Tag Archives: High School

Oct16

Not the Girls You’re Looking For by Aminah Mae Safi

Posted on October 16, 2020 by islamicschoollibrarian

This book did not work for me. Despite the fact that the main character is Muslim and it is Ramadan, no matter how much I wanted to connect with this multicultural lead and her friends, and see myself in her as she navigates high school, I just could not. The writing was choppy 3rd person which distanced the main character for me, the crude language on every page, the drugs and alcohol in every scene, the detailed sexual encounters throughout, the lacking growth of the characters and the muddled point of the book in general made the book difficult to read. The book is an AR 4.9 but content wise is more suited for mature 18 year olds. Even this review might be a little too much, I’ll do my best to keep it clean. Ultimately this book missed the mark for me in showing females defining themselves, celebrating friendships and diversity, or even just creating characters to cheer for as they navigate life.

SYNOPSIS:

Leila is half Iraqi Muslim from her dad’s side and half American Catholic from her mother. She doesn’t know how to pray as her father isn’t religious, but celebrates Ramadan and Christmas and defines the world on her own terms. She is fearless and owns herself, hence she hates her name and goes by Lulu instead. The book opens with her making out with a boy in a closet which she kind of regrets and then goes to join up with her friends at the party to drink and get high and attack one another for their poor choices resulting in drama. In this instance Lulu’s anger pushes a boy in the pool, and then the four friends devise a way to get home and work out the lies they will need to tell to the parents involved. This scenario with only slight variations repeats five or six times in the book.

Lulu is the fearless one, Lo, short for Delores, is the leader, Audrey is an alcoholic math whiz and Emma, not to be underestimated and often is forgotten (literally) is coming out in her first lesbian relationship. Yes these labels are limiting and stereotypical, especially in a book calling for girl power or what not, but sadly that is really the only space they flesh out, not a whole lot more is known about them. The girls defend each other fiercely to outsiders, but are truly awful and angry to one another all the time. They break apart and Lulu doesn’t really know why, so the path back to one another isn’t really cathartic. They pull a prank to get back at a boy that crossed the line with Lulu, but it fizzles when the threat of what the prank could do is enough to keep him away and they don’t have to complete it completely.

Between the parties there are some sub plots that weave in and out. Lulu has to spend time with Iraqi family friends who don’t accept her and are critical, in Arabic, of her mother. This gives some cultural layer to the story, but the characters are pretty flat and petty and hypocritical. The bombings in Paris a few years earlier, and the resulting bullying by classmates hardened Lulu, but there isn’t much info on how awful they treated her or how it defined her, so not much sympathy is garnered by the event nor does it help the reader get inside Lulu’s head. There is also a sweeter love story brewing than the one night stands that define Lulu, but then she goes with her mother to get birth control so she can sleep with him all while making it clear that he isn’t her boyfriend, she just wants to have sex with him- which she does on her seventeenth birthday.

Eventually the girls are back together and gushing with tales of sorrow and personal growth and vows that they will always be like sisters.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I don’t mind the premise so much as the execution of it. I get that people practice Islam differently, but I really don’t get the need to even bring her religion in to such a story. Culture maybe, but even that is a stretch. I don’t know if the story would be better if it was first person, I would like to think so, as not connecting with the main character was such an obstacle for me. I wanted to see her grow and change or at least have clarity in her decisions even if I didn’t agree with them or couldn’t relate to them. I wanted to feel her remorse or the weight of her decisions, but was often just told in passing that something scared her or was hard for her, not shown it. The theme of not belonging anywhere is a legit one, but I don’t know that this book explored it, it just sort of brushed by it almost as a trial to see if the emotions would stick. Which for a character built up to be unapologetic and unafraid to suddenly want a victim label without any real emotional ties, didn’t work for me. There are such holes in the story, that at times things didn’t seem believable or details were so specific with no context that I didn’t get their purpose. I would have loved to know more about her brothers and the tests they went through, or why her family was so loyal to the Arabs around them. I desperately wanted something that showed a different side of Lulu not just the anger and “F everyone who wants to change me” mantra. People are scared of her and she enjoys that power, but I don’t get why they are scared and why she enjoys it. It seems like a big part of her story and of the book in general to miss. Yes she is independent, and I get that can be misread, but she almost seems one dimensional and flat which defies the concept of defining yourself on your own terms and carving out where you want to belong among groups that see you as other, right?

The character is pretty open that she knows little about Islam, she also claims she isn’t interested. She fasts not so much because it is a commandment but more to appreciate poor people. She says this, but actions don’t seem to back it up. She tries not to drink during Ramadan but she still smokes, gets high, makes out, and lies once the sun goes down. At one point she calls a bride and her mother whores, and refuses to apologize, so her dad gets a fatwa issued. Lulu’s mom mentions that something went all Shiite on the situation, so I’m not sure if the fatwa issuing for such a specific thing is a shiite thing or something I’m just not aware of or familiar with as a tool for handling family dramas.

FLAGS:

The whole book really. Sex, drugs, alcohol, sexual assault, lying, cheating, blackout drunk, vaping, talk of orgasms and going down, lesbian relationship, hetero relationships, sexual encounters, language etc etc etc.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

Would never cross my mind to share or suggest this book. Even religion representation issues aside, I don’t know that there is really a single “healthy” relationship highlighted among the main characters, some of the side characters maybe, but not enough information is given to really make that case. The characters just all seem so angry, not saying teenage years aren’t angry and messy, but this one doesn’t seem to add much perspective to that singular thought unfortunately.

Jun19

More Than Just a Pretty Face by Syed M. Masood

Posted on June 19, 2020 by islamicschoollibrarian

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More Than Just a Pretty Face by Syed M. Masood

This book is a Muslim YA romcom OWN voice written by a Muslim male. Woah, right? And the actual story, sigh (blush) I enjoyed it, and part of me is disappointed in myself for how much I enjoyed it. Most of the characters are Muslim and all over the spectrum in their religiosity so to speak, there are a lot of jokes at the expense of tenants in Islam and trivializing of certain concepts which really isn’t something to celebrate, but it reads real and there is a lot of Islam that is front and center and deep and though provoking. For most non Muslim readers, I’m sure 15 or 16 and up would be fine with the content and 353 page length, but as a former Islamic School Librarian, I’d have to reserve recommendations to college age. The protagonist is 19, there is talk of sex, but not crass, the main female character has a past that includes a sex tape, and there is a lot of language, but its also really funny and really relatable and really sweet and takes place in high school.

