Natasha Khan Kazi at SCCM
May is AANHPI Heritage Month—a time to place an additional spotlight on the cultures, stories, and contributions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. For young children, heritage and history months can be a fun and engaging way to learn about the world around them, build empathy, and understand the importance of inclusion and respect for others.
We are incredibly excited to host author and illustrator Natasha Khan Kazi on SUNDAY, May 18th at 1PM for an interactive story & craft event celebrating her newest book, Lulu in the Spotlight! Did you know that every culture has its own unique ways of celebrating creativity, courage, and self-expression? Follow along as our heroine Lulu finds her courage in this magical story celebrating South Asian cultures and traditions! Natasha will share her story with us, give kids a peek into her creative process and guide them through a henna-inspired craft.
No RSVP required. Interactive story time is *FREE* with admission! Entry subject to capacity.
About Natasha Khan Kazi
Natasha Khan Kazi was born in Bangladesh, raised in Texas, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, and now lives in Southern California, where she writes and illustrates books for young readers, including her debut picture book, Moon’s Ramadan (a 2023 JLG Gold Standard Selection, SLJ Best Picture Book, Chicago Public Library Best Picture Book, and Bank Street Education Best Picture Book.) Her creative work is rooted in empathy, diversity, and childhood joy. Natasha is the blogger behind IslamiMommy and a 2023 Highlights Foundation Muslim Storyteller Fellow. Her forthcoming books will be released in 2025: Lulu In the Spotlight (Versify/HarperCollins) and Bela And Lily (Kokila/Penguin). Learn more about Natasha and her books at natashakhankazi.com and follow her adventures @natashakhankazi.
About Lulu In The Spotlight
It’s tradition to try to take the groom’s shoes at many South Asian weddings—but as the youngest, Lulu will have to prove she can be as smart and capable as her cousins if she wants to win this game!
It’s wedding day, and Lulu is finally old enough to have a plan of her own for winning the prize during joota chupai! In Lulu’s family, kids on the bride’s side of the family play a game: Take the groom’s shoes and hold on to them until he gives them a prize. The only problem? Her older cousins have their own plan for the heist—and it doesn’t include her! Lulu tries again and again to get in on the fun, but she always seems to be one step behind. Can she hold on to her confidence and determination long enough to keep at it, even when it means thinking outside the box?
