2021 – Hijabi Librarians

This list represents some of our favorite Children’s and Young Adult books that we read and were published in 2021. As with our previous lists, these choices are based on their thoughtful and nuanced treatment of Muslims and Islam, and the intersections of identity. We are pleased to see the steady growth of books by Muslim authors and with Muslim protagonists being published by mainstream publishers, and considered over 100 titles, children’s, young adult, and adult titles with YA appeal when creating this list. This year, graphic novels are in their age associated categories. A PDF version of our list will be available soon.

Again, we have not included fantasy and sci-fi titles by Muslim authors whose worlds and characters do not reflect explicit Muslim identity in this list. As stated on our release calendar there is power in speculative fiction/fantasy/scifi world building in exploring issues related to the real world and adding to the canon. We are highlighting these works on the calendar and plan to add a future, separate list with many of these excellent and thought-provoking titles.

What were your favorites of 2021?

Picture Books

Fiction

Amira’s Picture Day. Reem Faruqi, Illus. Fahmida Azim. 2021. 40p. Holiday House, $17.99. (9780823440191). PreS-Gr. 3. Link to review by Ariana.

Beautifully Me. Nabela Noor, illus. by Nabi H. Ali. 2021. 40p. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $17.99. 9781534485877. PreS-Gr. 2.

Bangladeshi Muslim Zubi Chowdhury is an absolute sweetheart of a girl – bold, friendly, and full of life. While preparing for her first day of school, Zubi witnesses her family and friends make comments about how they are either ‘fat’ or ‘going on a diet,’ and having her to question why, and ultimately making her feel that she may need to do the same. When Zubi announces her intention to go on a diet too, her family reflects on the effect of their words, and how “we can be mean to ourselves without even realizing it,” resulting in an important conversation about the toxicity of negative self-talk, body acceptance and strength, and acceptance of oneself. Visual and textual references are made to Islamic practice and Bangladeshi culture, with Zubi’s mother wearing a hijab and putting on a sari, Zubi’s bangles, and food like laddoos and parathas mentioned on many of the pages. Zu bi’s school is a diverse, multiracial community, and one child, wearing a dress, uses they/them pronouns. Backmatter includes a glossary and a photo of the author. This simple story tackles body image, body confidence, and self-acceptance, and can be used as a model to have conversations about body image with young children. Pair this with Laxmi’s Mooch for conversations about body acceptance and a broader representation of South Asian countries and cultures.

Fatima’s Great Outdoors. Ambreen Tariq, illus. by Stevie Lewis. 2021. 40p. Kokila (PYR/PRH), $17.99. (9781984816955). Gr. K-3. Link to reviews/discussion by Ariana, Noureen and Amna.

Halal Hot Dogs. Susannah Aziz, illus. by Parwinder Singh. 2021. 40p. Little Bee Books, $17.99. (9781499811575). Gr 2-4. Link to review by Mahasin.

Hannah and the Ramadan Gift. Qasim Rashid, illus. by Aaliya Jaleel. 2021. 40p. Viking Books for Young Readers (PRH), $17.99. (9780593114667). PreS-Gr. 2. Link to review by Ariana.

I Went for Hajj. Na’ima B. Robert, illus. by Paula Pang. 2021. 32p. The Islamic Foundation, $11.95. (9780860377528). PreS-Gr. 2.

This charming book, told in the rhyming style of Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? By Bill Martin, Jr., describes the Hajj journey through the eyes of a young child. While some rhymes are more successful than others, the scheme helps to break down important parts of Hajj as easy to understand actions. The foreword includes an author’s note explaining the use of rhyming text to appeal to children, but emphasizes that it is not prescriptive for the performance of the rituals of Hajj. There are, however, points of discussion to breakdown points and rituals of Hajj to readers. End papers include a glossary of terms. Illustrations feature female and male hajjis/hajjahs (pilgrims) dressed in white, in various skin tones, and some papers include illustrations of pilgrims in wheelchairs. On the spread that features the kaaba, building at the center of the Masjid al-Haram, readers will appreciate the detail of the gold-colored foil used for the kiswah, the black brocade cloth that adorns the building. Illustrations are done in a retro, simple style, but reflect the contemporary backdrop of Makkah.

