13 Mar Natasha Khan Kazi
As we approach Ramadan, I’m excited to welcome #PBSpree sister, the extremely talented Natasha Khan Kazi to the blog today. Her debut book, MOON’S RAMADAN is a gorgeous book that captures the meaning and magic of Ramadan. I am in awe of author/illustrators, and Natasha is no exception. She weaves words and pictures expertly into this beautiful book about Ramadan told from the point of view of the moon.
EL: Welcome, Natasha! I am so excited about this beautiful book, but first, tell us a little about yourself.
NK: I was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and lived in Texas, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Now I call a beach city in Southern California home. I love California’s natural beauty, from the Sequoias to the shore. When I am not writing or illustrating, I am a marketing consultant by training and enjoy working with start-ups and small businesses. When I am completely off the clock, I love traveling with my family, experiencing new cultures, and trying new restaurants.
EL: Wow! You do it all. Now the book! Please tell us a little about MOON’S RAMADAN. How did you get your inspiration?
NK: When my oldest son started preschool, I wanted to share our special holiday with his class. So often, minority holiday celebrations in the U.S. are quiet, and I wanted him to feel the holiday spirit. Pre-schoolers are the absolute best! They are so curious and kind. But after my presentation, my four-year-old told me he wished I had shared more information about Ramadan. I realized I had made the mistake of oversimplifying things for small children. They are so smart and sophisticated. So when I began my writing journey, I knew I wanted to write a Ramadan story. But I wasn’t sure how to make it unique to me. The answer finally came to me: holiday magic. It is what I needed as a child and what my children need now. So I found my imaginative main character, Moon, and the heart of my story.
EL: Love it! Do you have anything else in the pipeline you can talk about?
NK: I have a second book with HarperCollins that I am working on now. My second book shows a different side of me, rooted in my South Asian heritage. Because I write and illustrate, I put everything I have into one book at a time. I write fiction, but I love to research. So every word, every detail in the illustration, is thought through.
EL: Congrats on that book too. I can’t wait to read it. You are filled with ideas and creativity. What inspires you?
NK: This is easy. Kids inspire me. They embody hope and everything good in the world. I feel privileged to be a resource for them.
EL: What do you do when the words won’t come, as sometime happens?
NK: When I need to get unstuck, I read a lot of new picture books. The best place to get picture book recommendations is from picture book writers, the publishing community, educators, librarians, and booksellers. After reading twenty or more picture books, I find it easier to mine my experiences for stories.
EL: Great idea!
It’s time for a GIVEAWAY! Please comment on this post to get in the running for a signed copy of MOON’S RAMADAN. Let me know if you are a subscriber or if you shared this, and you will be given an extra chance to win.
Everyone will absolutely want to check this book out. Please go to Natasha’s website, www.natashakhankazi.com for links to buy this beautiful book. It can also be found on Amazon, Bookshop.org, Target, and Barnes and Noble among other places.
Congrats to Natasha!
Until next time,
Ellen
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On a personal note, please check out other parts of my website, https://EllenLeventhal.com to learn more about me, my books, and my school visits.
NEW BOOK ALERT! Available wherever books are sold.
If you’d like a signed copy, pre-order at Brazos Bookstore
This tale bears the same timely message as its subject’s music: Let’s all unite in a spirit of community.
Kirkus
danielle hammelef
Posted at 15:15h, 13 MarchI can’t wait to read this book and learn more about this holiday and culture. I’m an email subscriber and shared this post on tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/yesreaderwriterpoetmusician/711689904553328640/natasha-khan-kazi?source=share
Gayle C. Krause
Posted at 15:24h, 13 MarchI’d love to win a copy of this book. As a former Pre-Schhol Director, we always tried to incorporate the lesser known holidays of the world to accommodate all of our children. This book sounds wonderful.
I am a subscriber.
Ellen Leventhal
Posted at 17:05h, 13 MarchGayle, you will love it!
Jilanne Hoffmann
Posted at 17:08h, 13 MarchI LOVE this gorgeous book! Congrats to Natasha! You don’t need to enter me in the giveaway, Ellen, as I already have my own copy!
Laura Russell
Posted at 17:49h, 13 MarchI need this book in my lending library. We represent all cultures from our school community. We have Hana’s Hundreds of Hijabs, a book we found out about from this blog. We’d love to add a book about Ramadan. Understanding how other people celebrate their culture is the way to learn empathy and acceptance at a young age. Our children at our school are ages 0-6, the perfect chance to make understanding of differences in culture a beautiful experience.
Sarah Lontine
Posted at 20:46h, 13 MarchThis book sounds lovely! My kids and I would love a copy! I am a subscriber.
Marzieh Abbas
Posted at 07:26h, 14 MarchWhat a lovely interview!