I approached reading this 358 page book with a plan: as much as possible I began with no expectations and rid myself of any Lemon Trees comparisons. And after I finished this book, which I read in two days, I have now waited a week before writing this review up, to sit with its lingering effects and takeaway impact. I did this because a YA coming of age book with a female Muslim protagonist in a new school facing Islamophobia, has been done before, the premise isn’t remarkable necessarily (like Lemon Trees), on its own. I also am not a fan of magical realism. All that to say, I really, really enjoyed the book, and appreciate what it accomplished, and the unapologetic Islam and strength of voice it did it with. A few friends remarked that teen them would have loved it, so I’d like to add that 45 year old me, also loved it. The magic realism isn’t a small thread, it is a plot point, and it adds imagery and power to a book that raises the stakes on every level. It provides a balance to the heaviness felt by Jihad’s grief, loneliness, and present bullying. I felt in many ways it also softened the questionable “halal or harmness” of the book. The relationship between Jihad and Jamie does place them in classrooms and cars alone together and sure that close of a friendship between a boy and a girl is not typically encouraged, but I would let teens read this. The book is not overly angsty, emotions are there but no acting on it, in my opinion the focus is Jihad and her finding her strength, which as a Muslim going through so much, is really empowering to see. I think young Muslim readers might find bits of her story that they relate too, but inshaAllah no one is being bullied that hard, is grieving that loss alone, is feeling that abandoned, and coupled with the “magic,” I don’t think that Jihad’s choices will normalize any haram, but rather leave the readers inspired to not lose hope. The book has a lot of Islam, not necessarily a lot of spirituality though, for me it fits with the character and what she is enduring, that she just doesn’t have any bandwidth to feel anything more. The beautiful prose brings you into the character and keeps the focus on the protagonist, the unapologetic positioning is consistent and a reminder to us all that when well done, our OWN voice stories are not just accessible and relatable to us, but to all.
SYNOPSIS: I really don’t want to spoil this book, so I’m going to just copy the publisher’s blurb for the summary portion, you are welcome.
Seventeen-year-old Jihad Dabbagh has always seen life with a heightened sense for colors, one of many magical blessings the women in her family possess. But Jihad’s gift changes depending on her mood. When depression sets in, the world is a colorless oasis, and in the wake of her mother’s sudden death, the world has become a permanent shade of grey.
Broken by tragedy, Jihad’s family doesn’t believe her color loss. Her father sends her to the elite Braxton Academy to finish her senior year. There, Jihad’s name and hijab put a target on her back. Her haven comes in the form of an old sketchbook carved from a tree in her hometown in Syria—a country she only knew through her mother’s stories. Jihad hasn’t picked up a brush in over a year, but finds herself channeling the colors of her hurt, pain, and grief as she paints the story of her mother’s journey in Syria.
When graffiti of that same mural starts magically popping up all over New York, her art goes viral and the world takes notice, the threat of legal consequences is imminent. To reclaim her voice, Jihad will have to paint a new future for herself and Braxton, guided by the resilience of her mother’s story.
WHY I LOVE IT:
I love that regardless of what I would have done in many of the situations Jihad is put in, I can totally see, and argue, why Jihad does what she does. I think that is a testament to the writing, and while some of the relationships or side character arcs might make the most craft focused readers long for more, I was fully seeing Jihad’s world through her eyes, and ok with it. Even when major events happen to side characters, it really feeds in to how it affects Jihad and her character arc and growth.
I love the Islam and unapologetic way it is presented. There was one error about washing the bottom of her shoe while making wudu at school, but the Islam feels very real, the actions, the framing, the practice, the struggles, and it was quite refreshing.
I think in the past we have seen identity books really “other” Islam or culture and this book definitely raises the bar, by not doing that. We have also seen books that normalize haram relationships, or spend page after page trying to position the couple to not be haram at the expense of boring the reader, and I think this book is so natural in weaving it all together, that I really hope it becomes the new standard, and new chapter, pun intended, for YA Muslamic books. The book has threads of “romance,” bullying, Islamophobia, neglect, grief, family drama, violent crime, magic, but for me at the heart, once that all falls away and I sit thinking back, a week later on what I recall, it really is Muslim female strength and empowerment.
FLAGS:
Death, loss, bullying, Islamophobia, abandonment, violence, manipulation, grief, loss, boy girl friendship, threat of sexual assault, threat of violence, unwanted touch, vandalism, graffiti, systemic failure, racism, stereotypes.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I would love to do this as a book club read with high schoolers. Let’s make this happen!!!
