Tag Archives: YA FICTION

Sep4

The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf

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The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf

ghost

A book meant for middle grades, 8-12 year olds, that has depth and layers and culture and strength is not something you find very often.  Over 275 pages, the book is at times dark and haunting, but what is truly remarkable is that it doesn’t talk down to young readers and with its pop cultural references and relate-ability,  the book is not dreary.  In fact, the true “haunting” occurs after the book is finished and the concepts of friendship, being alive, and forgiveness stick around and require thought and consideration.  The book is based on a Malyasian folktale, how much is a fleshing out, or simply a starting point, I do not know, but I do know that the characters are memorable, the concept thought provoking, the writing flawless, and the intertwining of Malay culture, Muslim characters and the supernatural, a combination that makes for an enjoyable read.

SYNOPSIS:

When an old witch dies, her pelesit, her ghostly demon, is passed on to her granddaughter Suraya.  Suraya lives with her mother, a teacher, and is lonely and emotionally neglected.  An adventurous girl, the pelesit, keeps the small girl safe, but waits to reveal himself to her in the form of a grasshopper when she is older.  When he does reveal himself to her, she asks him his name, and he doesn’t know it, so she names him Pink.

Suraya and Pink become best friends, and he provides company for her as she receives very little from her mother and has no friends.  Suraya had no knowledge of her grandmother and Pink modifies the stories to leave out how evil, cruel and vindictive she was through him.  As an evil being with no heart these acts never bothered him, although he stopped enjoying them long before she died.  With Suraya however, he feels things.  He is sad that she is unloved by her mother, teased by the other children, and that she doesn’t have the things other kids have.  Suraya is kind, and forgiving, and tries so hard not to let things bother her.  Pink however, with a twitch of his antenna can make things happen.  Bad things.  Things that might at first seem like a part of life, but when Suraya catches on, she scolds Pink.  She makes him promise never to use his magic to hurt people, ever.  He reluctantly agrees, she is his master after all.  Unfortunately he doesn’t keep his promise.

On Pink’s prodding, Suraya makes friends with a new girl at school, Jing, and their friendship makes Pink jealous.  He harms Jing and Suraya decides she no longer wants to be his master.  As a result Pink is determined to make Suraya’s life miserable.  As desperation mounts, Suraya tells her mom about Pink and a pawang is called in to separate the spirit from Suraya.  Something seems off about the pawang, and when Suraya investigates, she realizes that she must save Pink from him.  Together with Jing, Pink and Suraya are off on an adventure against the pawang and might just learn more than Pink’s backstory in their efforts along the way.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love that Suraya and her family are Muslim and that Jing is not and they are best friends.  Suraya and her family pray, celebrate Eid, give salams when at the graveyard, but obviously also believe in magic and ghosts, and somehow in the story it doesn’t seem to be contradictory or odd.  I love Suraya’s strength.  None of the relationships in her life are good.  Yet, she is good, and she forgives and fights to make those close to her better.  Pink is manipulative and controlling and abusive, but she still fights for him to be treated better and that says more about her, than whatever he is.  Suraya’s mom is distant and neglectful, but yet, there is still realistic hope that their future can be and will be better.  I love that all these layers are there and yet are subtle too.  Kids are smart and they will bring their own experiences, understanding, and expectations to decipher these relationships, and that is amazing.  I love that the characters in the story may be so different than the typical western reader, but they will still see themselves in this poor Malay girl from a small village, in her best friend Jing who lives and breathes Star Wars, or even in the religions pawang who is a power hungry charlatan; toxic friendships and family secrets make the book universal.

FLAGS:

Pink makes it look like blood is on a girls back side, implying a girls fear of leaking, but it isn’t explicit or named.  There is death and dying and supernatural and lying.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I am thinking strongly about using this as a book club book, as the discussion would be delicious and varied among the participants.

Interview with the author: https://thequietpond.com/2020/08/20/our-friend-is-here-an-interview-with-hanna-alkaf-author-of-the-girl-and-the-ghost-on-writing-friendship-malaysian-childhoods-being-true-to-your-stories/

 

 

 

Jun8

An Acquaintance by Saba Syed

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An Acquaintance by Saba Syed

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A young adult Islamic fiction romance novel, yes its a genre, albeit small one. I braced myself for stereotypes, cheesiness, over simplifications, sweeping condemnation, and preachy reprimands.  They never came.  I think this book is different, because from what I felt while reading it, and from what I’ve read the author say, this book is written for us: Muslim females, raised in the west, devout, strong, involved, and vulnerable.  It isn’t trying to convince anyone of Islam, or prove our place in America.  It isn’t trying to justify relationships or make us hide in our houses, rather it is taking us up to the line, showing us our strengths and weaknesses, and leaving us there to think.  In 282 pages, I saw myself crystal clear in the protagonist, the vilifying community, the determined best friend, and the steady parent.  It is easy to judge, but this book gets the nuances, the temptation, the justification, the internal battles, and it does it all without resorting to extremes that would make it inappropriate for upper middle and high schoolers. Yay!