In My Mosque. M. O. Yuksel. illus. by Hatem Aly. 2021. 40p. Harper (Harpercollins), $17.99. (9780062978707). Pre-S-Gr. 3. Link to review by Noureen.

Little Seeds of Promise. Sana Rafi, illus. by Renia Metallinou. 2021. 48p. The Innovation Press, $15.99. (ISBN‎ 9781943147939). Grades K-3. Link to reviews by Amna and Noureen.

Room for Everyone. Naaz Khan, illus. by Mercè López. 2021. 40p. Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books (Simon & Schuster). (9781534431393). PreS-Gr. 3.

This joyous, vibrant counting book follows Musa and his Dada (older sister) as they head to Nungwi beach on the daladala, a minibus common in Tanzania. Along the way they stop for a plethora of passengers and their wares. While Musa complains that there can’t possibly be room for them all, Dada insists that they can make room for everyone. Unlike other counting tales where space capacity might lead to bursting, there is room indeed for everyone as they joyfully and inclusively make space for all with wiggles and giggles galore. And even Musa is convinced—Alhamdulillah—that the whole motley crew will make it to the beach together. The backmatter includes a brief glossary of terms and an author’s note. Illustrations by Mercè López are rich in color, pattern, and texture, and readers familiar with Unguja (Zanzibar island) may recognize architectural elements of Stone Town including the minaret of the Malindi mosque on the cover. In Betsy Bird’s interview with Naaz Khan, the author discussed her travels in Zanzibar, cultural consultation, and why it was important to have different shades of dark brown skin in representing Zanzibaris, and widening representation of Muslims in children’s literature.

A Sky-Blue Bench. Bahram Rahman, illus. by Peggy Collins. 2021. 32p. Pajama Press, $18.95. 9781772782226. PreS-Gr. 2.

After losing her leg in an accident, Aria is finally returning to school, but finds that sitting on the floor all day with her prosthetic “helper-leg” is painful. With all the wooden furniture in the school used as fuel to keep houses warm during the war, Aria comes up with the idea to build a bench with discarded materials. Her classmates doubt she can do it, but Aria is determined to do “anything a boy can do” and barters a loaf of sweet bread with Kaka Najar, a carpenter, for instruction and use of his tools. Kaka Najar gifts her a can of blue paint to use for her project, sky-blue signifying courage, peace, and wisdom. Illustrations are beautifully vibrant and colorful, particularly in the markets of the Old City, and residents are dressed in a variety of styles, skin tones in various shades of brown, and facial expressions. Aria’s actions not only inspire her classmates, she passes on her knowledge, skills, and hope to them and to her brother, knowing that they can “build everything we need together.” End papers show Aria putting on her new red shoes on while the back end papers show Aria and her classmates planning and collecting materials together to improve their classroom. Though there is no specific time period specified in the text of the story, the author’s note indicates that elements of the story reflect his own experiences growing up Afghanistan in the early 90s and the need to use wooden furniture as firewood and teaching children to be able to identify land mines, particularly “butterfly mines” that had a reputation for being attractive to children. A Sky-Blue Bench was a 2022 ALA Schneider Family Book Award Honor Book Winner.

Nonfiction

My Name Is Bana. Bana Alabed, illus. by Nez Riaz. 2021. 40p. Salaam Reads (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers), $17.99. (9781534412484). PreS-Gr.3.

Written by Syrian child refugee and activist, Bana Alabed, this book opens with a young Bana asking her mother, depicted wearing a light green hijab, why she gave her the name “Bana.” Her mother tells her that she is named after a tree that grows in Syria and like the tree, Bana’s parents hoped that she would be “qawia,” strong. Following up by asking what it means to be strong, Bana’s mother explains different elements of strength, including the most important, “amal,” hope. One of the spreads, shows Bana on a computer while her mother stands behind her, referring to Bana’s initial use of Twitter to bring increased awareness to the Syrian Civil War and the siege of Aleppo. Bana reflects on how she embodied strength during the war while in Syria, in moving to a new place, and in using her voice to speak up for children’s rights. Illustrations are simple and sensitive in their depiction of war, showing the mother and children turning away from a red-tinged sky with texts addressing bombing. An afterword from the author assures child readers that she is safe now, living in Turkey with her family and concludes that while she’s encouraging children around the world living in war zones to be strong, her message to adults is that “kids shouldn’t have to always be so strong. Every child deserves to live in peace.”