SYNOPSIS:

Danyal is a pretty face, but he isn’t very bright. He goes to an elite private school though somehow, and while he is admittedly dingy, he is also very kind, innocent and generous. He was held back at some point in school and is 19 as a senior in high school. He works in a French restaurant and dreams of being a chef. He has no desire to go to college and as the only son of Pakistani immigrants, they are not thrilled with their son’t future plans. Danyal is pretty chill about it though and his mom wants to arrange his marriage, and he is willing, although he is crazy in love with his friend’s twin sister. He is religious and hasn’t really broken any of the Islamic relationship rules, he prays fajr, and just kinda floats through life doing the best he can and forgiving himself and others when they mess up.

When his mom arranges a meeting with Bisma he is willing to get to know if they are a match. She however, fully discloses her past to him when they head out for coffee, which involves her rebelling, once a few years earlier, against her father and going to a party, further rebelling and getting drunk and then making the poor and regrettable choice to sleep with someone. To make matters worse, the event was video taped and spread around the community forcing the family to move. Bisma is pretty religious and really studious and really sorry, but her father and most community people don’t let it go. Danyal thinks that is stupid, one mistake shouldn’t haunt her forever, unfortunately he doesn’t think chivalry and pity are enough of a reason to marry her as he doesn’t think they are meant for each other. Basically, he is still really crushing on Kaval. So he and Bisma decide to be friends.

When Danyal’s history teacher in a fit of spite nominates Danyal for a prestigious Renaissance Man competition, Danyal calls on Bisma for help. The topic is Winston Churchill, the beloved British leader, but Danyal quickly learns he is not beloved by most Indian subcontinent people. Kaval offers to help so that Danyal can win the competition, impress her parents and then maybe give them a chance. But, suddenly Danyal doesn’t know if that is what he wants. He wants to be himself, he wants to be accepted, he wants Bisma.

WHY I LIKE IT:

You know how it is going to end, you don’t know entirely how it is going to get there, but you know where it is headed, yet the book is still compelling and fun. Between the banter of the religious friend, and the no longer religious friend, the advice the French Chef bestows on Danyal and Danyal’s complete and utter cluelessness to everything, the book is really warm and the characters really like-able. I dislike the stereotype of the “religious” character, but the other side characters are better developed.

On occasion I think Danyal’s stupidity is over done, he isn’t an idiot, he just isn’t book smart. So when he doesn’t know what “break a leg” implies for example, it seems a tiny bit off. I know his friends say he isn’t funny, but I think he is hilarious, especially with his commentary on the Desi community. “It is the curse of brown boys everywhere. We either die young or we live long enough to see ourselves become uncles.”

The role of Islam is incredibly prominent, and the characters understand what it means to be Muslim differently. Sometime I agreed with them, sometimes I didn’t, sometimes the characters didn’t agree with each other, sometimes they did. There is a lot to think about: destiny, Allah’s mercy, Qalb-e-saleem (a pure heart), caring for the less fortunate. Even politically there is a strong thread of colonialism, which the characters wrestle with and with being immigrant’s children. There is a lot packed in, but it flows so smooth and the writing rich with authenticity, that quite often I would laugh out loud and read various lines to my young children.

FLAGS:

Talk of sex and losing virginity, but not detailed, just stated. The chef is a lesbian. There is lots of language including the F word, not thrown in effortlessly, usually for a reason, and often reprimanded. There are a few kisses on the cheek and lips between Danyal and Bisma, but in a Disney princess movie sort of way.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

Not for middle or even high school book club. I don’t think that it is a completely “halal” romance story, but I think I wouldn’t be concerned if juniors and seniors were reading it, I think they would love it, and I might just have a few that I want to suggest it to…

Feb21

Yes No Maybe So by Becky Ablertalli and Aisha Saeed

Posted on February 21, 2020 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Yes No Maybe So by Becky Ablertalli and Aisha Saeed

This new rom com in book form with a Muslim female character written by a Muslim author, sets itself apart by being co-written by a Jewish author and the other half of the love story being told by a Jewish boy’s point of view. This YA book is very relevant as a special election in Georgia served as the catalyst of the two authors coming together and fictionalizing the effects of white supremacy, Islamaphobia, and antisemitism for the book, while real headlines were urging the two to canvas, get involved, and make a change against the increased showing of hate with the election of Trump. The presentation of Islam is probably realistic, but definitely not ideal, and with the kissing, multiple LGBTQ+ supporting characters, the profanities, and 436 page length, the book is probably best for 15 year old readers and up.

SYNOPSIS:

Jamie Goldberg is 17 and is spending his summer helping his cousin work on a special election campaign for a Democratic candidate in an incredibly red district in Georgia. A very nervous kid, who hates public speaking and talking to girls in general, he would rather be behind the scenes or hanging out at Target. His little sister, Sophie’s bat mitzvah is coming and things at home are crazy with pre party planning. His grandma, an Instagram sensation uses him for tech support and video filming, and his easy going demeanor means he spends a lot of time, being bossed around.

Maya is the 17 year old only child of a lawyer mom and physician dad and has just found out that they are separating. With her one friend too busy with work and starting at the University of Georgia, US born, Pakistani-American Muslim Maya, is not having a very good Ramadan. When an interfaith event reunites her with a childhood play-date friend, Jamie, her mom convinces her to help him canvas to keep busy and sweetens the deal by bribing her with a car.

Naturally the two spend a lot of time together vounteering for Jordan Rossum, stuffing envelopes, canvassing, and putting up signs. Along their way they become good friends, and invested in the election as a House Bill banning head coverings, and antisemitic bumper stickers start getting plastered around town. The end of Ramadan, the election, the hate the two encounter, and families changing, bring Jamie and Maya together.

Maya’s parents are pretty chill about boys, and only caution her about unnecessary complications by dating in high school, when Maya throws it back on them, that their relationship is pretty complicated, she seems to not find an Islamic reason not to make-out with Jamie. The whole book is angsty and the two feign cluelessness, but based on the cover of the book alone you know where it is going. The true climax is how much the relationship can be used for political gain, and if they can get their candidate elected.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I like the political setting, it is a different and very relevant slant. It might be a little alienating to readers outside the United States, because the political process isn’t really detailed, but the characters involvement in their small slice is a major aspect of the book. The book is definitely pro Democrat, but addresses the gas lighting, hate speech, and views of those on both sides.

