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ninahuynh's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Genocide, Grief, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Islamophobia, and War
rainbowrocky's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Islamophobia, Hate crime, Xenophobia, Racism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Bullying
Minor: Colonisation, Rape, Genocide, Violence, War, and Death
anna_wa's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Islamophobia, War, Racism, Xenophobia, and Violence
alexandrac's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Xenophobia and Racism
emily_mh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Xenophobia, Violence, Hate crime, Racism, Islamophobia, Physical abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, War, Colonisation, and Genocide
Minor: Racial slurs, Medical content, Misogyny, Child death, Rape, and Ableism
Moderate: PTSD (or similar) experiences, depiction of a neo-Nazi, mass death Minor: loss of a loved oneashylibrarian's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Within the first handful of pages, Nisrin becomes the victim of a horrific hate crime. Nisrin is attacked while she and her friend walk home from their school's World Cultures Day presentations. There are not many words exchanged during this scene, but the illustrations give power to all that is not said. After this attack, Nisrin spends her summer isolated in her home, fearful of leaving its safety.
After visiting family before school started for the year, Nisrin decides that she is going to wear hijab and learn more about Islam. This initially outrages her grandfather and worries her mother and grandmother. Initially, her family does not tell Nisrin why her wearing hijab upsets them, and this leads to her feeling as though her voice is not being heard. Self-educating and asking questions, Nisrin becomes more and more confident in the person she is building herself up to be. As her family sees this, they start to tell her more about her family's history, including why they left Bangladesh.
Partnered with beautiful watercolor-style illustrations that bring so much to the words that are written as well as those that are not, this story is one that needs to be shared with young readers. Though this book can be extremely heavy during certain scenes, it brings light to discussions around identity exploration, familial history, and becoming happy in your own skin. Huq has crafted a beautiful story that will touch the lives of many readers in the future.
Graphic: Violence, Hate crime, Racism, Xenophobia, and Islamophobia
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Bullying
Minor: Rape, Genocide, Sexual violence, and War
daycia's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Islamophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Hate crime, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Bullying
kayladaila's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Islamophobia, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, and Violence
Minor: Death, Genocide, Murder, Rape, Blood, and Colonisation
readingsofaslinky's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Racism, Islamophobia, Bullying, Body shaming, Hate crime, and Physical abuse
benediction's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Islamophobia, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Blood, and Violence
Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, War, and Genocide