Muslim Girl: A Coming of Age

Al-Khatahtbeh. Amani. Muslim Girl: A Coming of Age. 2016. 134p. ISBN 9781501159503.

Born in the United States of a Jordanian father and a Palestinian mother, Amani was only 9 years old when planes flown by Al-Qaeda operatives crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City. Suddenly she found her faith thrown into the spotlight in a negative way, with people reacting with fear and incomprehension that 1.6 billion Muslims were not supporters of the terror inspired by Al-Qaeda. Overnight, Amani's family life changed. Dirty looks, insults, assaults, and government spying and arrests made it clear that Muslims were not welcomed in the United States. 

The invasion of Iraq in 2003 added fuel to the fire, which forced her family to leave for Jordan for a year. While in Jordan Amani was first exposed to the brilliant culture that is Islam, which is neither the Al-Qaeda trope, nor the Western parody. Motivated by what she saw in Jordan, Amani resolved to live her life as a full-faith Muslim. When the family returned to New Jersey, Amani quickly become involved in discussing the views of Muslim women, who were often marginalized in the media. She created a website, https://muslimgirl.com/, that presents issues of importance to Muslim girls without the usual stereotypes perpetrated by Western society.

Now engaged in fighting for the rights of Muslim girls to follow their faith in the United States, Amani stood up against prejudices in her high school, then continued her support of Muslim girls in college. She continued working with her website, and developed ties in other areas such as fashion. Energized in reaction to Donald Trump's candidacy announcement against Muslims, Amina continued to stand up for the values of her faith and her rights to be a citizen of the United States.

Saints and Misfits

 Ali, S. K. Saints and Misfits. 217. 336p. ISBN 9781481499248

When people look at Janna Yusuf, all they see if her headscarf. They don't see that she's a really good photographer, an amazing student, a loving sister, a great helper to an elderly neighbor, open-minded, and a daughter to divorced parents, an Egyptian mother and an Indian father. Strong in her Muslim faith, Janna wears the hijab because she feels comfortable and less exposed. A junior in high school, Janna and her best friend, who is not Muslim, complement each other well. 

In her community, everyone look up to Sarah and to Farouk. Sarah, or Saint Sarah, as Janna refers to her, is the perfect Muslim girl, always respectful, always amazingly dressed, leading all of the fundraising efforts at the Mosque, and studying to complete a doctorate. Her brother, Mohammed, begins to date Sarah, and Janna gets the opportunity to observe her. Then there's Farouk. He can recite the Koran by heart, and is deemed blessed. But behind this facade lays a monster who attempted to rape Janna at a party. 

Terrified of the boy she calls the monster, Janna doesn't know how to bring him down so that other members of her community will see him for what he really is. Janna is also conflicted, because she lately finds her thoughts going to Jeremy, a non-Muslim boy with a nice forehead.

With exams, Mohammed moving back into their small apartment and needing to occupy her room while she moves in her mother's own bedroom, with the monster lurking in the background and her infatuation with Jeremy, what's a proper Muslim girl to do? Can she be both a saint and a misfit?

Janna is a wonderfully real characters, with emotions and a personality that shines throughout the book. Not rebellious by nature, Janna must figure out a way to move forward from her horrifying experience with the monster. Fans of realistic fiction interested in learning about a different culture will love this book!