Rukhsana Khan

Pakistani Canadian children's writer and storyteller

Rukhsana Khan
Born	1962 Lahore, Pakistan
Occupation	Writer, storyteller
Nationality	Canadian
Period	1990s–present
Genre	Children's literature, picture books
Website
rukhsanakhan.com

Rukhsana Khan (Urdu: رخسانہ خان; born 1962) is a Canadian children's writer and storyteller, whose stories have enabled children of all cultures to connect with cultures of Eastern origins.^[1]

Biography

Khan was born in Lahore, Pakistan, in 1962. She immigrated to Canada with her family when she was three years old and grew up in Dundas, Ontario. She graduated from Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology and became a biological-chemical technician.^{[citation needed]} She has four children including three daughters and a son, and lives with her husband in Toronto, Ontario.^[2]^[3]

Khan's writing career began by writing songs for Adam's World children's videos.^[4] Her stories have appeared in Message International and Kahani magazines.^{[citation needed]} Her award-winning books for children include picture books, short story collections and novels. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, The Writer's Union of Canada, CANSCAIP and Storytelling Toronto.^[4] Khan is also a member of the International Storytelling Network.^[5]

Khan is a "well-known Canadian children’s author who focuses on telling tales of diversity."^[6] Her books have been translated into several languages, including Italian and Japanese.^[7] She presented a speech titled "Freedom of Speech Versus Cultural Sensitivity: Balancing the Right to Create Freely vs. the Need of People to be Respected", at the 2008 IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) World Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark.^[8]

Awards

Big Red Lollipop won the 2011 Golden Kite Award for picture book text.^[9]
Big Red Lollipop won the 2011 Charlotte Zolotow Award.^[10]
Wanting Mor was recognized as a Notable Book for a Global Society by the International Reading Association in 2010.^[11]

Books

Picture books

King for a Day (2014)
Big Red Lollipop (2010)
Silly Chicken (2005)
Ruler of the Courtyard (2003)
King of the Skies (2001)
The Roses in My Carpets (1998)
Bedtime Ba-a-a-lk (1998)

Novels

Wanting Mor (2009)
Dahling, If You Luv Me Would You Please, Please Smile (1999)

Short stories

A New Life (2009)
Many Windows co-authored with Elisa Carbone and Uma Krishnaswami (2008)
Muslim Child (1999)

References

^ "Rukhsana Khan". CANSCAIP Members. Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators, and Performers (canscaip.org). Archived 2010-07-22. Retrieved 2015-07-31.
^ "Groundwood Books: For the finest in children's books : Authors and Illustrators". www.anansi.ca. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
^ "CM Magazine Profile: Rukhsana Khan". Umanitoba.ca. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
^ ^a ^b [1] Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
^ Beatriz Montero. "Red Internacional de Cuentacuentos". Cuentacuentos.eu. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
^ "Tales of diversity". Quillandquire.com. 19 October 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
^ "Khan, Rukhsana 1962-". Worldcat.org\accessdate=2015-04-01.
^ "Rukhsana Khan, Canada". Ibby.org. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
^ "2011 Golden Kite Awards and Sid Fleischman Award Announced". Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. 23 February 2011. Archived from the original on 7 March 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
^ "Charlotte Zolotow Award Books". CCBC Booklists. Archived from the original on 26 February 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2010.
^ "Wanting Mor". Groundwood Books. 6 July 2011. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2019.

Interviews

Coughlan, Marjorie. "Interview with Rukhsana Khan." Paper Tigers.org, A Pacific Rim Voices Project. December 2009.
Blevis, Mark. "Interview with Rukhsana Khan." Just One More Book. 29 September 2009.
Bowllan, Amy. "Writers Against Racism: Rukhsana Khan." Bowllan's Blog. School Library Journal. 2 September 2009.
Siddiqui, Tabassum. "Rukhsana Khan: Tales of Diversity." Quill and Quire. September 2008.
Jenkinson, Dave. "Rukhsana Khan." Canadian Review of Materials. CM Magazine. 24 September 1999.