This YA book is not part of SLPL’s inventory, but should be considered as an addition. This book follows Sadia, a Muslim teenager whose family has immigrated to Canada from Syria, having left the country before total collapse and chaos. Sadia struggles with all things inherent in teenage lives – peer pressure, crushes, friends, school work, sports – with a complicating layer of being a minority in a foreign country. Sadia is not conflicted about her religion, but struggles with the inconveniences of wearing a hijab when playing basketball, an issue that is one of the subplots. In another subplot, Sadia is also confused about the change in her best friend, Nazreen, who “de-jabs” behind her parent’s backs, and struggles to fit into main stream society in terms of dress and behavior. Sadia is somewhat resentful that she has to act as translator and guide to Amira, a recent refugee from Syria, a task that highlights her Muslim-ness when she wishes it weren’t so obvious, in yet another subplot. Indicative of teenage lives, there is a lot going on in this story that covers a year-in-the-life of its characters, and the author tries to touch on predictable and controversial issues.
Posted by: Regina C.
