5 stars A modern-day Monster with a story all its own. Told through powerful verse and emotive visuals, this is the story of Amal Shahid, a teenage artist and poet sent to prison for a crime he did not commit. I love Zoboi’s writing and this one did not disappoint. Packed with raw emotion, this book is…
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Illustrated by Rhaida El Touny 3 stars A fun new twist on the classic fairy tales Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Sleepy Beauty. Told through interconnected stories, the book follows Rumaysa who is locked away in a tower where a witch makes her spin straw into gold. I really enjoyed the endings in this book. The heroines…
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by Huda Fahmy 5 stars A sweet, humorous story about Fahmy’s journey though the pressure to get married, incompatible suitors, and finally meeting her husband. The story goes through various rules of Islam related to interpersonal relationships and some of the innerworkings of arranged marriages. It offers a first-hand, positive experience with arranged marriage, corrects…
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Illustrated by Meenal Patel 5 star An adorable story about one girl finding inspiration in the women she sees in her life. Flowing through various colors, Tima showcases women she admires and their special traits, associating each trait with the color of hijab the woman wears. Great variety of characteristics presented, from hardworking and stylish…
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5 stars A stunning picture book that shows how Ramadan is celebrated all around the world. Follow Moon through her different phases as she watches people fast, gather for Iftar, do kind acts, collect for charity, pray, and come together. From Indonesia to the UK to Somalia to Argentina to the US, Khan Kazi beautifully…
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5 stars A hilarious and heartwarming coming of age tale about figuring out your identity. At her old school, Huda was “the hijabi girl”. But when her family moves to a new town, she’s no longer the only one wearing hijab. She must come to terms with her identity issues and learn who she truly…
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3 stars Written as part of her Master of Fine Arts project, this book gives glimpses into El Sayed’s life, both from childhood to adolescents and into adulthood. The book tackles many topics including cancer, parental expectations and double standards, racism, bullying, divorce, friendship, religion, and moving to a different country. It deals largely with…
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5 stars Absolutely hilarious! I usually have a poker face when I read but this one had me grinning and, at times, even laughing out loud. Loved Fahmy’s style of humor and the way she pokes fun at various issues to bring them to light (stereotypes, misconceptions, ignorance, lack of representation, microaggressions, racism, etc.). There’s…
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4 stars As far as the fake-dating trope goes, this one was pretty good. I’m not usually a fan of the trope because of the predetermined trajectory of the relationship. Because of that, it took me a bit to get into this book. But there were also enough other things going on to keep me…
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4 stars A sweet story of a girl’s first time fasting for Ramadan. At first, Lailah is excited about being able to fast, but after moving from Abu Dhabi to American, she’s worried about explaining fasting and Ramadan to her teachers and classmates who might not understand. One aspect I loved about the book is…
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