain rushes to the playground, but his father gently guides him to the mosque. They perform wudu--the ritual washing up before prayers--and Zain's attention wavers again as they remove their shoes, enter the prayer hall, and settle in to listen to the imam's sermon. Zain is fidgety, and just as the congregation lines up for prayers, he makes a beeline for the front. The imam spots him and asks him to lead prayers with him. Zain prays with the imam, reining in his distractions, and his proud father treats him to a special reward after. Featuring a playful father-son dynamic, this tale explores Islamic rituals and traditions on the holiest day of the Muslim week, when Muslims gather for jumu'ah prayers. Though Zain may be antsy, his patient father and the imam foster a warm community spirit--it's clear everyone is welcome here. Cartoon illustrations propel a fun and lively story that captures the spirited young boy's energy. Zain and his dad are brown-skinned; their mosque is diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A lovely tale of father-son bonding set against the backdrop of jumu'ah prayers at the mosque. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Khan, Hena: ZAIN'S SUPER FRIDAY." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Aug. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A760508108/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b1d8fac2. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Khan, Hena DRAWING DEENA Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster (Children's None) $17.99 2, 6 ISBN: 9781534459915
Seventh grader Deena has a passion for art, a supportive Pakistani American community--and anxiety.
Deena feels nauseated every morning; her clenched jaw has even resulted in a cracked tooth. Her parents already fight over finances, so an expensive nightguard adds to the stress. If Mama could earn more from her small home business designing and selling desi clothing, the family would also have enough money for Deena to take drawing lessons. With the help of cousins and friends, Deena successfully executes an online marketing campaign for her mom's business, unfurled with careful attention to internet safety and featuring a logo she designed herself. These achievements, plus encouragement from a new artist customer, help grow Deena's confidence in her creative abilities. But now that she's getting accolades, she encounters relationship turmoil. That, plus the impact of her parents' fighting, leads to a scary panic attack in math class. Deena embraces help from a team of adults at school, but will her parents be able to understand and accept her mental health needs? Meanwhile, through her art, Deena goes on a journey of personal and creative discovery and self-expression. Readers will delight in Deena's endearing voice: She's an inventive and relatable protagonist. Khan skillfully weaves in cultural references and Urdu phrases alongside thoughtful questions about the arts, mental health, social media, parent-child relationships, and the pressures adolescent girls face about their appearances.
A nuanced and quietly powerful story. (Fiction. 8-13)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Khan, Hena: DRAWING DEENA." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A774415157/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=616aafca. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Khan, Hena THE DOOR IS OPEN Little, Brown (Children's None) $17.99 4, 23 ISBN: 9780316450634
Eleven authors tell interconnected stories about identity and belonging in their South Asian American New Jersey community.
Each story revolves around an event at the bustling Maple Grove Community Center, a hive of cultural activities, celebrations, tournaments, and sporting events. In Mitali Perkins' "Smile Number Seven," Steven, an adopted boy with special needs, wants his mother to be his badminton partner. In "Out in the Open," by Rajani LaRocca, student journalist Veda holds up a mirror to her family, forcing them to recognize the unfair burden they put on her mother. Duaa, in N.H. Senzai's "Answered Prayers," uses her technical savvy to save the day at a fundraiser. And, in "The Map of Home," by Sayantani DasGupta, Munia and her band challenge racism. These middle schoolers with varied interests create a wonderful mosaic representing a diverse community. Readers learn that the community center is in danger of being shut down because some people oppose both its activities and "the people who use it." The stories explore the idea of who belongs and examine thorny issues, including gender roles, domestic violence, and racism. Though the stories only feature characters of Indian or Pakistani heritage, there's a richness of regional representation (including Gujarati, Maharashtrian, South Indian, and Bengali), as well as religious diversity (such as Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Sikh). Families with single and divorced parents, multigenerational households, and blended families also appear. Final art not seen.
A multifaceted celebration of a vibrant American community. (author bios) (Anthology. 9-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Khan, Hena: THE DOOR IS OPEN." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A784238265/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=a0f873c6. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
KHAN, Hena, ed. The Door Is Open: Stories of Celebration and Community by 11 Desi Voices. 336p. Little, Brown. Apr. 2024. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780316450638.
Gr 3-7--Maple Grove Community Center: it's rough around the edges, in desperate need of renovation, and is a hub of activity for the South Asian community of Maple Grove, NJ. It's where Chaya wins her first chess tournament, and where Maha finally apologizes to her cousins at her aunt's mehndi ceremony. It's where Chen flashes a smile at Steven for the seventh time, and Jeevan learns that even though he never wants to eat it, he loves to make sabji. For so many, Maple Grove Community Center has become home. Lately, it's also become the target for anti-Asian sentiments brewing in town--but the kids of Maple Grove aren't going to let racism win. They plan to let the town know, once and for all, that they belong here. What begins as a sweet constellation of stories orbiting around a shared community center quickly develops into a fiercely proud, unflinching look at anti-immigrant, anti-Asian vitriol through the lens of South Asian American kids growing up in New Jersey. Midway through the anthology, readers will begin recognizing characters as they appear in other stories, and by the end, they will have laughed, cried, cringed, and celebrated their way into adopting Maple Grove Community Center as a home to them, too, ready to fight for its continued existence. VERDICT A monumental achievement and exquisite testament to the power of collaboration and community, this novel moves beyond the reality of diversity into the necessity of it.--Amira Walker
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Walker, Amira. "KHAN, Hena, ed.: The Door Is Open: Stories of Celebration and Community by 11 Desi Voices." School Library Journal, vol. 70, no. 2, Feb. 2024, pp. 94+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A784714388/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=625a945c. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.