I also like that two minority authors came together to share an OWN voice perspective of life today. For the most part the story telling is smooth with the two characters getting alternating chapters to tell their story from their point of view. A few times, I felt details were missing, for example what Maya wore for Eid, when space was given to detail that she didn’t wear ethnic clothes to an iftar, and her picking a dress for Sophie’s bat mitzvah. Similarly, Maya’s parents seemed flat for their trial separation being a major part of Maya’s stress. Jamie’s grandma was probably my favorite side character, and one of the most fleshed out.

I am fully aware that some Muslims pick and chose what to follow and that not everyone is strict about boy/girl relations, but I felt like for a book that is set in Ramadan, uses religion as a catalyst for civic action, Maya’s mom wearing hijab, and an opening scene being set at the masjid, there is really nothing Islam in the defining aspects of the characters or story. It is so watered down and almost catering to non Muslims to feel comfortable, that it left me annoyed. And I think non Muslims too will wonder why Maya’s mom covers and Maya doesn’t and how that works, or why Maya switches to having one reason for not dating and then a religious one.

The book sets out to do a lot in terms of humanizing the effects of laws and policy on average people, but I don’t know that most Muslims hoping to see a mirror to their experience will find that in Maya. I can’t speak about Jamie, and the Jewish experience, but Maya is rather forgettable in my opinion.

FLAGS:

There is a lot of cursing, and the F word at that. In the dialogue set in Ramadan, it becomes a joke to substitute it for something else, but once the month is over, the language resumes. There is kissing, and making-out with the main characters. There is talk of hooking up, but nothing explicit. There are is a side character friend that is gay and he and his boyfriend are affectionate. After the bat mitzvah Sophie comes out to Jamie.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I don’t think that I could do this as a middle school selection, the rationale for Jamie and Maya dating, isn’t ok for an Islamic School message. I really wish just once, a book like this would have the main character, being like, “nope, sorry.” It is getting predictable and while I know it is countering the oppressed woman view, it is becoming equally one dimensional in its presentation of Muslim women.

Dec20

All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney

Posted on December 20, 2019 by islamicschoollibrarian

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All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney

The power of own voice books is that while you may not agree with everything presented, you appreciate that it is being presented. This 417 page high school young adult book is authentic and relatable and regardless of if you agree with the characters’ approaches, decisions, and understanding, you see and learn something about fictional characters that feels so real that you hopefully will find yourself in “real” life being a bit more understanding, kind, and accepting.

SYNOPSIS:

Allie is 16 and with her red hair and fair skin, she can pass for an all-American teen. The only child of a college history professor and child development psychologist her family moves around a lot, but her dad’s extended family congregates in Dallas, and that is the anchor of family and love that warms the book. Allie’s father Muhammad aka Mo is Circassian and his family speaks Arabic, including Allie’s grandma, Teta, who doesn’t speak any English. Allie’s mom is a convert, but neither practice religion, and while Allie’s mom appreciates it, it is an incredibly hands off topic for Mo. And Allie, well, she doesn’t speak Circassian or Arabic and knows nothing of Islam, and reinvents herself in each new school and city she finds her self in.

With Islamaphobia on the rise and Allie using her white privilege to neutralize a situation on an airplane, the reader sees as soon as they start the book, that Allie has a lot of skills to read people and understand how to handle complex situations, but that she hasn’t yet found her self. As someone who can blend in and transform, the book is her journey to understand her heritage, her beliefs, what she wants in life and move toward finding her voice. Much like Randa Abdel Fattah’s books which often turn the narrative from a Muslim girl rebelling against her faith and parents, this book has a young protagonist rebelling and turning to her faith. The book seems to stem from a auto biographical place and the journey of learning about yourself, accepting yourself, and growing is universal.

Desperate to learn about Islam, Allie starts reading the Quran and hanging out with Muslims. While she knows Islam is not a monolith as she has family who cover, some that don’t, some that pray, some that don’t, some that fast, parents who drink, she still feels on the outside when she begins meeting with some Muslim girls at their weekly Quran study group. As she gets to know the girls, she realizes how truly different Islam is for all of them, and how their experiences shape their views as well. There is a convert, a black Muslim, a lesbian, some girls that cover, some that can’t read Arabic, some that find praying behind men misogynistic, some that feel unmosqued, they listen to music and read horoscopes, and Allie has a boyfriend.

Allie’s boyfriend, Wells, isn’t just incredibly cute and sweet, and accepting as he learns about Allie’s faith and her journey to understand it, but he is also the son of a cable shock jock toting that refugees should be stopped, and Muslims banned, yeah it is complicated. As Allie learns more about who she is, she finds her self lying to everyone, and as she finds the courage to speak her truth, she must accept the consequences it has on those around her that she cares about. Interwoven is a beautiful story line about her and her Teta’s relationship that is heartfelt and genuine and emotionally taxing when tragedy strikes.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love that this book exists, and that it is written for Muslims and non Muslims alike. I think non Muslims will see that there are all types of Muslims, and we should be reminded that everyone has their own tests and is on their own path. Paradoxically I love that it isn’t preachy, but desperately wish there was more emotional connection to Allah swt and RasulAllah, because honestly its a gaping void that makes some of the story fall flat for me. I get that Islam is different for everyone, but while the book pushes so much that Allie wants to know about it to connect and fit in with her family, I feel like there isn’t much “spirituality” to her approach which kind of makes someone accepting religion seem lacking. Her approach to prayer and fasting is almost robotic, and yes she says she likes it, but there isn’t any emotional resonance in her perhaps having an internal dialogue with God, or crying out to Him when her grandmother is in the hospital, instead it is read this passage from the Quran, or say this prescribed supplication, which makes her conundrum about her boyfriend, seem arbitrary. Allie’s non believing, non practicing parents seem to have a softer spot for God, as Allie’s mom says something to the effect of it is hard to stop believing once you start, and Allie’s mom asserting multiple times that while she doesn’t practice she converted for herself, no one else.