Early Readers

Yasmin series. (Yasmin the Librarian, Recycler, Singer, Scientist). Saadia Faruqi. Illus. by Hatem Aly. 2021. 32p. Picture Window Books (Capstone), $5.95 (Paperback: 9781515883722, 9781515883746, 9781515883753, 9781515883739). K-Gr.3. Fountas & Pinnell Level K.

The newest additions to the series feature Pakistani American second-grader Yasmin helping in the library, encouraging her classmates to recycle, shyly singing in secret at a wedding party, and coming up with a project for the science fair. Yasmin’s interactions with her multi-generational Pakistani American family are endearing and her everyday adventures recognize child agency and actions. Faruqi’s sprinkling of Urdu words and Aly’s beautiful and bold illustrations convey cultural details and insights into Yasmin’s world. Some titles are available in Spanish and French.

Sadiq series (Sadiq and the Big Election, Gamers). Siman Nuurali, illus by. Christos Skaltsas. 2021. 64p. Picture Window Books (Capstone), $6.95. (9781663921901, 9781663921918). K-Gr. 3. Fountas & Pinnell Level M.

These followup voliumes about Somali American Muslim third-grader Sadiq continue to show the importance and value in involvement in community service and relationships. Each volume contains information around Somali culture, a glossary of words in Somali as well as terms that pertain to each story, and a reader/educator guide to asking questions about the story and related activities. In Sadiq and the Big Election, a class election for president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary has Sadiq coming up with big ideas to improve things in his school, but what will happen when one of his best friend’s announces that he’s running for the same position? In Sadiq and the Gamers, his gaming club is hosting a competition and trying to find a way to also serve the community. Could their gaming possibly engage the seniors in the local retirement community? Sadiq and his friends come up with ways to solve problems and make their community better than ever.

Middle Grade

Fiction

Ahmed Aziz’s Epic Year. Nina Hamza. 2021. 320p. Quill Tree (HarperCollins), $16.99. (9780063024892). Gr 3-7. Link to review by Mahasin.

Amina’s Song. Hena Khan. 2021. 288p. Salaam Reads (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers), $17.99. (9781534459885). Gr. 3-7. Fountas & Pinnell Level U. Amina’s Song was the 2022 Winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature.

In this sequel to the well-received Amina’s Voice (2017), Pakistani-Muslim American Amina has traveled to Pakistan to visit her extended family. She returns home to the U.S. excited to teach her friends about the beauty of the country and its people. A school project promises that opportunity, but Amina finds that her task is more difficult than she anticipated, as she must confront her classmates’ biases. A realistic narrative about identity formation and friendships in middle school.

Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin. Nadia Shammas, illus. by Nabi H. Ali. 2021. 128p. Graphix (Scholastic), $12.99. 9781338722581. Gr. 3-7.

This graphic novel iteration of Ms. Marvel, written by Nadia Shammas and ably illustrated by Nabi H. Ali, opens with Kamala Khan firmly established as Ms. Marvel. In fact she is so established as a superhero and next-gen member of the Avengers (alongside Spiderman/Miles Morales, Squirrel Girl/Doreen Green, and mentor Iron Man/Tony Stark), a website moderator, fanfic writer, and babysitter that she finds herself stretched a bit thin, sometimes literally. In keeping her superhero identity and powers a secret from her family, Kamala’s relationship with them is a bit strained, and she appears to be neglecting them, her home life, and her Qur’an classes at the mosque. But even though her best friends white, Bruno and Turkish American, Nakia, know her secret, they also feel that Kamala is ignoring them and clearly needs help managing all her tasks. Everything comes to a head when a robot tries to take over Avengers Tower and Kamala must sort out her issues in order to fix this…and everything else. Though some more dedicated readers may feel like plot points are a little too on the nose (the villain will be obvious to all), this is clearly aimed towards younger readers, and works towards focusing on Ms. Marvel’s relationships and her consistent humor. Easter eggs abound, with a nod to Pakistani actor Fawad Khan and his role in the upcoming Ms. Marvel television series

Planet Omar: Incredible Rescue Mission. Zanib Mian, illus. by Nasaya Mafaridik. 2021. 256p. G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers (PRH), $13.99. (9780593109274). Gr. 2-5.

