Muddy People: A Muslim Coming of Age
by Sara El Sayed 
Greystone Books
“By turns heartfelt, bitingly funny, and emotionally devastating, Muddy People is not your average coming-of-age tale. I loved this memoir of a young Egyptian-Australian girl growing up Muslim. It’s a clear-eyed, fierce debut; every word rings true.”—Nadine Jolie Courtney, author of All-American Muslim Girl
A quick, clever debut that is “like the best kind of cake: warm, sweet, a bit nutty—and made with so much love.”—Alice Pung, author of Unpolished Gem
Sara is growing up in a family with a lot of rules. Her mother tells her she’s not allowed to wear a bikini, her father tells her she’s not allowed to drink alcohol, and her grandmother tells her to never trust a man with her money.
After leaving Egypt when Sara was only six years old, her family slowly learns how to navigate the social dynamics of their new home. Sara feels out of place in her new school. Her father refuses to buy his coworkers a ginger beer, thinking it contains alcohol. Her mother refuses to wear a hijab, even if it would help them connect with other local Muslims. And Sara learns what it feels like to have a crush on a boy, that some classmates are better friends than others, and that her parents are loving, but flawed people who don’t always know what’s best for her, despite being her strongest defenders.
For readers of Patricia Lockwood’s Priestdaddy and Michelle Zauner’s Crying in H Mart, this heartwarming book about family and identity introduces a compelling new voice, with a coming-of-age story that will speak to everyone who’s ever struggled to figure out where they belong.
Summary via Edelweiss
Sunflower
Listen, Layla
Gr 8 Up–Layla, a 14-year-old Sudanese Australian, has just finished Year 8 of school and has exciting summer plans, primarily preparing for an international design competition and working toward becoming a world-class inventor. Those plans are abruptly upended, however, when her grandmother becomes ill and her family must travel to Sudan. Afraid to lose her spot on the school’s championship design team, Layla secretly attempts to balance family and team obligations, all the while reconciling the Sudan of her imagination with its realities and questions about her own identity: Is she Sudanese or Australian? Can she be both? When the Sudanese people take to the streets demanding change, Layla is determined not to be left behind, even if it goes against her parents’ wishes. She learns that she must draw strength from the regal legacy of her ancestors and listen to the impulses of her heart and the wisdom of her elders. Arabic phrases, Islamic references, and Australian slang contribute to the authenticity of the well-paced narrative. Shining a light on Sudan’s oft-forgotten history and the current challenges facing the nation, this novel will resonate with those working to make sense of multiple identities. Dialogue about gender roles between Layla and her grandmother, as well with friends and family, offers fodder for discussions about gendered expectations for women across the world. A glossary of Arabic terms helps to make the work accessible.
Listen, Layla by Yassmin Abdel-Magied