I also kind of struggle with the attempt of getting every type of Muslim in the book to show that there isn’t a good Muslim bad Muslim dichotomy to the larger audience, but as a result seems to make the point that Islam can be changed to fit today’s world and that line makes me a bit nervous. It is fiction, it is quite possibly the author’s own experience, but I felt like the part of continued growth and working to follow the tenants of Islam got left out. We all have our tests, and we all sin, but to just say ok, this is me and this is my Islam and stop there, halts the journey and character’s arc rather abruptly.

I love that the book really does a good job of laying out that there are problems, misogyny, racism, stereotypes, everywhere, not just Islam or religion, but in societal structures too, it is really shown across platforms and very seamlessly. I like that a fair amount of side characters are fleshed out, and compassion extended even when opinions differ. There is a lot of acceptance consistently shown from the characters and those that don’t show it are called out on it as well.

I wanted more on Allie’s dad though, to know what exactly his religious complexity entailed, I felt like I missed something, maybe I did, but just to say his relationship with religion is complicated or complex, left me wondering and wanting for details.

As it seems with so many of these YA books with female Muslim protagonists, the non Muslim boyfriends are absolutely amazing with their understanding, and patience (think A Very Large Expanse of Sea, The Lines We Cross, The Acquaintance), truly fictionalized high school boys, high five.

FLAGS:

There is Islamaphobia, kissing, drinking, death, racism, sexism, LGBTQ characters and discussions. There is lying and talk of sex.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

This book is a bit advanced for middle school, the concepts and the acceptance of those concepts might not be conducive to Islamic School book clubs of high school level either. That isn’t too say that kids can’t handle it or shouldn’t read it, but I think when presented from a school, it is assumed that you are endorsing an interpretation or practice of Islam, and this book might push that for some.

There aren’t a lot of author interviews or teaching guides, online, but if you do choice to read and discuss, you will be fine, there are a lot of layers, a lot to celebrate, and a lot to relate to in Allie’s story.

Jun28

We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal

Posted on June 28, 2019 by islamicschoollibrarian

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A mature upper middle school/high school aged fantasy romance, written by a nikabi and filled with ancient Arab imagery and Arabic words. Story-wise it read to me like a mashup of Hunger Games and Ember in the Ashes, and while the overall story is good, the first 60 pages of world building were utterly confusing to me. I told myself I would read at least 100 pages and then decide if I wanted to continue, luckily before I hit 100 pages I found a glossary of terms, characters, and places online, and the story moved from world building to character development and I enjoyed the rest of the ride.

SYNOPSIS:

In a world that is slowly being taken over by the dark magic that is the Arz, a deadly forest that surrounds the country of Arawiya, one girl in one of the five Caliphates, Zafira, dares to venture into the darkness to hunt game and prevent her people from starving. Unfortunately the Caliph of her state looks down upon women and this regular heroic act must be done with her impersonating a man and keeping her efforts as covert as possible. Life for Zafira is hard as she not only juggles this masquerade, but her father has recently been killed, her mother is mentally absent, her best friend is getting married, the Arz is growing, and the people around her are starving.

In more or less alternating chapters we also learn of Nasir, the ‘Prince of Death’ who is an assassin for the Sultan who has also now taken over as Caliph of Sarasin. Forced to kill innocent people by his heartless father, Nasir also is mourning the loss of his mother, as he tries to earn his father’s approval and find some validation for his current life.

The two characters come together when an immortal witch summons Zafira to retrieve a magic book from a cursed island beyond the Arz and Naisr’s father sends him to intercept her. The majority of the book takes place on the island of Sharr, an island that is not only a location, but a living consuming character, and involves a variety of other enchanted beings from the various states. An immortal Safin, Benyamin, one of nine elites, Kafirah, and Altair, a general from Sarasin that weaves them altogether and complicates everything. This group, the zumra, must work together to save Arawiya, while constantly evaluating how much they can trust one another, as well as themselves.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love the detail and was pleasantly surprised with the pacing. The chapters are short and kept the plot from dragging for 471 pages. Having read it and enjoyed it, I don’t know that I can properly discuss it though. There are things that I just accepted and moved on with without pondering over, because I don’t know if I understood it well enough to even ask the question aloud. That being said, I feel like I got the story and I understood where the characters were coming from and I closed the book feeling satisfied and willing to read the next one in the series. The characters grow and develop and they have a satisfying arc without being overly cliche or predictable. I think Nasir grows much more than Zafira and knowing that the next book is more focused on him, intrigues me. Altair is by far the most fascinating character and I hope to see more of him as well.

There is a map at the beginning of the book that I referenced A LOT, and truly I have no idea why the glossary and character list was not included in the book, as it is desperately needed. There are a lot of Arabic words and I would like to get an Arabic speaker’s perspective on how knowing what the terms meant affected the story comprehension.

I like that Zafira has to find confidence in shedding her cloak and stepping in to herself, but I felt it told it more than it showed. Some of the states are governed by women, the founders are women, that I didn’t feel her fear in hiding her gender. Similarly, I wanted more information on who/what exactly the Lion of the Night was/is and where the affinities come from. Perhaps minor points, but details that kept me from immersing myself in this fantastical land and kept me feeling like an outsider peering in and trying to connect with events just out of reach.

FLAGS:

There is a lot of killing, and some of it gruesome. There is abuse and details of branding and a tongue being cut out. There is alluding of sexual acts but nothing defined, random comments between characters and implications of girls in a room in the morning. There is kissing and an intense makeout session that is used to achieve a battle goal, but it is detailed and the characters reflect on how it made them feel in terms of desire, longing, wanting, etc. So, while it is there, it is there for a purpose other than titillation, that is why I think mature middle school could handle it. There is a scene in a bar, but none of the main characters drink. There is some language, albeit not in English.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I don’t think I could do this with 6th graders in my middle school book club, but I will definitely suggest it for the high school one. I think there are a lot of ways things can be interpreted and because it is a fantasy there is no right or wrong which would make the discussion fascinating. The romance I think makes the book lean to being more female oriented, but I think there is enough action that boys will also enjoy it overall as well.

Book Website: https://www.wehunttheflame.com/

The book just came out, so I’m sure in the next few weeks and months there will be more tools, more interviews, and more details of what is to come in the series.

