“We see despair, frustration, numerous embarrassments and failures to fit in, and–perhaps most conspicuous and serious–a racist teacher and Americans ignorant to who she is.”

This is a unique and even fun look one Muslim girl’s adjusting to American culture. Fahmy is careful to point out that her experience is not the same as that of others, that this is mostly her own perception and struggles with fitting in and finding self-agency. The result is a fast-paced, image-heavy story of adventures and mis-adventures in learning who she is.

Though the story takes place as our heroine enters high school, the story itself seems most appropriate for middle school readers. The situations, the framing and simplifications of the challenges, the absence of any complicated dialogue or narration, all speak to younger readers, if American-born. If immigrant readers are learning English, however, this is a great “early read” on the experience, though again, I know most teens to be far more savvy in their thinking now than our protagonist is in this story.

We see despair, frustration, numerous embarrassments and failures to fit in, and–perhaps most conspicuous and serious–a racist teacher and Americans ignorant to who she is. Significantly, it is Huda’s mother (and older sister) who helps her find her own agency, even without predicted lectures.

Young non-Muslim readers will find this a terrific story as an introduction to difference and to Islam; and young Muslim readers will soon discover that their experiences adjusting are shared, and need to be.