This character centered book takes the lives of three young adults, and through their own interwoven points of views shares their trauma, their choices, their dreams, and their fears in a poignant book that centers Islam and the characters relationship with their faith, their masjid community, and the concept of home. The Islam in this OWN voice love letter to New Orleans is so much a part of the characters’ lives that I found myself snapping pictures on every page to share before quitting because it was taking me out of the story. The pictures I’m sharing, as a result are arbitrary as so many beautifully spoke to me. This adult book intentionally or not, forced me to confront my own assumptions, stereotypes, faults, and guilt, while tugging at my heart to see the growth and future possibilities for Fatima, Tahani, and Saif. The three distinct pov narratives feel real, the Black Muslim perspective so important, and the living breathing role of Islam so beautifully conveyed, that I’m just in awe of this book, and didn’t want to miss a beat recommending it to others.
SYNOPSIS:
The book opens from Fatima’s perspective as she leaves Atlanta for New Orleans. She is returning to the place of her childhood and heartache, to care for her ex fiance’s mother in her final days. Entering the home, reliving the memories of how Wakeel was killed, and facing Mama Tayyibah’s looming death, highlight her weakened faith and force her to confront the community and friendships she left behind.
Tahani, the only daughter in a large family of boys finds herself a single mother to two little girls when she rebelled against her mother and made her own choices. She never really left Islam though, and the community who raised her is still a part of her life, even though her own family is not. As she tries to chart her own career dreams and balance her daily survival, she is surprised to find her childhood friend Fatima once again part of her life.
Saif, straddles two worlds: the young man learning his deen as a respected member of the masjid community, and a seasoned criminal unable to stop selling drugs. He blames himself for Wakeel’s death, and everyone else seems to agree that it should have been him gunned down, but Allah swt is All Forgiving and with Fatima’s return, perhaps if she can find a way to forgive him, he can forgive himself.
WHY I LOVE IT:
Oh my heart. The characters and their dichotomies brought tears to my eyes multiple times. The drug dealer teaching the hijabi grappling with Allah’s will how to do tayammum, the young mom in revealing clothes waking up for fajr and taking her girls regularly to the masjid. What is in one’s heart is for Allah swt alone, and this message forced me to face my own assumptions, stereotypes, and judgmental paradigms without didactically calling me out, and I love the book for the fictional shaking.
The beauty of the convert stories, the history of Black Muslims in NOLA, the warmth and found family of the community, completely broke me in the best way possible. None of the characters are having identity crisis as most literature depicts it, they are fighting their nafs, and other’s expectations, and to be shown their struggles, and yearning, in the proses gentle manner warmed my heart.
I wanted some epilogue space for Baba Kareem, and I honestly tried and failed to figure out the time line as the story circles around itself numerous times in its telling. But, I hope this author keeps writing and telling the stories we need as an ummah and larger community to hear, but to also feel so deeply.
FLAGS:
There is nothing sensationalized, but there are themes of drugs, killing, shooting, death, illness, dating, rebelling, rape, children out of wedlock, disowning, judging, fear, racism, Islamophobia.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
This is too adult for middle school, I do think upper high school could handle it, but it is solidly that “New Adult” category, with characters in their twenties. At times they have some adult stresses, or coming of age options, and/or youthful possibilities. Often in multitudes they vacillate with what they have to face, and the limited experiences they have, with family expectations and independent choices.
There are so few Palestinian middle grade books, so on that premise alone this 216 page book has a lot of value. Because I am not Palestinian, I do not live, nor have I ever lived under occupation, I can argue some of the concerns from a point of privilege, and I acknowledge that is not my right. I have been asked numerous times about this book and how it frames the suicide bombing mentioned in the text and blurbed about on the back of the book. It honestly is not a large part of the story, that being said, in my outside privileged view, I do not know that a 10 year old in the west will have context to understand the act of this level of desperation from the oppression and humiliation mentioned in the book. This is why I have held off my review. The truth does not need to be defended or explained, and I fear my reservations will be taken as such, which is not my intention. Would I let me 8 year old read this, yes, but we will read it together and discuss. My children are aware of what is going on in Palestine, but Karim, the 12-year-old protagonist supports the bomber, and that notion is not clearly pushed back on. With discussion, absolutely, I think readers, will truly get Karim’s perspective that something has to be done to change the status quo. The fear when Karim is alone and the target of soldiers, the settlers forcibly seizing the family land, the humiliation of strip searching men at checkpoints, the curfews, and constant fear of attack and imprisonment are all presented through the main character’s eyes, and would also do better with some discussion, so that empathy and duas and action can result. But, the commentary as to the suicide bombing are minimal, there is even a prank package bombing that is presented as rebellion by a side character, and I would worry how a young child, without guidance, would internalize it. Additionally, this is yet another difficult book for me to review, primarily because it was first published in 2003, and because I don’t know how much comes from a western gaze and how much the Palestinian voice played into it. Islam is clear on the prohibition of suicide. In the early 2000 the news out of Israel was often about such attacks, but as an outsider, I honestly do not know if it was simply Israeli propaganda and stereotypes amplifying the idea as part of their public relations strategy or reality, seeing as now that Palestinians have direct outlets to share their daily life under an oppressive occupation, there is rarely talk of suicide bombing attacks. The author states on her website:
“I first visited Israel in 1968, and enjoyed a warm welcome from many Israeli friends. Later, I lived in Beirut with my husband and son during the civil war there, and became aware for the first time of the tragedy of the Palestinian refugees. I visited both Gaza and Ramallah, in the occupied territories, in 2002, while leading workshops for Palestinian writers. I was appalled by the circumstances in which people were living, and became aware that we in the West know very little of what life is like for Palestinians living under military occupation.