May17

Love from A to Z by S.K. Ali

Posted on May 17, 2019 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Now that there is legitimately a genre of YA Islamic Romance out there told in Own Voice, the expectations are high that a book is compelling, realistic, and unique somehow. While the author’s first book, Saints and Misfits was pretty ground breaking, this 342 page was a great read, but not nearly as remarkable or memorable. Granted it is not fair to compare the two books, and each day I do age out of the target demographic, but while the story reads authentic and true, albeit a bit serendipitous, it doesn’t have the teeth or grit I was kind of hoping for, and with a mother who suffers from multiple sclerosis my emotions were pretty invested.

SYNOPSIS:

Told from both Adam and Zayneb’s perspectives by way of their individual “Oddities and Marvels” journals, our two characters are presented by a narrator who keeps their story on track and interjects when their versions of an event differ.

Zayneb is a high schooler and activist who has recently been expelled for threatening a teacher who consistently lets his Islamaphobic beliefs take over the days lessons. In an environment filled with micro aggressions against Muslims, Zeynab’s parents are at a loss at how to keep their daughter from making waves, and thus allow her to leave her Indiana home a week before spring break to visit her aunt in Doha, Qatar.

Adam is at University in London where he has recently been diagnosed with MS and as a result has stopped going to classes, and is literally “making” the most of the time he has by making things. As the term ends and he officially withdraws from school, he heads home to Doha to tell his dad and sister that he has the same disease that took his mother’s life years early.

The two characters meet at the airport briefly and then again on the plane and then at Adam’s house and the needless to say their accidental meetings allow for friendship to grow, attraction to be built upon and a relationship to develop. Both characters have their own lives and own obstacles and own maturity that needs to occur in order for a happy ending to take place, and thus the book keeps you interested, invested and cheering them on.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love the dynamic of how the book and characters are set up. Both are practicing Muslims, both characters don’t cross a line, both characters have diverse mixed cultural backgrounds, and one is a convert and the other the daughter of a convert. She is fiery and impulsive and emotional, he is pragmatic and calm and quiet. While they have some background in common, their life experiences are rather different and it is very much a story about opposites attracting.

I’ve been waiting for this book to come out, and so I knew my expectations would be too high. That being said the book warns it is a love story and in some ways, that was what I kind of felt was lacking. There was the physical attraction that was mentioned fairly often, but the deep connection of ideas or growing seemed a bit lacking.

I really liked Adam, and his internal stresses and struggles and coming to grips with his disease seemed pretty developed. Somehow though, and I’m probably in the minority, I didn’t love Zayneb. She is impulsive and definitely learned and grew from the start of the book to the end, but I didn’t love her nuances with dealing with the Emmas and her friends back home and unraveling her teacher, it felt kind of forced and I can’t articulate why. I’m glad she matured and she got answers about her grandmother, but maybe I should have felt so much in common with her and when I didn’t, I felt a little irritated. Clearly I get too invested in fictional characters, I’ll admit that.

I like that Islam is presented in a non defensive way. The parents aren’t evil, there is no rebelling, even the awful teacher spawns backlash and allies to Zayneb and her cause. There is no apologizing or overly explaining if the characters are pushing boundaries established by Islam or if they are establishing their own boundaries based on their understanding of Islam. I like this, because it shows that Muslims are not a monolith, we are not one way good or bad. Zayneb covers and prays and has friends that are boys and her family is kept in the loop of what she does, which alone breaks so many of the predominate stereotypes about Muslims. Adam himself converted at age nine and plays the guitar and has friends that are girls, and is close to his sister, and likes dogs. A side character is noted to be incredibly religious, but doesn’t cover. The story takes place in an Islamic majority country, but attitudes at the swimming pool don’t allow Zayneb to dress modestly while she swims.

Overall, the book is a delightful read that manages to keep the religious integrity in the characters and show their personalities as they come of age. It may not be memorable years after reading, but what you do remember will be positive, and while you are reading it, you will have a hard time putting it down.

FLAGS:

There is angsty romance, and talk of sex. The two main characters keep it pretty clean, but the side characters joke about hooking up, being horny, and sneaking off to hotel rooms. The non Muslim aunt has a secret alcohol and cigarette stash that she gets called out on, but nothing more is mentioned about it. I think 9th or 10th grade and up will be perfectly ok to read.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

There is a lot to unpack in this book and I think if one just listens, teens will naturally add their own opinions and perspectives on EVERYTHING the characters experience, feel, question, and cope with. The book just came out, but I would imagine that over time discussion questions will appear.

Author’s website: https://skalibooks.com/books/

Interview with the author: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/teen/an-interview-with-s-k-ali-author-of-love-from-a-to-z/

Mar29

Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed

Posted on March 29, 2019 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed

I seriously wish I could get back the few hours I spent reading this 281 page AR 4.8 book. The blurbs talks about a girl being torn between the world around her and the world her Muslim-Indian-American parents want for her, unfortunately the protagonist is rather unlikeable and her worlds are actual not that different. Islam is not represented at all, it is just mentioned as a checkpoint almost for the main character to continually justify her identity as “other” and try and illicit sympathy. It seems to be a part of the story so that the story line of Islamaphobia can be addressed, but the book is cultural at best, and even that is rather lacking.

SYNOPSIS:

Maya Aziz is 17 and missing a dance her senior year to attend a wedding because she is not allowed to go to such events as the daughter of conservative Indian Muslim (dentist) immigrants living in Illinois. But, immediately the hypocrisy shows itself as at the wedding, a boy, Kareem, deemed suitable by her parents is presented to try and woo Maya and possibly marry her, and the two of them wander off together, and consider meeting up at an after party. As the reader gets to know Maya and her circle of characters, we meet her “cool” Aunt who lives alone and wants Maya to have a life of boys and partying and going to school in New York. Her parents are never really defined except to maintain the stereotype of being controlling, focused on food and appearances, and not understanding their only daughter. At school Maya has a best friend Violet who loves to flirt and remains loyal to Maya throughout, a cute boy Phil, who she has been crushing on for years, and some side figures that stir up some trouble.

