University of Wisconsin–Madison

Category: Hena Khan

The Door Is Open

The Door Is Open (anthology of stories) edited by Hena Khan (Little, Brown Books for Readers, 2024) The Door Is Open, edited by Hena Khan, is a powerful collection of interconnected short stories that center the voices and experiences of South Asian American middle schoolers in the fictional town of Maple Grove, New Jersey. Each story …

Amina’s Voice

When shy Amina enters sixth grade, she faces many challenges: her best friend is thinking of changing her name to be more “American”, her strict uncle is visiting from Pakistan, and her teacher and friends are urging her to sing a solo in the school concert. When her hometown mosque is vandalized, Amina sees the community come together and finally finds her voice as she accepts who she is. (Grades 3-5)