Omar’s teacher has been abducted by aliens! Or at least that’s what Omar believes happened. What else could possibly explain why their wonderful Mrs. Hutchinson has suddenly been replaced by the awful Mrs. Crankshaw and why all the teachers won’t explain where she went? Though his best friends Charlie and Daniel don’t quite believe the alien theory, their attempts to find any clues lead nowhere. And with Omar’s family off to Pakistan for a wedding, their rescue plans are stalled. Where in the world could Mrs. Hutchinson be? A great addition to the Planet Omar series, this third volume is equally full of humor and heart and infused with Islamic terms and values.

Unsettled. Reem Faruqi. 2021. 352p. HarperCollins, $16.99 (9780063044708). Gr 4–6. Link to review by Mahasin.

World in Between. Kenan Trebinčević and Susan Shapiro. 2021. 384p. Clarion Books (HMH), $16.99. (9780358440932). Gr. 5-8.

Based on Trebinčević’s own life as a Bosnian refugee, this story details three years of young Kenan’s life, as an 11-year-old at the start of the Bosnian war and the breakup of the Yugoslav Federation. Though many Bosniaks are fleeing to other parts of Europe, Kenan cannot believe that his best friends would treat him any differently because his family is Muslim, especially when he sees his family as not being particularly religious. His father equally believes that because he is well-liked, respected, and keeps out of politics, that they will not be targeted. When it becomes evident that not only have their former friends turned on them, including Kenan’s teacher, the family also realizes that they may have waited too long to flee. Kenan and his family face food deprivation, threats of violence and death, and constant fear for their lives as they struggle to survive and possibly flee. Somewhat miraculously, they are able to flee to Austria, even with Kenan’s brother and father being taken to a concentration camp at one point where other Muslim men have faced death. Kenan’s uncle Ahmet even remarks at one point that they are the luckiest Bosnian Muslim family having not lost any of their relatives. Through the narrative the reader sees psychological and emotional costs of war as they are betrayed by former friends and neighbors and Kenan is often skeptical of who to trust, if friendship is real or lasting. And even when they make their escape they never feel safe or settled, relocated several times in Austria and then again to the United States where, like many refugees, they are treated at times with compassion but also as unwanted, degraded guests. But despite the trauma and palpable, authentic anger, Kenan learns that there is good and bad amongst all people and that despite all of the loss he is grateful that he and his family can be together. Though the narrative sometimes falters in pacing and some concepts and historical events may need more context for younger readers, it is overall a poignant and important story. Text also alludes to violence and sexual assault, but is never overly explicit, and is well-suited for upper middle grade readers.

Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero. Saadia Faruqi. 2021. 368p. Quill Tree (HarperCollins), $16.99. (9780062943255). Gr 3-7. Link to review by Mahasin.

Nonfiction

Accused: My Story of Injustice (I, Witness, 1). Adama Bah. 2021. 112p. Norton Young Readers (W.W. Norton), $16.95. (9781324016632). Gr. 4-7.

New Yorker and Guinea American Adama Bah was a typical teenager when the September 11th terrorist attacks were carried out. Soon afterwards, however, her life changed forever when she and her father were falsely accused of terrorism and plans to become suicide bombers. Subsequently separated from her family and detained, she learns that she is not an American citizen, her father is deported, and she must work to support her large family in the U.S. and in Guinea. This well-paced narrative offers an informative and terrifying look at what it was like for many Muslims in the days and years following 9/11 and offers much needed representation about Muslims of African heritage.

Young Adult

Fiction

The Awakening of Malcolm X. Ilyasah Shabazz and Tiffany D. Jackson. 2021. 336p. Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Macmillan), $17.99. (9780374313296). Gr. 7-12. Link to review by Nada.

Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating. Adiba Jaigirdar. 2021. 352p. Page Street Kids, $17.99. (9781645672579). Gr. 9-12.