The premise of the book is that Maya loves film and wants to go to NYU to attend film school, her parents, want her to live at home and go to the University of Chicago. The idea is that because they are immigrants, and culture and religion dictate all, that she get educated and married. This conflict is intensified by Kareem, her sudden relationship with Phil, and a terrorist act that is first blamed on Muslims occurring hundreds of miles away in Chicago and giving someone at Maya’s school a reason to take out his anger on her and her family.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I don’t like it. The book is presented as an own voice minority representation piece, but it isn’t. I get that Islam is personal and that people identify with it and choose different paths, but this isn’t a case of her looking at Islam and saying it isn’t for me, this is a book that is billed as Islamic fiction, yet the character does nothing Islamic, seems to know nothing of Islam and has no moral conscious for anything about the faith. She says she doesn’t pray or go to the mosque, the parents lament after hate crimes materialize against them, that maybe they should have gone to the mosque at some point. She wears shorts, and tank tops and a bikini and doesn’t feel a tinge or reflection. Even if she were to remark that this is an act of rebellion the reader would know, oh because she was perhaps raised with modesty, but no, she wears whatever. She constantly mentions that she can’t have a boyfriend because she is Muslim, but then makes out with Kareem on like their second meeting, kisses him in her parents living room before deciding she doesn’t like him, repeatedly kisses Phil, practically spends a night with him, and then in the epilogue is kissing a Hindu guy she kind of just met. Yes, there are Muslims that do this, I’m not judging, but how exactly is being Muslim then stopping you from doing that you want to be doing? At one point when out with Kareem, he is drinking wine, Maya remarks she has had it before, and that at least it isn’t eating pork. Misguided and off the mark, yes some Muslims do drink, but with all build up that she can’t do things like that, only to find out she has, and it isn’t a big deal, and she doesn’t even see it as a deal breaker or worth mentioning to her parents who have set her up on this whole path to semi arranged marriage, seems so off.

Anyone hoping to pick up a pice of Islamic fiction to identify with, are going to be so completely let down. The book seems to be written for non Muslims to feel good about having read a book with a minority character. It’s like a coming of age story, except there is no self reflection or understanding of the world, no lessons learned, or wisdom gained, unfortunately.

I kept reading hoping that if even the Islam was poorly done that the love story would be sweet, or the presentation of hate and Islamaphobia would be on point, but it also was shallow. Really only one kid had it out for Muslims, and yes he got violent with Maya and threw a brick through her parent’s dental practice, but it could have been used to show light on misguided hate and it didn’t, I don’t really even know what it was used to show. Maya’s parents got scared and wanted to keep her close, thus forbidding her from going to NYU, but they were already on the fence about it. Yes, maybe it added to the catalyst of her running away from home an in to the arms of Phil, but even that ended up seeming lame, as she left for NYU and was in someone else’s arms by the end of the book. So, not sure really, what religion at all had to do with anything, and why the author and publishing team would want to advertise the book with such a strong religious angle, or even cultural one for that matter. The parents are both successful dentists, who let their daughter do whatever, yes they have an opinion on her future, but Maya reads like a brat, I wish I could like her, and take her side against her tyrant parents, but they don’t actually seem written that bad, and Maya doesn’t make any effort, so she really comes across as whiney, privileged, and entitled.

FLAGS:

Alcohol, lying, hate crime, terrorism, physical altercation, kissing, hand holding, talk of condoms, sneaking out. I would not let a 4th grader read this or even a 7th grader, based on content. Quality, I’d encourage most kids to skip it altogether.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I wouldn’t consider this as a book club, I considered not even reviewing it, with the fear that people wouldn’t read the whole review and would just assume I was throwing my support behind it. I am a bit disappointed that the book is available through Scholastic as its back flap reads very different than the text within.

Dec14

Sadia by Colleen Nelson

Posted on December 14, 2018 by islamicschoollibrarian

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A middle school sports book with a female lead who wears hijab written by a non muslim. The book could really go a lot of ways, I held my breath for all 239 pages waiting for something to go totally awry, and thankfully it never did. In fact I read the book nearly straight through and while meant for ages 12 to 15, I quite enjoyed it.

SYNOPSIS:

Ninth Grader Sadia Ahmadi is an immigrant from Syria, her family left before things got “bad,” and while she has adjusted to life in Canada, High School is testing her in other ways. Her best friend Mariam, an immigrant from Egypt, has started dejabbing, taking off her hijab to fit in it seems any chance she gets. This is taken as a betrayal by Sadia and their friendship waxes and wanes throughout the book as each girl has to figure out who she is in relationship to hijab, and how to judge and/or accept each other and their choices. Throw in a new refugee girl Amira from Syria who doesn’t speak English, a co-ed basketball tournament that doesn’t allow any headgear to be worn during games, a cute boy on the team and an awesome teacher with interesting assignments and you have the book in a nutshell.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I like Sadia, she is believable and strong. She is well liked, athletic, she has a good relationship with her parents, brother and teachers, she prays and fasts and owns who she is, but she isn’t perfect. She is hypocritical at times, and acknowledges it, she is tempted by parties, and boys and taking off her own hijab to play ball, and has to confront it about herself. She doesn’t do things like pray on time, like she knows she should, but there she is and I am so impressed that the author picked up on so many nuances of Muslim life in her research or in her own observations as a teacher. Yes, Amira has an awkward observation about Miriam being Muslim and not wearing hijab that seems really one dimensional considering large numbers of Muslims in Egypt and Syria don’t cover, but I don’t know if that was the author’s attempt to draw the issue to the light or if it was just a misstep.

I like that there is a cute boy that accepts Sadia and who she likes as well, but they don’t do anything. So often, these books become overrun by the romance story line and this one doesn’t, thankfully. It seems to find a realistic balance, that she has feelings, but isn’t going to act on them, and based on her mom figuring out when she is lying that she won’t try and sneak behind her mom’s back.

Issues of halal food are mentioned in passing and it fleshes out that the girl is Muslim, not just going through the motions. At times it is hard to know if her choices are based on belief and faith or expectation, but for an early YA/Middle School book, I think it suffices. She mentions modesty as a reason for hijab, but also a lot of parental and cultural expectation. One central theme the reader just has to go with, is that Sadia and the rest of the characters in the book, and there are a fair amount of Muslims, don’t know about any other ways to wear hijab for sports. I get that Mariam and her sewing ability is a huge arc in the story, but they have smart phones, and its a contemporary piece, they have to know about Ibtihaj Muhammad in the Olympics, Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir, and Nike making athletic hijabs. So, to make the story work you do have to turn a blind eye to the fact Muslima’s have taken to sports in the mainstream and that there is no way they can all be that clueless about her fabric, style, and covering options.