SYNOPSIS:

Sarah Ali has grown up in small town Wickley, Pennsylvania, her whole life.  Her dad owns the local hangout, she is well known and well liked ,and very involved at school and in the masjid that her father helped start.  She has a best friend who is Muslim and although her mother has passed away, her home life with her dad and older brother is solid and supportive.  Senior year, however, is where the book takes place, and with Islamaphobes protesting and a new boy, Jason, in town coming to her rescue, the stage is set for her to have to decide how much their “friendship” crosses her internal boundaries of right and wrong, and when feelings are on the table, what choices she will make.

Throughout the book, there are numerous supporting characters that have their own roles in shining light on the situation from the outside and adding context to the world that Sarah lives in.  But this is ultimately Sarah’s story, told from her perspective, and the internal conflicts are believable because they are hers, the reader can see a mile a way what is going on and what will happen, but to see it unfold within her is at times a little naive, but considering her age, plausible.  It is her denial and acceptance of the situation at hand and what her role and hopes are that make the story very hard to put down.

The book in many ways is subtle, I don’t want to give to much of the plot away because it is obvious, it is a love story between two teenagers that can’t have a future based on the fact that she is Muslim and not willing to compromise that.  But that doesn’t mean there aren’t real feelings involved and real consequences to the choices that are made.  Throw in the gossip mongers at the masjid, an older brother who is concerned, an ever patient father, and a handful of others and the book feels incredibly real. 

WHY I LIKE IT:

Things are never black and white in real life, nor does reality prevent emotions and desires from breaking out.  There is no shaming in their tale (other than by the judgemental aunties), but there are consequences that are also given their time and spotlight.  From a parenting perspective it shows how a few questionable decisions can really get you in a heap of trouble and heartache, even if on the outside you can argue you did nothing wrong.  Even in the book Sarah remarks that they didn’t do anything, but yet, they did so much, this understanding is really powerful, and so needed for the teenage demographic. The book does not celebrate Sarah and Jason’s relationship, although I must admit I did kind of cheer for them at some points (I know, haram).  It shows that they are good people, but that there is a bigger picture.  It also shows there is life and hope, and forgiveness after, in the healing.

I love that Sarah’s dad is awesome and that his ultimate weapon is dua.  Not the stereotypical immigrant father trope, he is awesome.  I also love that Sarah’s best friend, Jasmine, is a person of color, so diversity gets a bit of a shout out.  The masjid politics is spot on, and the hypocritical aunties are as annoying in the book as they are in real life.  Yes, there are times where the dialogue is a little syrupy and long-winded, but overall, this book is calm and reflective and so, so important for high school and college girls to read.

Islam is the religion practiced, from praying, to how they talk, to how they dress, the subtlties there are brilliant as well.  You can tell the author is Muslim because it is natural and real, not researched and blotched.  The message is ultimately that Allah knows all, and that we do things for His sake alone.

FLAGS:

Truly the most Jason and Sarah do is hold hands, but the masjid ladies constrew that they do a lot more, and that Sarah ends up pregnant and gets an abortion. All untrue, but this revelation, that this is the gossip going around, is explored at the end of the book.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

Oh how great would this book be as a book club for high school or even college age girls.  But, alas I’m not involved in anything like that so I will have to just recommend this book to anyone that meets that criteria looking for a good book. 

Having said that, part of me really thinks this book doesn’t need to be discussed.  Saints and Misfits was a book that needs to be read and discussed with our youth, this book, I kind of like it to stir and fester within each reader.  The lessons are there, and are clear, and some days I could see a girl really feeling one way and switching another.  Like the father in the book, our kids, inshaAllah, have been taught right and wrong, we have to see what they do when tested.  And this book can really speak to them, and offer them a bit of conciousness when faced with a seemingly small decision that could have big consequences.  This book will stay with a reader, and that’s a good thing.  I just don’t know if it will manifest the same with everyone, and I think that is a great thing.

 

Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fraVJZI1xNU

From the Author: https://muslimmatters.org/2017/11/10/an-acquaintance-a-young-adult-novel/

 

Oct2

Zaahir & Jamel the Camel: Hajj by Amatullah Almarwani

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hajj

This book is a great read for explaining the different parts of Hajj in a linear, easy to follow, fun way to children.  The author gives facts in a fictionalized setting with Zaahir and his camel, Jamel getting ready for, and performing the hajj.  The illustrations are also engaging and give plenty to talk about in both one-on-one reading scenarios and in larger groups.  For story time the book works well to read a page then reflect upon and discuss what it is showing and telling us. By stopping on each page the rhyme scheme doesn’t get too forced as well, as some lines are forced and awkward, making the rhythm hard to maintain.

hajj inside

Overall the book is effective and enjoyable.  The kids can see from the pictures and the simple words the importance of each step, and get an idea about how they are to be performed.  The book is not an AR book, but there is a quiz at the end to see how much they retained.