I have written A Little Piece of Ground in collaboration with Sonia Nimr, a Palestinian archaeologist, storyteller, writer and translator, who lives in Ramallah. We have tried to make our story as true to life as we can.”
The book is a hard read at times, but the joy is there. Just as we as adults scroll through the devastation, the humanity persists. The world may try and forget that they are attempting to erase a rich culture, but even in this book, their is laughter, and crushes, and sibling squabbles, and soccer games and friendship, and food, and joy. There is a little Islam, not much, the main character is Muslim, a best friend is Christian. It isn’t present in their everyday thoughts and actions, more just in identifying their faith.
SYNOPSIS:
Karim and his friends are not so much different than 12-year-olds everywhere, he loves video games, playing sports, isn’t so sure what he wants to be in the future, wonders what he will look like as he grows up, and is often annoyed with his family who he loves dearly. Karim’s life in Ramallah is also unique, he lives under curfew, he doesn’t have freedom of movement, opportunity, or equal rights, and a simple family outing can be life altering.
The book follows Karim and his group of friend as they discover a patch of land they decide to turn into a soccer field, to claim as their own. They work on it on days they can sneak away after school, in windows of time between curfews, and before long start to take pride in what the land can be. Adopting cats, learning about new friends from the refugee camp next store, teasing siblings about their crushes is all in contrast to Karim watching his father be stripped searched at a check point, being chased off their family land when they are harvesting olives by settlers shooting at them, and pranking soldiers in desperation of fighting back against oppression.
When soldiers roll in and occupy the land the boys have claimed, symbolic of their whole country, Karim gets stuck barricaded in an old abandoned car for days, with soldiers aiming their sights on him, and wondering if he will survive.
This book does not need tools to be discussed. It itself is a tool, to help middle grade kids be aware that this cruelty has been occurring for 75 years, this book took place 20 years ago, and today we just have social media sharing these stories more widely. InshaAllah soon, Palestine will be free.
You can purchase this book here at Crescent Moon Store where code ISL at checkout saves you 10%
This cultural picture book shows life of an Afghan family before fleeing the country and after. In the flashbacks the women are wearing hijab, now in the west they are not. I debated if I should do a complete review or just a Muslim in the illustration tag, and ultimately decided to do a review so that I might document what I fear is a new trend. In the last ten years most Afghan books addressed international involvement, the Taliban, and refugees, but seemed to still feature Islam and the characters as Muslim. This book carries the refugee theme, but Islam is seen in the “before” illustrations only. Another recently published book, The Carpet: An Afghan Family Story, similarly contained no Islam, but interestingly also kept it out of the illustrations. Realistically, I know that two books don’t make a trend, but with the change of politics in Afghanistan, I think the OWN voice narratives are important to watch and be aware of. In the past an Afghan book would be conflated with also being an Islamic rep book, and I don’t know if that will continue to be the case. I also don’t know what the take away impression would be upon a kid if they were to pick the book off the shelf. Would they find the head coverings in the unsafe country and the lack of hijabs in the safe country as a message about Islam, would they understand the politics, would they even notice? The sweet story of a boy picking berries with his grandma involves music, wishing on birds, and reflecting on the violence that forced them to leave Afghanistan.
The book starts with Ali and his Nana waking up early to pick blackberries. They don’t want to wake his exhausted parents, and quietly pack a lunch and get on their bikes and head out. The blackberries are not as sweet as the mulberries he remembers from Afghanistan. Suddenly he misses home.
The family left Kabul after soldiers came to their house and they knew it wasn’t safe anymore. He couldn’t bring both of his stuffies and the family left on foot at night. They rode a bus and waited behind a fence before they boarded a plane.