I love that the issue of refugees is addressed in the periphery, and the issues are given a human face. I love that Sadia’s parents are religious, but not left as simple stereotypes, they deal with Islamaphobia, but aren’t looking for sympathy.

There is always the case, that the hijab becomes a stereotyped item as the story involves characters torn to wear it or not, but I loved how judgements were called in to questions and there wasn’t an easy answer. The side friends in the story are all way too good to be true, but I think the whole book has a bit of a pollyanna feel to it, and in this case it was ok to error on the side of kindness than become overtly sensationalized and whiney.

The biggest hurdle this book faces is, is it the author’s story to tell. And I don’t know, I review a lot of books, and many are by Muslims and they get stuff wrong in my opinion, or they go so extreme to be accepted. So, I don’t know, I think the book had heart, I didn’t know if the tournament would let Sadia play, I didn’t know if she would sneak off to the party, I didn’t know if she would cross the line with Josh, and I was curious, and invested and sucked in to it all. Is it a book to teach others about Muslims or a book for Muslims to see themselves? I think all of the above. Muslim’s should control their own narrative, but I think when author’s get so much right, we have to take some reassurance in the idea that we are being accepted by the larger society, and our stories are being told with love by other’s too.

FLAGS:

There is romance and lying, but no kissing, just hints at emotions or an errant arm flung over a shoulder during a huddle or photo. There is mention of drinking at the parties, but Sadia doesn’t end up attending.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I don’t know that I would do this as a book club selection, but if I met the right group of kids, I would definitely reconsider. There is a lot of basketball, which I quite enjoyed, but I could see other’s maybe getting bored by the play-by-play. I’ll make my daughter read it in a few years, and I look forward to discussing hijab and how she feels about it after. It does raise the subject, and ask you to check your judgements on yourself and on others.

Author’s Website: http://www.colleennelsonauthor.com/

Nov23

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

Posted on November 23, 2018 by islamicschoollibrarian

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A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

The book is often marketed as a Muslim coming of age story in a post 9/11 world. The contemporary work is semi-autobiographical, but really I think the positioning is a bit misleading. It’s a love story, and the main character is Muslim, and her environment is awful and she is angry. Its an engaging read, I read all 310 pages in one sitting, but I don’t know that the take-away will enlighten anyone about Islam, or really what it was like to be Muslim in the years after 9/11, I think people will remember how sweet the couple is and wonder how much of it mirrors the author and her husband, author Ransom Riggs (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children), but not suddenly become knowledgable about more than what the main character experiences and endures. I appreciate that the book challenges the stereotypes of Muslim women, there is authenticity as it comes from a writer who lives it, and I do think it shows evolution of attitudes that teens can benefit from. The book is not yet in the AR database as it just came out, but I would imagine high school and up.

SYNOPSIS:

Shirin’s Persian-American family moves a lot. Her and her older brother are incredibly close as their parents are rather aloof to the day-to-day experiences the kids endure. That isn’t too say her parents aren’t around, they eat two meals a day together and the parent’s are warm, but Shirin’s brother Navid is a much more present. The story starts with 16-year-old Shirin starting her 12th new school. Conditioned to not make eye contact, remember faces, or get affected by the trivialities around her, the reader sees how angry she is as she curses at a teacher that assumes she needs ESL not Honors. Knowing how fleeting her time in any location can be, as her parents are constantly trying to find better jobs, Shirin doesn’t feel compelled to make friends or get attached to anyone or anything. This intimidating vibe similarly keeps offers at bay, for the most part. When she gets paired up with Ocean to dissect a cat, he tries to talk to her, and this throws her off her game. Most every interaction she experiences at school are people making racist comments and being very one dimensional and bigoted. Ocean tries to be nice, an attitude so foreign to Shirin that it begins to force her to change. Simultaneously, Navid, who is charismatic and has no problem finding friends wherever they go, decides to put his and his sister’s dream into action and they start a break dancing club at school. Three other kids join, and start becoming, not just Navid’s friends, but Shirin’s as well.

Shirin and Ocean fall in love, despite Shirin fearing what the backlash will be for ocean. She doesn’t really know anything about him, but feels strongly that all the racial slurs thrown at her on a daily bases will effect him and ultimately make them wish they didn’t pursue a relationship. She draws line after line in the sand, and crosses them all. Only then does she learn how blind she has been, he is in two of her classes, not just one, he is a year older than her, and he is the golden star of the high school basketball team. Being that the story is told from Shirin’s perspective, this is surprising to the reader as well. The town turns on the pair and things get really ugly for Ocean who is willing to risk it all for Shirin. Threats by the basketball coach, pictures of Shirin without her hijab being taken, accusations of terrorist ties and sympathies all challenge the couple and shape Shirin.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I really like the twist of having the relationship be difficult for the non Muslim, rather than going with the assumed Muslim girl having to sneak around. Not saying that I support it, but interestingly she never mentions that what she is doing is going against anything religious. She mentions twice that her parents wouldn’t like her with any guy, and that they view her as a child still, but she doesn’t explore Islamically any boundaries regarding their relationship. She hides talking on the phone to Ocean, because her parents are adamant she gets enough sleep at night. That is about it. Shirin discusses that she wears hijab like an armor that she gets to pick who she shows her hair too. I love the strength in that, but wish there was a bit of doctrine to back it up too. At one point a Muslim, non hijabi, at school calls her out for wearing hijab and having a boyfriend, but she essential tells her it is none of her business, which it isn’t and who is to say that one sin is worse than another, but still it befuddles what exactly Shirin believes and why. The book just paints her as a Persian Muslim, but never explores what that means other than the superficial outward appearance. They do fast in Ramadan, no explanation about why is given, just that they not eat or drink during daylight hours, and right near the end, Shirin remarks how her mom asks her and her brother every morning if they have prayed and they lie and say yes, their mother sighs and tells them to make sure they pray the afternoon one, to which they lie and agree, only to have their mother sigh again. AstagfirAllah, that is awful lying, and lying about Salat, but it is so real, I audibly chuckled.

