Rukhsana Khan (; 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.

Biography

Rukhsana 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 Dundas () is a community and urban district in the city of Hamilton, Ontario, Hamilton in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is nicknamed ''Valley Town'' because of its topographical location at the bottom of the Niagara Escarpment on the we ...

. She graduated from Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology and became a biological-chemical technician. She has four children including three daughters and a son, and lives with her husband in Toronto, Ontario. Khan's writing career began by writing songs for ''Adam's World'' children's videos.
Her stories have appeared in ''Message International'' and ''Kahani'' magazines. 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 Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization that acts as a network for the exchange of knowledge between writers, illustrators, editors, publishers, agents, librarians, educators, booksellers ...

, The Writer's Union of Canada, CANSCAIP and Storytelling Toronto. Khan is also a member of the International Storytelling Network. Khan is a "well-known Canadian children’s author who focuses on telling tales of diversity." Her books have been translated into several languages, including Italian and Japanese. 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.

Awards

*''Big Red Lollipop'' won the 2011

Golden Kite Award The Golden Kite Awards are given annually by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, an international children's writing organization, to recognize excellence in children’s literature. The award is a golden medallion showing ...

for picture book text. *''Big Red Lollipop'' won the 2011

Charlotte Zolotow Award The Charlotte Zolotow Award is an American literary award presented annually for outstanding writing in a picture book published in the United States during the preceding year. By contrast, the Caldecott Medal is for outstanding illustration in a ...

. *''Wanting Mor'' was recognized as a Notable Book for a Global Society by the

International Reading Association The International Literacy Association (ILA), formerly the International Reading Association (IRA), is an international global advocacy and member professional organization that was created in 1956 to improve reading instruction, facilitate dial ...

in 2010.

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 Uma Krishnaswami is an Indian author of picture books and novels for children and is a writing teacher. She is "recognized as a major voice in the expanding of international and multicultural young adult fiction and children's literature.""Uma K ...

(2008) * ''Muslim Child'' (1999)

References

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.

External links

* * ttp://blog.rukhsanakhan.com Blog* {{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Rukhsana 1962 births Living people Seneca College alumni University of Toronto alumni Canadian children's writers Pakistani children's writers Pakistani emigrants to Canada Naturalized citizens of Canada Canadian Muslims People from Dundas, Ontario Writers from Lahore Writers from Toronto Pakistani storytellers Writers from Hamilton, Ontario 21st-century Pakistani women writers Date of birth missing (living people) Canadian women children's writers Urdu-language children's writers Urdu-language women writers Canadian writers of Asian descent 21st-century Pakistani writers