Back in the present the two eat their picnic, when a bluebird arrives, Nana tells Ali to make a wish before it flies away. Nana says all her wishes have come true: the family is safe and together. Ali is whisked back to sitting beneath the mulberry tree with his parents laughing and his toys around, he wishes for home. Nana explains that home is not a place, it is the love you have. The book concludes with Ali appreciating his loving family and his new “home.”
Do you ever find yourself in the middle of an amazing historical fiction fantasy adventure graphic novel, reading as fast as you can to find out what happens next, while simultaneously having absolutely no clue what is going on? Yeah, I am was confused often in this upper YA/Teen (16+) 136 page book set in Europe during the Islamic Golden Age and starring a female from the renown House of Wisdom. I’m fairly positive it is my own limitations that made the book confusing, but for those wiser and more versed in graphic novels, I would recommend this book. It has action, adventure, science, history, philosophy, a strong Muslim character, friendship, wisdom, ingenuity, a bibliography, Mongols, Druids, and a dragon.
SYNOPSIS: Shahidah El-Amin is a Compass from the House of Wisdom, she is not a thief, she seeks knowledge which means that she is incredibly educated, fierce, and scrappy: part Indiana Jones, part Tomb Raider perhaps. She is a hijab wearing, dua invoking, Qur’an quoting, don’t give me alcohol even as you are about to kill me, strong confident Muslim.
The book opens with her finding an artifact and being betrayed by a fellow scholar and friend, Ling Hua, a Chinese scholar. The two race to Wales to get to the possibly rumored Calderon of Eternal Life for different reasons and using different methods. Along the way Shahidah shows her skills in surviving, understanding what her priorities are, and learning about friendship. She will battle Master Hua, the Khan, a dragon, a bear, the Druids, a leper just to name a few as the fantasy world is developed and built up with historical accuracies thrown in.
WHY I LIKED IT:
I love that the lead is a fierce female Abbasid Muslim from Baghdad and that there are a variety of religions and cultures mentioned and depicted. It refers to Shahidah as an Arab witch by the enemy and calls Muslims “Mohammedans” which takes a bit of getting used to and I never got comfortable with. I love the inclusion of ayats in transliterated text of the Arabic, and the concept is wonderful. I got lost though in some of the world building and plot. I think the action and illustrations are clear, but the text needed a little clarity in my opinion. Again, I acknowledge my lack of familiarity with the concepts and format of the book.
I loved the bibliography and the notes included at the beginning and end. I actually would have liked more information on the House of Wisdom and as always, a map.
FLAGS:
The concept and references make it for more mature readers. There is also violence, a mention to love making, and depicted death, gore, killing, etc..
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
Even though it is for older readers, I think it would be great on a library shelf for middle grades and up. It probably isn’t for everyone, and many wouldn’t be tempted by it even, but the few kids that like this kind of content, will absolutely love the book.
This graphic novel retelling of the classic, Count of Monte Cristo, is for middle school readers and up and is by a Muslim author and illustrator. There is nothing Islamic or cultural in the text of this 136 page sci-fi twist, and there is some kissing, a whole lot of killing, brutality and violence, but I think the swashbuckling tale will appeal to early teens and adults who enjoy fast paced reads whether they have read the original tale or not.
SYNOPSIS:
Commoner Redxan Samud is elevated to Captain and marries his beloved, the first few pages of happiness, however, quickly disintegrate as he is framed and wrongfully imprisoned by the jealous powers that be. Life in the hovering prison are barbaric, but the meeting of Aseyr, provides him with a plan and means to move forward. First he will have to survive the death battles in the prison, escape the inescapable fortress, before he can locate the Isle of Sorrow, take control of ARU and extract his revenge. Oh, but his revenge is strong, so very, very strong.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I was admittedly hesitant to give the book a try, but when writer Shireen Hakim sent it to me, and my kids saw it, I thought I should read it first before letting them dive in. I read it in one sitting, the story is engaging and clear. I never was confused with who was who and why something was happening. At times though it seemed too quick and that details were glossed over, or impact was minimized because major plot points were not given enough time to be felt. I would have liked some answers provided of basic logistics and of character’s getting from one place to another, and how plans came to fruition shared in the story. Additionally, some fleshing out of situations to ground the story a bit and make the revenge and extraction of revenge more cathartic, would have elevated the book and made it a popular choice in my house to be reread again and again.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
Not a contender for a book club read, but I would shelve it in a middle school classroom and in the school library for graphic novel and comic book enthusiasts as well as for high school students who might be familiar with the classic it references.
