Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!
Today we welcome Hena Khan to Cynsations as she discusses her new middle grade graphic novel, We are Big Time, illustrated by Safiya Zerrougui (Penguin Random House, 2024), featuring an all-girls, hijab-wearing basketball team.
This is a stellar year for Hena with five books out. Despite her busy schedule, she agreed to being interviewed, and when I chatted with her over the phone, it felt like I was talking to an old friend. That is exactly what I find in her writing – a familiar Southeast Asian ethos that echoes with warmth.
When she is not writing stories Hena Khan serves on the board of We Need Diverse Books, a 501(c)(3) non profit dedicated to producing and promoting “literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people.”
Hena’s other books released this year include: a middle grade novel, Drawing Deena (Salaam Reads, 2024); an anthology of interconnected stories, The Door Is Open (LBYR, 2024); and a picture book, Behind My Doors, illustrated by Nabila Adani (Lee & Low, 2024).
Every writer weaves a trace of their own history in the fictional books they put out in the world. What personal truth did you want to share through this new book, We are Big Time, with young readers?
I love that question! Yes, there are very personal parts of my emotional journey woven into my novels. In this work, which is based on a true story, there are little pieces of my family history.
For example, my husband grew up in Milwaukee, and when he was a child, he actually believed Muslims prayed toward a basketball arena called the MECCA Center! So, I felt compelled to add that gem into the book as a tribute to him. He’s basketball obsessed to this day, and that is a big reason why I fell in love with the game. And I think there is so much to be learned about life through sports and being on a team that I found inspiring about the Salam School and why I wanted to write a story based on their story.
You mentioned that We are Big Time is based on a true story (I googled the Salam School after our chat). This timely book is inspirational not just for Muslim girls but for every diverse kid looking to find a place for themselves on American soil. What was the research process for you to create an authentic depiction of this basketball team centering Muslim characters?
I learned of the team after a local educator Aliza Werner shared a news story about it and was immediately intrigued. I read and watched all I could online and then reached out to the school hoping to connect with someone. The school secretary gave me Salam School Coach Kass’s email, and she was incredibly responsive and helpful. I interviewed her, along with four players from her team, and asked them about their incredible turnaround season and all that it involved, including what the media coverage didn’t include. They each gave me background information and insights that helped shape Aliya and her team.
What was the trajectory of your apprenticeship with regards to learning the craft of comic book writing with Scott Snyder?
I was a part of the pilot DC Comics Talent Development Workshop, where I began as the least knowledgeable member of the group when it came to comic writing! But it was such a wonderful experience to learn from such a talented teacher and to consider various aspects of the art form. We wrote two comics in the class, and mine were rough, but we workshopped them, and I loved getting feedback and input from the other writers. And I’m so grateful for the overall experience and opportunity to learn in a classroom setting from a great.
Did you face any challenges while writing the spare script that is the hallmark of graphic novels? Could you recommend any resources to beginning writers attempting graphic novels?
For me, it was a challenge to adapt to thinking and writing in panels, rather than in paragraphs. And it is something that takes practice. You have to learn to think in moments, or snapshots, and build scenes from them. I would study other graphic novels to see how they were handled, how scenes were divided, when big reveals happened, how panels were varied, and so on. And it really helped me when my friend, author Minh Le, walked me through his manuscript for Green Lantern Legacy (DC Comics, 2020) and gave me tips and strategies. So basically, I recommend everyone find a Minh!
The visual cues for the reader are perfectly placed in We are Big Time, including memory panels in monochrome color and the team players wearing different color hijabs which makes each character easy to distinguish on the page. How much of this imagery did you plan as you wrote the panel by panel descriptions? Could you share your process of collaboration with the illustrator Safiya Zerrougui?
I did describe a lot in the panels, and I thought about things like the score boards, and included specifics like facial expressions, and so on. But the real magic was Safiya bringing all of that to life.
I didn’t think of the monochrome memory panels, that was all her and the design team! The idea for the color-coded hijabs came after I found that despite how well Safiya rendered different players and their distinguishing features, I still struggled at moments to tell certain characters apart. And although it’s different than real life, with matching hijabs for uniforms, I thought it would help readers to have each girl wear a signature hijab color.
The four quarters, elemental to a basketball match also serve to structure your story. While crafting stories are you a ‘plotter’ or a ‘pantser’? For We are Big Time did you create an outline or jump straight into writing the scenes?
I think I’m more of a plotter, but for this book I didn’t have an outline. Instead, I thought of the story in more of a three-act-structure. The story and the format felt very cinematic, so that’s how I visualized it overall. I wanted to divide the story into the four quarters and fit that in later.
When I first received the ARC of We are Big Time, I immediately thought of Gene Luen Yang’s Dragon Hoops (Macmillan, 2020). Although your book is not a memoir it weaves in historical references which aid the main character’s growth. Did you have any mentor texts that helped you during your writing and revision process?
