Does my head look big in this?

Title: Does my head look big in this?

Author: Abdel-Fattah, Randa.

Illustration:

Publisher:Orchard Books

CIP Year Eleven at an exclusive prep school in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, would be tough enough, but it is further complicated for Amal when she decides to wear the hijab, the Muslim head scarf, full-time as a badge of her faith--without losing her identity or sense of style.

Comments

I have been pushing this book on anyone who asks. I went into this thinking it was just another teen novel, but it provided so much more. I gave me a glimpse into a what it is like when a person choses to wear a hijab full-time.

Even though the story takes place in Australia, the author keeps the Aussie slang to a minimum. It isn't just a book about a Muslim girl and the trials she experiences with her choice, it is a book that any teen girl can identify with. The author did a great job showing the difference in Muslim families and the worried Amal's parents had with her decision.

The ending is a bit too neat for me, however the characters are realistic. There are students that are supportive, and those that are not. There are concerns from the school administration, and from her parents. Her parents support her all the way as do her close friends. In the end a lot of her classmates get to know her better because of her decision.

Highly recommended.