This 354 page New Adult read is truly Islamic fiction, and as long as you know what you are getting in to, you probably will thoroughly enjoy it. It is Islamic centered, it is preachy, it is idyllic, it counters many stereotypes about Muslims and various cultures, while simultaneously falling into other tropes that define the genre, it has mature framing that is not suitable for younger readers, but doesn’t detail anything that is super “haram.” If you are looking for a potentially halal romance between YA and Adult ages with Islamic messaging this book is a solid choice. If however, you will be annoyed by any of the aforementioned labels, this book will not hold your attention or beg to be finished. It reminds me a lot of Umm Zakiyyah’s If I Should Speak and A Voice books where the story has its own twists and character arcs but it spends a lot of time preaching and setting itself up to tout an Islamic perspective, or concept as well. I wanted to read two books in the “New Adult” category and see if I could spread my reviews to include them, and with this being the second, I think I should resist the temptation, and stick to what my library background familiarized me with.
SYNOPSIS:
Told in alternating voices of Intisar and Majed, two individuals in New York City, at different places in their life, but finding that when they hit rock bottom, Islam is the answer.
Intisar is graduating nursing school when the story opens and has only one goal in mind, get married. She has strict Sudanese parents and has put all of her dreams on finding freedom in the perfect spouse. She meets a guy at a friend’s house and they secretly date, kiss, and hold hands. When he ghosts her, she is devastated and reluctantly finds herself agreeing to marry a much older man of her parent’s choosing. Loosing herself in the idea of marriage, she finds herself heartbroken, ostracized and falling apart. She starts to put herself back together slowly by finding Islam, her confidence, and some much needed perspective.
Majed has a famous family: his mother a model, his father and siblings singers, and he manages their careers. After passing out from drugs and alcohol more than once he really starts to examine his life and the road he is on. He sneaks away to rehab and in the process stumbles on to Islam. He is Egyptian, but the family is not religious at all, and infact stop talking to him when he converts. The trials of being a Muslim in New York with no family are not easy, but he feels it is worth it and his journey to Hajj and through loss brings him closer to Allah (swt).
The two stories are parallel and collide slightly in the periphery, but the book ends with them finally coming together and the ever dreaded words of “to be continued,” leaving the reader hanging.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I do like that the story shows struggles when one comes (back) to Islam, it isn’t always a walk in the park, it has challenges and stresses. The book starts each chapter with a verse from the Quran and is very open about what it is. So, while at times, the preachiness did get to me, it was very clear what type of book it was from the beginning and I kept reading.
Some of the side characters I felt needed to be fleshed out a bit. I didn’t understand many of the random friends, how they affected the main character often seemed off, or completely underdeveloped in what was revealed about them: particularly Izzedine, Parita, the girl that married Mansour, the uncle at the Masjid that thought Majed was a spy, etc.. I also really struggled with the presentation of Uncle Munir and his calling Majed, baby, and how he just happened to bump in to him outside the bar, and the kisses. I’m guessing it was meant to show him as over the top affectionate, but it just read as odd.
I like that the book addresses hypocrisy, mental health, and expectations. It doesn’t paint all Muslims as good or bad, nor society at large. The book reads as a journey, and many characters are given a chance to correct their errors and be seen in a new light.
The majority of the book is written well, but right away the book gave me pause as Intisar and her friends chat all through the Jummah khutbah, I get that it is trying to show her disregard for intentional practice of her faith and her “boy crazy/marriage” obsession, but you cannot speak during the khutbah, it isn’t just dirty looks, you truly cannot talk for it to count, and it isn’t even remarked upon, and it made me skeptical of the book for a while. There is a word missing from a sentence on page 161 and at one point a brother in the prayer hall aims a shoe to throw. But you wouldn’t be wearing shoes in the room where you pray, and the mosque has hallways and a glassed off section for women, so this seemed like an obvious oversight that should be fixed.
FLAGS:
Drugs, alcohol, lying, overdose, sneaking out, kissing, hooking up, physical affection, violence, temptation, sexual predatory behavior, it is an adult book, so I’m not going to continue listing everything. Nothing haram is overtly detailed or glorified. Ages 17 and up, could handle it.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
Too mature for my book club crew, but I wouldn’t mind it on a shelf in the school library.
