S. K. AliRecensioni

Independent reading level: Grades 1-3
Booklist editor's choice: Books for youth (2019).
Rise: A Feminist Book Project top ten (2020).
ALSC's Notable Children's Books (2020).

Gr 3–6—Readers are welcomed into a celebration of Eid in this compilation of 15 #OwnVoices short stories that
show a diverse set of holiday experiences from various settings, family structures, races, and cultures. Whether
familiar with Eid traditions or not, tweens will enjoy this collection that radiates the love and joy of the holiday
season.

This book is great for intermediate and primary ages. This book talks about the importance of a hijab and how much she appreciates her sisters confidence. I really loved that she goes to talk about how the Hijab is very significant to her family and how she will be so proud and confident to wear a blue hijab some day.

I really like this book. I think it is perfect for any age of elementary school students. I think it is a beautiful and encouraging story. I think this can be very inspiring for young girls who are Muslim or any religious affiliations.

As a Muslim, reading this story really brought me joy. Asiya and faizah represented confidence and all though asiya was judged by her classmates for wearing the hijab, she overcame the struggles and was proud of her religion.

“Mama: Don’t carry around the hurtful words that others say. Drop them. They are not yours to keep. / They belong only to those who said them.”

My favorite quote from The Proudest Blue! This is a beautiful book. The illustrations are very imaginative and evocative and the story itself is very heartfelt. A girl’s older sister wears her hijab all day for the first time and as the younger sister watches some of the other kids make fun of her for it, she also watched as her sister proudly wears her hijab and doesn’t let the words affect that pride.

4 narrative perspectives but one story. Great for finding friendships and communicating with parents. Love the Muslim perspective, particularly the kindness. Very inclusive and they all have their own challenges. Its a little worrying here and there -- the kids do cross some lines they shouldn't and that's pretty scary. But they also learn from their mistakes. It's got a good flow, short chapters, and it just keeps moving along -- will they find the cat? How much trouble will they get into along the way?

This story is about two sisters having their first day of school. It is the older sister’s first day of hijab and celebrates culture.
3-8
Social Moral
Fort Steilacoom ECE shelves

Description: Faizah supports her sister's decision to wear a hijab, teaching valuable lessons about acceptance, pride, and self-expression.
Age Group: 4-8 years

What a gorgeous book. I had seen it on the shelves for a while but this was finally my first opportunity to read it. Actually read it.

Written by the first Muslim American woman to win an Olympic medal, Ibtihaj tells the story of her sisters and one wearing hajib for the first time. The color she chose, blue, shows strength. It's the color of the ocean; it's the color of the sky. It is meant to be seen.

This is a must read for diversity and in storytimes. I love how it tackles Muslim headdress in an approachable, not scary way. I love how it addresses people being scared of what they don't know. There isn't any political or religious message trying to be forced down someone's throat. Rather, it is about family and finding strength to be different from them!

(New York Times Bestseller) The story starts with two young sisters shopping for Hijab headcovers with their mother. The girls begin to explain to their peers what a Hijab is and its significance and references for kids to understand the magnitude of the importance of wearing Hijabs.

This book would be good for primary grade students, it would be grate in a classroom as general representation of different people groups. The book is about a girl who looks up to her big sister because she is proud to wear her first hijab to school as she tunes out the bullies.

RGG: Fantastically weaves together a romance, the Muslim faith, Islamaphobia, and social activism. The true gift is how engaging and readable it is.

RGG: Fantastically weaves together a romance, the Muslim faith, Islamaphobia, and social activism. The true gift is how engaging and readable it is.

This book is good for a primary age group. It's about a girl looking up to her sister as she wears her first hijab to school, and learning to tune out the bullies. I'd have it in my classroom to widen the worldview of my students and help them to understand the cultural relevance and pride that comes with the hijab.

This book follows a girl on her journey through her first Hijab. Kids laugh and make fun of her because they don't understand her family's life. Her little sister thinks she's a princess and gets angry when people laugh and make comments. At the end of the day Asiya is still as happy and proud as can be. Throughout the day her little sister finds ways to not let people's rude comments get to her.
ages 3-8

I adored Zayneb so so much and she deserves all the stars. But I think this one ended up relying too much on the romance to be moving the plot. I was way more intrigued by Fencer and the EatThemAlive hashtag than I was about Adam, basically at all. Sorry, dude.

I definitely recommend trying this and I want to go read Ali's other book, but I could have forgotten this book halfway through quite easily.

But Zayneb! Give me more Zayneb! Oh, and Hanna was a sweetie, too.

This is an interesting perspective of how people who cover their head may feel in the eyes of society.

This was not just a YA love story...it was a story of love for the Muslim religion. I’m so happy I read this book. It gave me a look, albeit through young adults, into the world of Muslim. I definitely learned a lot about this religion. I definitely squirmed at the behavior of the teacher. I would have done what Zayneb did, standing up for what she believed in. I loved the way Zayneb and Adam came together, balancing each other in the end. Looking forward to reading more by the author!

Independent reading level: 3rd grade

Awards: New York Times Best Seller

Zayneb is in her first year of law school in Chicago, with too much on her plate and no idea how to scale back; Adam is living in Doha, desperate for a new commission so he can prove to Zayneb's family that he can provide for her. Instead of their planned Thanksgiving break - just the two of them in a cottage in England - they wind up on a group Umrah trip along with an almost-girlfriend of Adam's from his first year of college. Most of the tension and conflict comes from Zayneb and Adam keeping secrets from each other out of wanting to protect each other or be seen as worthy.

Quotes

I was afraid she would leave me because I needed her too much. (Adam, 165)

It all came down to how much of our comfort we were willing to give up to confront the injustices hiding among us. (Zayneb, 198)

"...we're not tasked with the outcome of anything. A lot of my anxiety in life came from thinking that it was all in my hands....But only the effort is in our hands....We can't force or focus on what the end looks like; that's in Allah's hands." (Janna to Adam, 297)

I didn't need to take things off my plate. I needed to put the right things on it. (Zayneb, 303)

The proudest blue follows 2 sisters, Asiya and Faziah. It is the first day of school and Asiya's first day wearing a hijab. Facing hate and discrimination, the sisters have to build strength and throw a tight bond. This book is great because it shows a unique culture and how hatefulness and discrimination effects a person. It shows the importance of acceptance and family.

Faizah is ecstatic about her first day of school and knows that it is going to be extra special. Especially because it is also her older sister, Asiya’s, first day of hijab. Though, not everyone is as accepting and respectful of the hijab. In these confusing times, Faizah must find other ways to be strong.

Really enjoyed this! It was less uneven than most short story collections, and most of the stories are short enough to read and discuss in one class period. I loved the array of Muslim experiences and earnest expressions of faith -- I want this book for other major religions!