I like that the parents aren’t harsh, they just seem disinterested. I didn’t want to read another book about the parent’s being the gatekeepers and bad guys, so that was really refreshing. They mention they don’t celebrate Christmas, but they have an open door policy on Thanksgiving for any friends wanting to come. I did hope for a bit more about them, why they don’t talk to the kids about moving, what makes them tick, because really they seem to have a solid relationship with the kids, they are just clueless to their social experiences and school environment stresses.

I love the growth and self reflection of Shirin, she holds a mirror to herself and she and readers are better for it. She has to realize that she is doing so much of what she is accusing others of doing. I love the support and genuine concern of the breakdancers and her brother. It resonated to me as a girl with an older brother and the relationship feels very genuine. I just wanted to know more about Navid.

FLAGS:

There is a lot of cursing. kissing, hand holding, romance, lying, and ditching school. There is a brief mention of graffiti being sprayed. There is racial slurs, threats of violence, violent physical outbursts by people of authority. When a student throws a cinnamon roll at Shirin, Navid and his friends beat the kid up severely, it isn’t detailed, but it is mentioned. Ocean also gets suspended for a few games for a fight he engages in, and there is some detail of Shirin getting jumped in a previous city for wearing hijab.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I don’t think I could in good conscience present this to a group of Muslim students. I wouldn’t want them to think I was endorsing the violence and language and romance. Like so many books of the genre though, if someone found it and read it on their own, I’d love to chat with them about it, as it is well written.

Youtube video about the book by the author: https://www.hypable.com/tahereh-mafi-a-very-large-expanse-of-sea-tour/

Nov2

Anything But Okay by Sarah Darer Littman

Posted on November 2, 2018 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Anything But Okay by Sarah Darer Littman

This 345 page contemporary book is brand new from Scholastic and isn’t yet in the AR database, it is billed as appropriate for ages 12 and up and is probably pretty accurate. The cover, in my opinion, is rather a disservice for the audience. The book would appeal to girls and boys, and isn’t really about school drama, which is the vibe I got from the cover. The story is actually pretty deep and thought provoking, on a wide range of issues facing many young adults today.

SYNOPSIS:

Told from Stella Walker’s perspective, the book opens with her and her friends, Ken and Farida, reviewing old movies. Farida, an Iraqi immigrant, is constantly pointing out the stereotypes, tropes, and bias they engage in regularly and see depicted around them. She is constantly nagging her friends to recognize their privilege and check it. Stella tries to get it, but it’s not that easy. Nor are the obstacles that the book explores.

Stella’s parents are vets, and her brother, Rob, has just returned from his second tour in Afghanistan and is suffering from PTSD. Additionally, Rob’s best friend commits suicide and yet, Stella’s family doesn’t involve her in the conversations and concerns, and as a result she doesn’t talk to her best friend Farida. This tension is amplified when Farida wants to run for class president, but her parents advise her against it, as Islamaphobia is on the rise with the mayor, up for re-election, spouting hate speech, and his son, already in the race to lead the school.

Stella, as a result, is convinced to run with the help and support of her friends. All should be going well, but in a desperate attempt to get Rob out of the house, a trip to the mall to watch a movie results in Rob sticking up for a Sikh kid being bullied, and breaking the instigators nose. The police are called in, and the real drama of the book takes center stage, as social media, a bigoted mayor, and a family’s member friendship with a Muslim paint Rob as a radicalized terrorist. The Walker’s house is vandalized and Farida’s family’s restaurant is suffering and the mayoral election and class office election will all require some tough decisions and insights into honesty, framing, perseverance and friendship.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I don’t think I was expecting the book to explore so many topics and to do it, in a rather real and raw way. The arc of concepts covered provides a lot of juice and relevance and the quick pace, makes it a quick read. Some pages are letters written by Rob, a number of pages are the various police reports taken after the mall assault and the various points of view are great. It explores how media editing and framing can change a narrative to one side or another.

I love Farida, bless her, she is annoying and one-dimensional, but yet so relatable. She is the token minority that ties it all together and is the billboard representation of “other.” I can so relate to her, being the minority and the one that constantly had to be the gadfly on the masses.

The school election is a little cheesy and overly elevated in importance, but it is the catalyst, so while I wasn’t really invested in who won, I liked the concepts it brought to the forefront of the characters lives. The family struggles and retaking the truth and owning it, was the real strength of the book, and introducing kids to the horrors of war, returning from war, mental illness, the blind eye of politicians, the struggles of the VA, the power of the media, friendship, and concepts of patriotism, privilege, pride, suicide, and moving forward.

My biggest complaint is the awkward and forced romance. It isn’t even romance really. After the mall incident, Stella confides in a classmate, Adam, who comes over to see if she is okay and they hold hands and kiss. It is so out of left field and so awkward I would imagine for most readers, not just me the conservative muslim mama looking for books for my kids and their school book club. In all they kiss five times I think, and mentions them holding hands twice. It isn’t lamented or dwelled on, it just kind of boom, jumps in to the story and then yes, they kind of snuggle after the election results, which is a little more fitting (but still irritating). Rob meets a girl, and again later on when she comes to celebrate the plea deal its nice that she is there, but they talk like once and he completely falls for her, kind of intense and random. The discussions about letting someone in to your life and all is good, and more natural and they don’t kiss, but they do have “feelings” for each other.

There isn’t much about Islam other than that Farida is Muslim and that her mom wears hijab. Even the Islamaphobia is mentioned more for political and prejudicial purposes than as a segway in to understanding Islam.

FLAGS:

Kissing (see above), suicide, war, violence. Beer is mentioned at the end when a college veteran gets one out of the fridge.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I really want to do this as a Middle School Book Club choice, yes I’m hosting those again. I need to talk to the school counselor about the kissing stuff. I think they can handle it, but I don’t know the kids well enough just yet, to verify this. Being it isn’t the Muslim characters, I can’t imagine it is any different from what they see on TV or in Disney Movies, but still, I can’t confidently say it will happen. Twelve and up is the non Muslim age point, I’ll have to think it over and update this once I investigate.

Author’s website: https://sarahdarerlittman.com/books_2/young-adult/anything-but-okay-coming.html

Reading Guide: https://sarahdarerlittman.com/books_2/young-adult/abo-teaching-reading-guide.pdf