I saw this book at the library and was shocked: a Palestinian pov story written by an Israeli. I checked it out, braced myself, and got ready to rage. Except it isn’t blatant, and I can’t just chop it up to obvious hate, but that isn’t to say that the 183 page middle school book should be shared and deemed harmless: it subtly minimizes the occupation of an entire people, it in many ways glosses over the apartheid taking place. It gives the inequity lip service, and I’m sure many western non Muslim, non Palestinian readers will find the book balanced, but I never could quite shake the looming shadow throughout, of trivializing the oppressive regime that is Israel. I don’t know if the undermining is intentional, and I couldn’t find anything with a Google search to see how the book was received by Israelis in 1994 when it was published (it was translated in 2000), but either way it provides a great example as to why OWN voice books are so much more powerful. This is not the oppressors’ story to tell. I’m not saying the author isn’t sympathetic to the Palestinian struggles or that she actively supports encroachment of Palestinian homes, I honestly don’t know her stance. I do know that the lived experiences of Palestinians though, is best left to be told by people that live it, have lived it, and those that feel loss because of it. It is not a narrative to be told by the force that is causing the pain. My biggest worry is that readers will take away from the story that the situation isn’t that bad, that Israelis are taking care of this poor injured Palestinian boy out of the goodness of their hearts so they must be nice, and at the end of the day the two sides are just two opposing forces, but the people once they get to know each other, bond over the fact that they pee the same and can be friends. It waters down that it is, and was, major international powers backing the Israelis and that it is not, nor has it ever been, a simple disagreement between two equal sides. No I don’t expect every book about the region to detail the specifics, but don’t tell me that killing of children, a life of checkpoints, curfews, and fear can all disappear over a few months when the “enemy” provides medical care, regular meals, and arts and craft times. I’m not Palestinian and I can see the short-sided reality of that real quick. It leaves young impressionable readers with a very skewed view, no matter how diplomatic the author attempts to be on the surface. And I cannot support it.
SYNOPSIS:
Palestinian boy Samir injures his leg in a bicycle accident, quite seriously, and his mother who cleans for an Israeli lawyer is able to get him a special permit to be taken to the Jew’s hospital to be cared for by a visiting American surgeon. He speaks broken Hebrew, but understands quite a bit as he has worked in a Jewish grocery store in the past. When he gets to the hospital, he is placed in a room with other children to wait. He stays there for weeks until the doctor can arrive and then even after the procedure he stays for physical therapy for weeks before he can return home.
While he is there, he gets to observe and know, in some ways, the other patients. Yonatan is always buried in a book, but at night, when the other kids go to sleep he talks to Samir and plots with him a trip to Mars. Yonatan’s mom lives in American, he lives with his dad who is an astronomy professor. He also ethically is a vegetarian and saves his kabobs and chicken from his meals to give to Samir. There is a girl that was hit by her father and refuses to see him, and one that is like a princess that doesn’t like to eat. Tzahi wears a colostomy bag and is always jumping around and causing trouble. His brother is a paratrooper in the Israeli army and he hates Palestinians. It is hard for Samir when the brother comes to visit, the fear is real.
Samir’s younger brother Fadi was recently killed by Israeli soldiers and the memory, horror, and anguish is still very fresh for Samir and his entire family.
WHY I LIKE IT:
At first I really couldn’t articulate the saccharin taste the book was causing to form in my mouth as I read. The curfews, and check points and loss of Fadi was being discussed and contrasted to the luxury of the Israeli hospital, and then it began to occur to me that, it was almost worse than just being blatantly hateful. The placating and sugar coating slowly diminishes the horrors of reality. At the beginning Samir doesn’t want to go to the hospital, he would rather have a limp, but the narrative slowly becomes about the kids in the hospital also have stressing and hard lives, and that seems sweet, except, their issues while specific, are universal. Samir’s leg is as well, but the oppression of his people is systemic and helping him doesn’t erase that the same people running the hospital killed his brother, dictate his reality, and his future opportunities. It is not enough for the “anti Palestinian child” to have a surgery that corrects his ability to urinate and at the very end, they pee in to the planters. It might work on the surface, but it trivializes too much. If Samir would have gotten to tell them about his life and his pains, and his experiences, and they would have accepted them as valid, maybe I could see bridges being built, but bonding over basic human functions, and celebrating that an Israeli boy finally talks to a Palestinian, isn’t compassion, it is arrogance.
The only real positive takeaway I had of the book was that even in the tiniest human kindnesses Yonatan showed Samir it was something for Samir to contrast with his life long friendship with Adnan. That growth of realizing what makes a good friend was more humanizing and affectionate than any other storyline in the book.
FLAGS:
Murder, fear, harassment, oppression, bullying, teasing, violence, gun violence, abuse, talk of urinating, showering in front of others.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
No way, I will never have Palestinian children read about their life experiences from an Israeli person speaking through a Palestinian character.
