Visibility Cloak: Hena Khan on Commonality Over Conformity

"There's these universal truths [...] specific details, but universal feelings and universal experiences that people hopefully can relate to. And that's what I go for in all of my books. Common humanity.” - Hena Khan

Hena Khan didn’t believe her perspective mattered. As a Pakistani-American Muslim, she grew up not seeing her or her family reflected in the media she was consuming. As any kid might do, she concluded that it was simply because her experience was not important, a realization that became clearer in hindsight. Recalling her childhood writing, she discovered she had unintentionally white-washed her own homemade family newspaper.

Building confidence in her perspective was a gradual process, extending into adulthood. Initially lacking self-assurance, she began writing while toning down her cultural identity to conform to perceived publisher expectations. Over time, her confidence grew, and today, she is recognized for authentically portraying stories rooted in her culture and religion.

Reflecting on her own reading experiences, Hena values shared human experiences that transcend cultural backgrounds. She aims to demonstrate that these relatable moments exist in stories featuring non-white characters and diverse cultures.

Renowned for works such as "Amina's Voice," its sequel "Amina's Song," the "Zara's Rules" series, and "More to the Story," Hena Khan shares her journey of grappling with invisibility as a young reader and the evolution of her faith in herself and her unique perspective. She also recounts the unexpected connection to a book about Christian white sisters in the 1800s in her unconscious quest for stories reflecting her Muslim immigrant family.

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In Hena’s reading challenge, "Read Desi" she encourages us to celebrate South Asian American writers.

You can find her list and all past reading challenges at thereadingculturepod.com.

Today’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is Allie Buffington, Library Media Specialist at  Holley Navarre Intermediate School in Santa Rosa County, Florida. She tells us about the importance of making the library a space that kids want to come back to.

Contents

Chapter 1 - “Religious Holiday” (2:38)

Chapter 2 - Gogol Search (6:16)

Chapter 3 - Little Women (and the Khanicles) (9:43)

Chapter 4 - Three Cheers From Andrea (18:17)

Chapter 5 - Just Living (22:18)

Chapter 6 - Common Humanity (30:20)

Chapter 7 - Curious About Curious George (33:50)

Chapter 8 - The Door is Open (35:31)

Chapter 9 - Read Desi (37:28)

Chapter 10 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (38:54)

Links

• The Reading Culture
• The Reading Culture Newsletter Signup (for bonus content)
• Hena Khan
• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott | Goodreads
• Hena Khan's More to the Story is a Love Letter to Little Women | School Library Journal
• Sikh temple shooting in Wisconsin 
• The Salam School for Girls 
• Alli Buffington's Library (this week’s featured librarian)
• The Reading Culture on Instagram (to see reels of author conversations)
• Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading culture
  
  

Host: Jordan Lloyd Bookey

Producer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street Media

Script Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey