Mom’s Choice Awards is excited to announce another post in our interview series where we chat with the inventors, designers, publishers, and others behind some of our favorite family-friendly products.

Hello, Mom’s Choice readers! We’re so excited to introduce our newest interviewee, author Nadia Khan! Nadia Khan is the author of the Mom’s Choice Award-winning book, Zoey Wonders Why! Zoey Wonders Why tells a story of a little girl named Zoey and her adventures into a diverse world of many beautiful traditions and customs. Readers will learn together with Zoey about being the best that we can be in all walks of life. This book will set your child’s imagination free with fun, read-out-loud chapters that will teach children about cultures and how to be more respectful to others. It is the perfect gift for school-aged children! Keep reading to find out more about Nadia and her award-winning book, Zoey Wonders Why!

MCA: Hi Nadia! Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us today about Zoey Wonders Why, and congratulations on your Mom’s Choice Award! I’d first like to start the interview by finding out a little bit about yourself.

MCA award-winning author, Nadia Khan!

Nadia: My is Nadia Khan and I’m a children’s book author and mom to 4 young boys. In my previous life, I was an IT project manager for a financial services firm. I hold an MBA in Technology Management, MS in Management information systems, and a BS in Computer Science. My hobbies are gardening, baking with my kids, having a good conversation with people about how to save our environment, and of course, writing children’s books. My favorite books to read at the moment are self-help books like the Nervous Planet by Matt Haig along with fantasy books with dragons and witches by my fellow author H. J. Robertson.

MCA: Wow, that is quite the transition from IT to acclaimed children’s book author! After a career in technology, how did you come to a career of writing children’s books such as Zoey Wonders Why?

Nadia: My children would go to the library and not see many books of characters with their skin tone or discussing cultures beyond the non-fiction realm. They couldn’t relate much to characters’ discussions from works written with Ramona Quimby but wanted to see more of their heritage in books. I started writing this book to help kids not just mine but all look deeper into where they are from. Dig into a map and talk to an adult to learn more about their customs and traditions and along the way share it with their peers. Children these days are busy discussing the maneuvers they have made in Roblox or Minecraft but in reality, I wanted kids to go beyond that, beyond what this world has to offer, and have a conversation with their peers about where they plan to be off to next to explore. Cultures and traveling open the doors to so much for children and adults even to learn and grow as a community.

MCA: Can you share with us what the most challenging part of writing this book was for you?

MCA award-winning author Nadia Khan’s four sons!

Nadia: Motherhood was the most challenging. Working and taking care of 4 boys and ensuring their academics and extracurricular activities were managed was difficult. However, my goal was to have a book written and I did it in 3 years’ time. I started writing my book when my fourth was just a newborn, and no I didn’t sleep when he slept. I started writing with a pen and a journal book the ideas that I had conjured in my head. He is now going to be turning 4 at the end of June and I’ve accomplished my goal alongside my children.

MCA: That must be incredibly fulfilling, congratulations! Speaking about fulfilling, what would you say was the most meaningful part of writing this book to you?

Nadia: It was that this book might actually help kids appreciate their cultures and I’m writing something that my kids can relate to. I wanted to ensure that my character was comfortable in her home environment and that she could have a conversation about where she is from with adults in her house.

MCA: What do you hope your children and adult readers will get out of this book?

Nadia: I hope adults and children can have a conversation about learning more about themselves by researching their cultures. Maybe try to find recipes that both parents and children could cook together and even share them with neighbors. Once their comfortable with learning about their cultures they will be eager to share it with others and learn to respect each other in a collective community.

MCA: What kind of response from readers have you received?

Nadia Khan and “Zoey Wonders Why” featured in her local newspaper!

Nadia: I’ve received positive feedback in terms of reviews from Amazon. I had many bestseller awards for different categories and many children in my kid’s school have come up to me asking which book will be coming next. Kids who were just writing for fun have now decided they want to be writers and authors too. I’m glad it’s helping kids be more creative with a pen in one hand and paper in another.

MCA: What are some of the main lessons you hope your readers will walk away from Zoey Wonders Why with?

Nadia: Own yourself, believe in yourself because you are the captain of your own destiny. Set your goals and never let negative criticism bring you down. Use it to your advantage to be a better you just like Zoey did. I hope all my readers and upcoming readers learn to explore their cultures and be proud to display it to others, be it the way they pronounce their names to the foods they are learning more about. Every child is worth giving a chance to achieve their dreams. My 8th-grade teacher Ms. Lebron wrote in my graduation book that she sees me doing great things and someday reading about my achievements in a magazine or newspaper. Indeed, she was right and that is the goal I want kids to adhere to do your best and great things to come your way.

MCA: Those are wonderful lessons to leave us off with, thank you Nadia!

You can learn more about Nadia Khan and her award-winning book, Zoey Wonders Why by visiting their MCA Shop pages.