I don’t know what it is about male protagonist sports novels, but they often seem to be overly crass and crude. Perhaps that is the real life environment that inspires such writings, or perhaps it is just male voiced YA books, but in this one in particular it seemed to stand out because the storytelling by-and-large is really enjoyable, it just has a lot of flags, A LOT. Beside the language, sexual innuendos, drug use, violence and romance, it also has a few religious and cultural concerns that are possibly just specific to the niche that I review for, but did have me shaking my head out of confusion and sighing in disappointment. To its credit there is a decent amount of Islam featured, some male friendships that are quite heartwarming, and some emotional depth that presents really well. The 312 page book is marketed to readers 12 and up, but there is no way I would encourage the book for anyone that young, Muslim or not. For Muslim youth specifically I would say 17 plus.
SYNOPSIS:
The book is told from the perspective of fifteen year old Fawad who lives in Regent Park with his mom and sister. He dreams of being the first Pakistani NBA player and the linear story bounces in time at the start and he sometimes even speaks to the reader, but the story is all his. Regent park is a poor part of town pressed right up against a wealthy part of Toronto and the neighborhood is rough. Fawad is a good kid: he doesn’t go out much after dark since his father died, he helps his mom, doesn’t run with a gang, he gets good grades, loves basketball, and doesn’t have a girlfriend, not yet anyway. The story starts with him reliving the final minutes of a summer league basketball game where he opted to pass out of fear of the ever looming threat of Omar, rather than take the shot himself. Omar ends up missing and they lose, oh yeah and Omar is the imam’s son. Under the protection of Abshir, Fawad’s friend Yousuf’s older brother: Omar, Yousuf, and Arif have someone looking out for them on the streets. Arif has some help from the Bengali crew, and Yousuf is Somali, but there are not enough Pakistani’s to make a stand or demand respect when out and about. When Abshir gets murdered, Yousuf retreats into himself his music and smoking joints, Arif keeps his playboy ways to take his mind off things when he isn’t reciting Quran beautifully in classes at the masjid, and Fawad makes the high school basketball team and finds a girlfriend. Things with Omar physically escalate as well, while things at home have his mom putting in to action plans for Fawad to marry his cousin in Pakistan.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I really like that Islam and culture are presented powerfully with OWN voice strength and detail. Things are not defined or over explained and if you don’t know what haram or Ramadan or an imam are, figure it out. I rarely find myself wishing the ending of books were different. You hear a lot about that in movies, that they didn’t screen well or something, and so the ending was changed, and that is how I feel about this book. *SPOILERS* Fawad and Omar should not have resolved their issues so easily, it was more than a respect thing, there was blood and hospitalizations. We never even knew why they had issues in the first place. Arif and Nermin should not have hooked up. The whole book she comes across as the strong Muslim hijabi that blurs the lines by side hugging her guy friends, but not being ok with it, then she shows up to a dance, and then hooks up with Arif, didn’t like that at all. I get the mixed signals of Fawad having a girlfriend from his mom, and while he seems to be connected to the mosque it never shares that he understands Islam more than just I have to do this and I can’t do this, but I didn’t like him going back to Ashley and wanted him to choose his own self-worth and respect over accepting her apology and going back to her. I do not understand why Fawad waited so long to tell his mother about Nusrat. It was nothing that would upset his mom, I don’t get why he dragged it out. I do love that the cousins were friends or friendly, but were fronting to their parents, but it was unnecessarily dragged out, and the more it got dragged out, the more complicated and intertwined it got with Fawad having a girlfriend.
I did not get the mom and sister relationship at all. The mom seems to have just given up on her, but they seem to spend a lot of time together, so that was a disconnect for me. At first I kind of liked the twist on the stereotype that the boy was not allowed freedoms to go out, but the sister was, but it kind of unraveled in the logic department. I am desi, (half anyway) and the stereotype is that the boys are earning before they get married. So to be arranging Fawad’s wedding at age 15 is bonkers. To be arranging anybody’s wedding at that age is, but it is so contrary to custom, that I couldn’t even ignore it and move on, it was constantly blocking the story from being smooth. The mom’s rationale is that she wants a daughter-in-law to take care of her. Again kind of bogus, but maybe there is some truth there, unfortunately there is the big gaping hole that she, the mom, doesn’t take care of her in-laws, so why the difference of expectation. Suffice it to say the mom and sister are both road bumps in the story for me.
I was impressed at how much basketball play-by-play was in the book and how it didn’t get boring. I love that there were plenty of male role models in the community and that the three boys really looked out for each other, supported each other, were connected to each other’s families, etc.. I didn’t like the abusive religious imam trope. I’m glad that Omar’s dad wasn’t blind to his son, but to be abusive was uncalled for.
I don’t know why Nermin is called, “Arabic,” at one point, that is clearly erroneous and I wish that the condom talk and sexual innuendos were greatly reduced. There isn’t a lot of resolution regarding who killed Abshir, if Fawad caused any permanent damage by playing, or what the future holds for any of the characters and their relationships, but it was a quick read and held my intention and I did quite enjoy the writing.
