Ruler of the Courtyard activity and curriculum guide
Ruler of the Courtyard by Rukhsana Khan | Children’s books by Pakistanis
Saba’s reactions make her so incredibly human, every child reading Ruler of the Courtyard will be captivated by her story, wondering how she will escape.
Saba must cross a yard full of chickens every morning to get to the bathhouse but the chickens follow, peck and terrorize her. One morning she makes a dash for a peaceful bath but spots a snake in the corner of the bathhouse! Stuck between a snake on the inside and chickens at the door, Saba is petrified. She imagines the worst- death, before she musters up the courage to get herself to safety.
Saba’s ecstatic state of mind at overcoming her fear of the snake and chickens is beautifully evoked through the vivid illustrations, which are simple, bold and jarring. The striking colors and Sabas expressions give the reader a sense of alarm.
Discussion points
Saba works through difficulty by talking to herself. She manges to rationalize her thoughts when caught in a tough spot, showing bravery and quick thinking. Modeling positive thinking out loud to young children helps them develop healthy thought patterns that aid in better decision making skills. Taking this journey with Saba as she drives her thoughts from fear to logic makes her a strong positive role model.
The book is written in poetic verses, and the abrupt short and emotive language is reflective of Saba’s state of mind. The style upholds the jaggedness of a frightful mind with usage of vocabulary like; hissing, pounding, bursting, striking, dim, cool, dark, frighten, kill etc. This passage can be used to introduce children to onomatopoeia by walking them through it.
Pakistani childrens book activity guide for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergardeners and 1st grade
Feel encouraged to try the prompts and activities below at home or in your classroom, and share how they went on Instagram, use the tag @fatmacbooks
Build a chicken coup with glue popsicle sticks
Research on why chickens attack
Find rhyming words on the pages
Find words that describe sounds
Find words that show physical feeling
Find words that describe Sabas state of mind
Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted to hide away from everyone?
If the chickens are not chickens in reality, what or who else could they be representing?
Does Saba use good thinking and bravery? Discuss when where and why
Visit Rukhsana Khan’s website to learn more about her adventurous life or to purchase the book.
Reading level: Ages 4+
Grade level Preschool to 3rd Grade; Language: English
Stay tuned for more author biographies, book reviews of picture books by Pakistani authors available in North America, and material on reading, writing and self development of young children.
