Awards & Recognition

Literary Awards

King for a Day

• South Asia Book Award 2015–Highly Commended Title
• TD Top 20 2015–Top 20 books in Canada for Summer Reading Club
• Huffington Post Best Picture Books of 2014–Honorable Mention
• Cooperative Children’s Book Centre Best Books of the Year 2014
• Center for Study of Multicultural Literature–Best Multicultural Books of 2014
• Nominated for Connecticut Nutmeg Award 2016
• Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books of 2014
• Kirkus Best Books of 2014
• Bank Street College Best Books of the Year for Children and Young Adults 2014
• Selected as a Junior Library Guild Choice, 2013
• Semi-finalist Irma Simonton Black Award, 2014
• Nominated for Maine Chickadee Award 2014

Big Red Lollipop

• New York Public Library Choice: 100 Greatest Children’s Books in Last 100 Years
• New York Times ten best picture books, 2010
• Charlotte Zolotow Award, best picture book text, 2011
• Golden Kite Award, best picture book text, 2011
• Selected as a Junior Library Guild Choice, 2010
  
• Bank Street College Best Books of the Year 2011, under 5 category
• Kirkus list of 2010 Best Children’s Books
• Nominated for Georgia Children’s Book Award 2012
• Nominated for Maine Chickadee Award 2011-2012

Wanting Mor

• WINNER of the 2009 Middle East Book Award (Youth Fiction Category)
• USBBY Outstanding International Books List
• IRA Notable Books for a Global Society
• The Society of School Librarians International Honor Award
• Nominated Muslim Writer’s Award
• Pennsylvania School Librarians Association Top Ten Fiction List
• Capital Choices Noteworth Titles for Children & Teens
• 2010 Skipping Stones Honor Book
• Nominated Rocky Mountain Book Award 2011
• Nominated Red Cedar Award 2011/2012
• Nominated Red Dot Award
  
• Nominated 2010/2011 Hackmatack Award
• Nominated for 2010 National IODE Violet Downey Award
• Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books 2010 Starred selection

A New Life

• Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books 2010 selection

Silly Chicken

• Illustrator Yunmee Kyong won Ezra Jack Keats award for best new illustrator 2006
• A Resource Links Best book

Ruler of the Courtyard

• Nick Jr. Magazine (Dec. 2003) Chose Ruler of the Courtyard as the Most Suspenseful Story of the Year

Muslim Child

• Nova Scotia Hackmatack Award–shortlisted 2001
• A Canadian Children’s Book Centre ‘Our Choice’ Book

Dahling if you Luv Me Would You Please, Please Smile

• Manitoba Young Reader’s Choice Honour Award, 2001
• Ruth Schwartz Award–shortlisted 2000
• Red Maple Award–shortlisted 2000

The Roses in My Carpets

• Honorary Januscz Korczak Award from the Polish Chapter of the International Board on Books for Young People, 1998. 

Personal Awards

• Artist in Library at Fairview Public Library, Toronto Arts Council, 2014
• Writer in Residence, Toronto District School Board 2013
• The Award of Excellence from the Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals (CAMP) Toronto chapter, 2008
• The Communication & Leadership Award from the District 60 branch of Toastmasters, 2004
• The Literature Award from the Canadian Islamic Congress, 2004