Nabela Noor

What a beautifully illustrated story that partners so well with the message written inside the book. This is definitely a book I would love to have available in any grade level classroom, solely based on the fact that it can help any child with a reminder to just be themselves and no one else. I think this book with resonate with a lot of young children as well with older ones. The story is laid out so well done. I love that the author takes time at the end to give more insight to some of the words they use throughout the story to help readers who are not familiar with the different language spoken inside the story. Amazing job!… (más)

"Zubi Chowdhury is thrilled about her first day of school.

She’s got a special outfit picked out: a pink shirt paired with overalls tailored in Bangladesh. She’s got her hair in a special style: two bouncy, perfect pigtails. And she’s got the perfect accessories: butterfly clips and bangles. Zubi feels gorgeous—but the rest of her Bangladeshi Muslim family doesn’t. Her mother bemoans her large stomach, her older sister, Naya, is on a diet in preparation for the school dance, and her father frets about how much weight he’s recently gained. Then, at school, Zubi’s classmate Kennedy calls their classmate Alix fat. Zubi—who illustrations reveal is fat—has always loved her body, but after this onslaught of negative messaging at home and in the schoolyard, she wonders if she’s deluding herself. At dinner, she decides to go on a diet. When she announces this to her family, her parents, siblings, and grandmother launch into a round of self-reflection that culminates in a frank conversation about what it really means to be beautiful. This warmly illustrated picture book features characters with varying body types, skin colors, and hair textures. Zubi’s slow descent from self-confidence to self-doubt realistically brings to light the subtle messages children get from friends and family about which bodies are valued and which are not. Zubi’s conversation with her family is a model for parents and children alike. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A spunky and sincere picture book about body positivity. (Picture book. 3-7)" www.kirkusreviews.com, A Kirkus Starred Review… (más)