Mar11

The Garden of My Imaan By Farhana Zia

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I really, really wanted to love this book, I saw it in last month’s Scholastic catalog and without even reading it I ordered a copy for me and two classroom six packs (total of 13 books).  I was so excited, a 3.6 AR reading level, 226 pages, a sweet hijabi girl on the cover, a Muslim author, good reviews online, I was waiting to be swept away.  Nuts, perhaps it was over anticipation or perhaps the book just fell short.  Either way we will not be using this in our current book club, nor will I kick off a 3rd grade book club with this book, sorry parents.   As I type this my printer is spewing out the return label to send the classroom copies back. 

SYNOPSIS:

Aliya is a fifth grader dealing with typical pre-teen issues of friends, family, and school.  The book starts with her at religious Sunday school surrounded by diverse friends.  Some friends are contemplating wearing hijab full-time, some preoccupied with their new boyfriends, some excited about fasting in Ramadan and others dismissing it completely.  On the way to Sunday school, Aliya’s mom is taunted by stereotypes from an angry motorist that has Aliya rattled and confused.  Immediately the author establishes that Aliya is unsure how to fit in because she is unsure where she stands on many of these issues.  Her home life involves multiple generations of Pakistani immigrants, and US born characters in one home, her great grandmother, grandmother, parents and her brother.  Later a great Aunt comes to visit as well.  At school Aliya has a best friend, Winnie, who is by far the best character in the book, a bully she has to deal with, a girl that Aliya is intimidated by, a boy she has a crush on, and a new student, Marwa. Marwa is Muslim from Moroccan heritage, wears hijab, and while religiously is the same as Aliya, culturally is worlds apart.  Marwa also is confident, strong, and devout; characteristics that Aliya slowly comes to admire and draw strength from as she defines who she is and wants to be in some aspects of her life.

Although there seems to be a lot of characters, there is no problem keeping them straight, the writing is very simplistic and at times weak, but clarity is never a concern. The first 15 pages of the book bring up stereotyping, discrimination, bra sizes, boyfriends, hijab, menses, and fasting.  All told from a very naive, innocent character’s voice which makes for an awkward start in my opinion.  As the book progresses she begins writing letters to Allah (swt), which, while I don’t imagine is wrong, seems odd, but that is probably my own background projecting.  My concerns with the book are that for as open as Aliya is with all the mulit-generations living in her home, there is no moral compass.  No one guiding her to be a better Muslim, to help her develop her internal conscious of what is right or wrong.  They all read her letters and no one discusses her infatuation with a boy? Seems a bit odd to me.  She tries to fast, against her families protest then breaks her fast with pepperoni pizza (she took it off) isn’t that a learning moment? I’m not saying the book should have become preachy, but the lack of basic parent-child interactions make it seem that everything she does is basic common sense, and I cannot with a good conscience encourage my little 3rd and 4th graders to read the book.  They will think I’m supporting Aliya’s actions and frame of mind.  Had the author opened the door to discussion or even had Aliya’s conscious question her actions, as a teacher/librarian the students and I could discuss the issue, but there is no pause, the story just states it and moves on.  Same goes for the fact that her father doesn’t fast regularly because he has important business decisions to make.  A concept so contrary to what we teach our kids, we teach them to fast when they have a big decision to make. Once again had the author taken just a few sentences to explain that the dad travels for work and that travelers are not required to fast, readers would get a more accurate view of what Islam teaches, not that fasting in Ramadan is optional.  

The one character that is presented as religious is described as being OCD, belligerent, rude, uneducated and a nuisance.  The character eats only halal, religiously raised and slaughtered meat, and the family essentially refuses to accommodate her, lies about what they feed her, and bully her.  Seemed to me the same treatment they are whining about receiving from society as a whole, they were projecting onto their great aunt within their home.   Finally the tipping point was when this same great aunt started praying/asking Bibi Sayeda for help, a saintly person who helps people find lost things…what? Islam is pretty clear we pray to Allah swt and only Allah.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I like that the book shows diversity within the religion, it isn’t preachy, and it shows the balance that non-Muslim kids often have to balance.  I think if my daughter picked this book up at the public library and we read it together we might be able to talk our way through it.  I think students in public school who have to face more of Aliya’s struggles or students that have non-Muslim family members will see themselves at some point in the book and find comfort in it.  But again, because of the reading level, I can’t justify handing it to a Islamic school student to read without numerous warnings and disclaimers.

I like that the characters do discuss their different view points on hijab, and that Aliya forms her own opinion on it.  And while it takes awhile to make the point and does involve Aliya yelling and insulting the bullies, she does find a way to handle them by being kind, which for this age level is a nice, albeit optimistic, message. 

FLAGS: 

Questionable basic Islamic facts, minor characters with boyfriends discussing kissing.