Bangladeshi Irish and Muslim Hani, has just come out to her two best friends Aisling and Dee as being bisexual, but they don’t believe that she can know for certain since she has never even kissed a girl. Bengali and Indian Irish (as well as atheist and closeted) Ishu is studious and serious, always wanting to please her parents, who only have eyes for their golden child, Ishu’s older sister Nik. But Nik has recently fallen from grace, having left university to get married, and Ishu’s parents are more on her than ever to succeed. When Hani proposes to Ishu that they should fake date Ishu, who normally would hate being pigeonholed into being THE two queer brown girls dating, agrees since Hani’s popularity could help Ishu become Head Girl and convince her parents that Ishu is not like her sister. Jaigirdar navigates the fake dating trope with aplomb, bringing in multitudes of layers of identity, racism, homophobia and bierasure, with a delightful amount of romance and angst. Hani is out to her parents who are accepting of her sexuality. Hani also attends mosque, prays, reads Qur’an and does not drink alcohol, and faces disdain and confusion from her friends who signal that she doesn’t seem like “one of those” Muslims (since she does not wear hijab) and further solidifies their continuous aggressions against her sexual identity.

Home Is Not a Country. Safia Elhillo. 2021. 224p. Make Me a World (PRH/RHCB), $17.99. (9780593177051). Gr. 8-12. Link to review by Nada. Home is Not a Country was a 2022 Coretta Scott King Book Award Author Honor Winner.

Huda F Are You? Huda Fahmy. 2021. 192p. Dial Books (PRH), $14.99. (9780593324318). Gr. 7-17.

Huda Fahmy’s fictionalized graphic memoir follows a high school-aged Huda who has moved with her family from a place where she was the only hijabi in her class to Dearborn, Michigan with a significantly higher Muslim and Arab population. Huda struggles to find her place in the high school hierarchy and realizes that not only has she made hijab her personality (harder to do when surrounded by other hijabis and cliques of hijabis), but that she has made herself small in order to be pleasing to others. Her humor, while witty, is often self-deprecating and her internalized self-loathing causes further harm to herself and the ones that she loves. Fahmy made the deliberate choice to place her high school story in the present day with references to contemporary social media tools, but adult readers will see familiar references to discrimination and targeting of the Muslim communities in the immediate years following 9/11. Fahmy’s humorous, laugh-out-loud work continues to entertain, educate, and resonate with all readers and is also an important work of self-reflection for Muslim readers.

Listen, Layla. Yassmin Abdel-Magied. 2021. 288p. Penguin Australia, $15.99. (9781760896065). Gr 7 and up. Link to review by Mahasin.

Misfit in Love. S.K. Ali. 2021. 320p. Salaam Reads (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers), $19.99. (9781534442757). Grades 9-12. Link to Review by Nada.

Perfectly Parvin. Olivia Abtahi. 2021. 320p. G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers (PRH), $17.99. (9780593109427). Gr. 7-12.

Fun-loving prankster Parvin Mohammadi is elated to start high school with her new boyfriend, Wesley, only to have him dump her at freshman orientation for being “loud” and “too much.” Wallowing in romance movies, Parvin comes to the (false) realization that demure girls get the guy and plans to show up Wesley by getting bisexual sophomore Matty Fumero to be her Homecoming date. Parvin’s attempt to 180 her personality and style has best friends pansexual, Korean American Ruth and gay, Mexican American Fabian doubtful and disapproving. Parvin’s aunt Sara, who is viewing it all via Skype from Iran while waiting on her U.S. visa to arrive, also urges Parvin to be herself. Compounding this self-doubt is Parvin’s internalized identity struggle and how much this affects her perception of beauty and romance. Despite their obvious affection, she is not able to glean much from her Iranian Shi’a father, does not look much like her white Episcopalian mother or any of the beautiful women in the media, nor does she feel Iranian enough to fit in with the other Iranians Americans, even as it becomes obvious that one of her classmates from Farsi school may want to be more than friends. But when her schemes and internalization lead her to ditch her friends when they need her most and her aunt Sara’s plan to visit is threatened by the Muslim ban, Parvin must decide what is most important to her and what kind of person she truly is. Even in her most self-deprecating moments, Parvin is funny, witty, and lovable. And while some elements of representation might give readers pause, it is all in the cause of learning acceptance. A truly enjoyable read.