Dragon Hoops is amazing, and that was something I bought and read, and had my family read when it came out. For this book, I studied Minh Le and Andie Tong’s Green Lantern Legacy book, and compared it to his draft. And then I looked at a variety of popular graphic novels in different styles from New Kid by Jerry Craft (Quill Tree, 2019) to Smile by Raina Telgemeier (Graphix, 2010). I also reread all of the original Ms. Marvel comics written by G. Willow Wilson and studied the art, which is amazing.
In We are Big Time the easy banter between the Javaid siblings and the girls at school is effortless. How do you prep for writing dialogue in your stories?
Oh thank you! Dialogue is something that I’ve been working on for a decade now, ever since I was drafting my first novel, Amina’s Voice (Salaam Reads, 2017). (See a 2017 Cynsations interview with Hena about her debut novel, Amina’s Voice.)
A friend pointed out that my dialogue in that manuscript was a bit stilted in parts, and we read it aloud to each other and I adjusted it as I heard it. But I still think it could have used more tweaking in hindsight! Ever since then, I pay extra attention to dialogue and what sounds natural. My kids reviewed my draft of We Are Big Time for me too, especially the text exchanges, since I text like a middle-aged person!
“A local team is mixing hijabs and hoops.” This line has stayed with me after the reading. What is your favorite line or scene in this book?
There’s a scene where Aliya is asking her new friends at lunch if they are coming to her first basketball game, and one of her friends says, “Oh. I totally would. But I don’t want to. I mean . . . no offense.” That’s something my teenage son would say, and it’s inspired by him and to me, just speaks to his generation.
Five books out in the world this year—a stellar record for you and inspirational for diverse writers. How do you balance the time you spend on your writing with the demands of marketing and promotion required for new books?
Thank you! I wish I had a good balance that worked a bit better than my reality. This year I haven’t been able to do as much writing as usual, but I’m hoping to get back to it next year!
Much of my time this year has been devoted to travel, including conferences and school visits and to talking to people like you! But it’s been a lot of fun, and I hope that all of these interactions will further foster new ideas, as they tend to do.
You have penned picture books, series and stand-alone novels as well as edited an anthology. What long term goals have you set for yourself moving forward with your literary art? Any more graphic novels in the pipeline?
I like to keep challenging myself to learn different techniques and styles of writing, along with reaching different types of readers through various formats. My goal is to try to keep telling the stories I’m excited about, and to not be influenced by trends or overly driven by sales stats and industry news. I really enjoy the graphic novel format, am working on a second one, and hope to continue with more.
Having written different genres, is there a particular story, that you would hold up as the book of your heart? The one that you found most gratifying to write?
Honestly, they all hold such a special place in my heart and a piece of me. But I do have a special place for my Zara’s Rules series since it draws so heavily from my childhood, and the things my friends and I did for fun in our neighborhood. I lived on a naturally diverse street, and the characters are based on my neighbors and family members (who readers met in my Zayd Saleem series already!).
The second book, Zara’s Rules for Finding Hidden Treasure, (Simon & Schuster, 2022) is especially dear to me because I had a good time writing it and didn’t hear my inner critic as loudly as usual.
It touches on themes that I think are universally relevant, like what we treasure and why, what we can discard, and how. And it’s just got a lot of funny and touching moments that I was excited to include, from a wagon-based business, a basement full of junk, a bar mitzvah and anniversary party, plus a stolen bike!
Cynsational Notes
An educator’s guide to We are Big Time is available at this link.
Hena Khan has been publishing books for children, including many that center Pakistani American and Muslim characters, for over two decades. She writes award-winning books in a multitude of formats, including picture books, middle grade fiction, pick-your-path adventures, and graphic novels. Her stories are often centered around her culture, community, friendship, and family, and draw from her own experiences.
Hena’s bestselling novels include Amina’s Voice and More to the Story. She is also the author of the Zayd Saleem Chasing the Dream, Zara’s Rules, and Super You! series. Hena’s acclaimed picture books include Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, Under My Hijab, and It’s Ramadan, Curious George. She holds an MA in International Affairs from The George Washington University, has served on the board of We Need Diverse Books, and is a member of the Children’s Book Guild of DC. Hena lives in her hometown of Rockville, Maryland.
Mitu Malhotra holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is the 2021 winner of the Katherine Paterson Prize for Literature for Young Adults and Children. Her short story Toxins is part of ELA curriculum. In previous avatars, she was a textile and fashion designer. When she is not writing, Mitu paints, sews, and builds miniature dollhouses out of recycled materials. More on www.mitumalhotra.com. Follow her on Instagram @mituart or Bluesky @mitumalhotra.