Hena Khan

Asophisticated color-concept book featuring a contemporary family introduces Islam to young Muslims and children who don’t practice this faith.

Here the basic colors, plus gold and silver, are used to explain aspects of Islamic life. A young girl with very large eyes narrates, using short, childlike and occasionally forced verses to match colors and objects: “Gold is the dome of the mosque, / big and grand. / Beside it two towering / minarets stand.” She describes a red prayer rug, her mom’s blue hijab (headscarf), white kufis (traditional men’s woven hats), black ink for a calligraphic design, brown dates for Ramadan, orange henna designs, an Eid gift of a doll with a purple dress, a yellow zakat (charity) box, a green Quran (green has special significance in Islam, not explained here), and a silver fanoos, “a shiny lantern.” The glossary is excellent, explaining unfamiliar terms succinctly. The stylized illustrations, richly detailed, often play with the sizes of the objects in a surrealistic way. It is difficult to tell whether the family lives in the Middle East, Britain (home of the artist) or North America. The secular architecture looks Western, but the mosque looks very grand and Middle Eastern. The clothing styles are difficult to associate with a particular country. This both maximizes accessibility and deprives the tale of specificity—clearly a conscious trade-off.

A vibrant exploratory presentation that should be supplemented with other books. (Picture book. 4-7)

-Kirkus Review… (más)

(Full disclosure I received a free e-ARC for review through NetGalley. Content warning for depictions of Islamophobia.)

When Aliya Javaid's parents announce that they're moving the family from Florida to Milwaukee, she and her older brother Ameen are none too happy. (Younger brother Ismail seems like more of the carefree type.) For starters, she's already one month into her freshman year. It'll be nice to live near her grandparents, but she doesn't want to leave her friends behind. And while Peace Academy does have a girls' basketball team, the bad news is that they kind of stink.

But the Javaids aren't the only addition to Peace Academy this year - the girls' basketball team has a new coach, Jessica Martinez, who is determined to execute a Mighty Ducks makeover. For Aliya, this means getting out of her own head, and learning to enjoy her victories at least as much as she dwells on her mistakes. As the team makes a slow but steady comeback, local and then state (and even national?) news outlets begin to pick up the story of the all-Muslim lineup. Armed with leading questions and an apparent agenda, the girls are forced to block more than just field goals. (Yeah, I had to look that term up.)

Based on a true story - that of the Salam School's girls' varsity team in the 2018-19 season - WE ARE BIG TIME is a gentle story about teamwork, friendship, and belonging. As the editorial director Rotem Moscovich notes in the ARC's front matter, Khan introduces elements of Islamophobia and discrimination without allowing them to dominate the girls' story - much as how the girls on the team handle the reports' asinine questions, redirecting their story in a more relevant direction. The depictions of female friendship and camaraderie are refreshing, and I really enjoyed the scenes with the extended (and super-supportive) Javaid family.… (más)

Middle school and family hit naturally with all the smiles and hurdles to touch the heart from beginning to end.

Deena's stressed. At least, that's what the dentist claims. Between no one understanding her love for art, her grades, her friends, and, more importantly, her family and their money struggles, life isn't easy. But there might be a chance to ease both the art and family ends. Determined to help her mother sell her created clothes more efficiently, Deena gets together with her cousin and best friend to set up a few social marketing endeavors. And it's a success! But it's getting to her cousin's and friend's head, which is causing Deena more stress than before. If only there were a way to fix everything.

Deena comes across as an average, middle school girl with very normal problems. She's kind, unsure, and tries her best to cope. Everything about her comes across naturally and spot-on age-wise, making her very easy to connect with, like, and cheer for. Her family is loving and kind but not perfect...just like every family. The back-and-forth between home life, school life, and friends rings with true-to-life problems and situations, while still remembering to bring enough humor to draw those needed smiles of relief. There are more than a few things readers will identify with and see in their own lives, and that in an entertaining and wholesome way.

I appreciate that the author allows Deena to tackle issues in a larger way. In other words, her mother (although not in all aspects) listens to her suggestions and lets her tackle the social media marketing, showing readers that they can accomplish even 'big' projects with determination and work (inspiring). Yet, it stays in reality and shows the borders, and in this case, that help isn't a bad thing. Of course, nothing is easy, and that's also a great message for today's readers.

Then, there's the cultural aspects. These weave in so seamlessly and add a wonderful touch. Deena never thinks about the differences really, but rather, the food, dresses, details and more are simply part of life. Readers learn about the culture...and even more, with art history and such...and that without ever feeling as if there's something to learn. It creates a smooth read with depth in many ways, which is enjoyable to read. I received a DRC and enjoyed the tale quite a bit.… (más)