FLAGS:
Lying, violence, murder, physical assault, kissing, making out, talk of arousal, talk of condoms and sex and getting physical. Drugs and alcohol and addiction. Child abuse, theft, stealing, threats.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
There is no way I could teach this to middle school or high school in an Islamic school.
Set in Daraya, and based on a real events in Syria, as well as the author’s own life in Lebanon, this 32 page elementary and up story does an amazing job of showing relatable childhood adventures and ingenuity shining through even in the most horrific of environments. The book is inspiring and warm, but the backdrop of war is very much present. Some young children may be bothered by the images and text, while others will benefit from understanding the humanity that is affected by such violence. I know the book says the pages are not final, but I wanted to put it out to help drum up interest. I feel this story would best work in intimate settings where discussion, compassion, and gratitude can all intuitively transpire.
Nour’s best friend is her cousin Amir, they love to read and imagine adventure and secret societies. As their dream to create a secret club, complete with a secret password and handshake, for them and their friends starts to come to fruition, war arrives first.
Families are forced to seek shelter away from the bullets at night in their basements, and only are allowed to venture out when absolutely necessary. Every time Amir goes out, he collects any books he finds, and encourages his friends to do the same.
They begin sorting the books, and trying to decide what to do with them, when Nour has an idea to create a secret library. Everyone pitches in when an empty, half destroyed basement is located, and the books are moved and set up on discarded planks of wood. A boy next door is entrusted with the secret handshake and becomes the deputy librarian.
As word spreads, everyone from boys and girls to soldiers and rescuers, collect books to stock the shelves and checkout books to keep their minds busy. The library, named Fajr, is open every day from morning to evening and closed during Jummah. It becomes the city’s best kept secret and a source of hope for the community.
There are references at the back that tell about the true story of the Secret Library in Syria, the author’s memories of hiding in the basement in Lebanon, a glossary of terms, information about Syria, the illustrator’s research, information about the war, and famous libraries in the Middle East.
There are so few Palestinian middle grade books, so on that premise alone this 216 page book has a lot of value. Because I am not Palestinian, I do not live, nor have I ever lived under occupation, I can argue some of the concerns from a point of privilege, and I acknowledge that is not my right. I have been asked numerous times about this book and how it frames the suicide bombing mentioned in the text and blurbed about on the back of the book. It honestly is not a large part of the story, that being said, in my outside privileged view, I do not know that a 10 year old in the west will have context to understand the act of this level of desperation from the oppression and humiliation mentioned in the book. This is why I have held off my review. The truth does not need to be defended or explained, and I fear my reservations will be taken as such, which is not my intention. Would I let me 8 year old read this, yes, but we will read it together and discuss. My children are aware of what is going on in Palestine, but Karim, the 12-year-old protagonist supports the bomber, and that notion is not clearly pushed back on. With discussion, absolutely, I think readers, will truly get Karim’s perspective that something has to be done to change the status quo. The fear when Karim is alone and the target of soldiers, the settlers forcibly seizing the family land, the humiliation of strip searching men at checkpoints, the curfews, and constant fear of attack and imprisonment are all presented through the main character’s eyes, and would also do better with some discussion, so that empathy and duas and action can result. But, the commentary as to the suicide bombing are minimal, there is even a prank package bombing that is presented as rebellion by a side character, and I would worry how a young child, without guidance, would internalize it. Additionally, this is yet another difficult book for me to review, primarily because it was first published in 2003, and because I don’t know how much comes from a western gaze and how much the Palestinian voice played into it. Islam is clear on the prohibition of suicide. In the early 2000 the news out of Israel was often about such attacks, but as an outsider, I honestly do not know if it was simply Israeli propaganda and stereotypes amplifying the idea as part of their public relations strategy or reality, seeing as now that Palestinians have direct outlets to share their daily life under an oppressive occupation, there is rarely talk of suicide bombing attacks. The author states on her website:
Do you ever find yourself in the middle of an amazing historical fiction fantasy adventure graphic novel, reading as fast as you can to find out what happens next, while simultaneously having absolutely no clue what is going on? Yeah, I am was confused often in this upper YA/Teen (16+) 136 page book set in Europe during the Islamic Golden Age and starring a female from the renown House of Wisdom. I’m fairly positive it is my own limitations that made the book confusing, but for those wiser and more versed in graphic novels, I would recommend this book. It has action, adventure, science, history, philosophy, a strong Muslim character, friendship, wisdom, ingenuity, a bibliography, Mongols, Druids, and a dragon.
Islamic School Librarian 