Sunday, October 30, 2011

Module 7: Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel Fattah

"Belief means nothing without action."
gcdamagazine.com
Citation
Abdel-Fattah, R.  (2007).  Does my head look big in this?  New York:  Orchard Books.


Summary
Amal is a fashion-savvy junior at a snooty prep school in a well-to-do suburb of Melbourne.  She is also Australian-Muslim-Palestinian and has just decided to wear her hijab--the traditional Muslim head cover--full time.  Her parents warn her to think carefully about her choice, warning her of the teasing she is bound to endure at school and the whispers she will hear in grocery stores and at the mall.  Her closest Muslim and non-Muslim friends are supportive of her choice to display her faith on he read.  Her classmates simply do not understand her choice or the reasons behind it, largely because they do not understand her faith.  Amal struggles to stay strong as she faces discrimination and learns more about herself and her Muslim culture, eventually coming to terms with her identity as a young Australian-Muslim-Palestinian girl.   


My Impressions
Does My Head Look Big in This? tackles issues that every teenager faces--identity, faith, and the pressures of teenage life.  Amal tells her story with a smart, and insightful voice, all the while remaining true to her youth with a little bit of sass.  It is refreshing to find a well-executed young adult novel with a strong heroine who does not bend in her morals.  Amal successfully fields questions about her choice to not drink or do drugs, as well has her decision to remain pure until marriage.  Teens face these choices every day, and this novel demonstrates that abstinence in any form is a valid choice without being preachy.  


Another aspect of this book is the understanding it brings to Muslim culture.  While the story takes place in Australia, many parallels can be drawn to American society.  One of Amal's biggest obstacles in school is the lack of understanding by her peers.  They see a hijab and immediately think of the Taliban, which is simply not the case for a majority of devout Muslims.  The reader also experiences a spectrum of Muslim families, from Amal's religious, yet contemporary, family, to her friend, Leila's, very strict, very traditional family.  Amal finds strength in her faith and freedom through her choice to wear the hijab.


Reviews

"I would sit beside other commuters bent over books containing the crude orientalist-type narratives in which Muslim women protagonists achieved 'liberation' because they 'escaped' Islam or were victims of honor killings, domestic violence and oppression because of Islam," says Randa Abdel-Fattah of what inspired her to write Does My Head Look Big in This? Rather than tell a story about victims and oppression, Abdel-Fattah created witty, fashion-conscious, Friends addict Amal, who could have a home in any number of chick-lit YA novels. Amal, a Pakistani-Australian Muslim, makes one of the most important fashion and social decisions of her life: She's going to wear the hijab full time. Her Muslim girlfriends are thrilled as are her loving parents. Buoyed by their support and her faith, Amal carefully chooses head scarves that will complement her complexion and match her school outfits. Once she enters her exclusive prep school, however, she finds that her classmates taunt her and call her "towel-head." Amal's strong sense of self and confidence, along with reassurances from her friends, help her stand up to the students who ask her what she knows about terrorism. Outside of school, Amal makes sharp observations of what it means to be a modern Muslim woman and describes the different ways her parents' friends interpret the Koran and practice Islam. Amal never wavers in her faith, even when it means letting go of a crush on cute, smart Josh. Despite the heavy subject matter, Amal narrates with humor and depth. "I wanted to write a book which allowed readers to enter the world of the average Muslim teenage girl," says the author, "and see past the headlines and stereotypes and realize that she was experiencing the same dramas and challenges of adolescence as her non-Muslim peers and have a giggle in the process."

[Review of the book Does my head look big in this? by R. Abdel Fattah].  (2007).  Kirkus Reviews, 75(23), 3-4.  Retried from http://www.kirkusreviews.com.

"With an engaging narrator at the helm, Abdel-Fattah's debut novel should open the eyes of many a reader. Headstrong and witty, 16-year-old Amal, an Australian-Muslim-Palestinian ("That means I was born an Aussie and whacked with some seriously confusing identity hyphens") decides during winter break from her posh private school that she's ready to wear the hijab, the Muslim head scarf, fulltime, as a testament to her faith. Amal knows she will face discrimination by classmates and misinformed people but she is committed to her decision; her parents are initially concerned, but ultimately rally behind her. Their worries, in fact, are well-founded: Amal attracts her share of stares and taunts both at school and around town, but she finds strength, not only from her convictions, but from her close-knit group of friends, who for various reasons--being Japanese, Jewish, nerdy or body-conscious--are perceived as being outside "the norm." As Amal struggles with her identity in a post-9/11 world ("Do you have any idea how it feels to be me, a Muslim, today? I mean, just turn on the television, open a newspaper.… It feels like I'm drowning in it all"), her faith--and an array of ever-ready quips--help her navigate an often-unforgiving world. Using a winning mix of humor and sensitivity, Abdel-Fattah ably demonstrates that her heroine is, at heart, a teen like any other. This debut should speak to anyone who has felt like an outsider for any reason. Ages 12-up."

[Review of the book Does my head look big in this? by R. Abdel Fattah].  (2007).  Publisher's Weekly, 254(21), 56-57.  Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com.



Suggested Library Uses

  • Read as part of a junior high or high school-age book club.  This book provides an excellent opportunity to allow teens to discuss issues in their lives, such as identity, school pressures, and faith of all varieties.  It would be especially interesting in a mother-daughter book club, as mothers can provide insight into lessons they've learned and share in their daughters' struggles in a key time in their lives.  It would be especially interesting if a Muslim teen or community member could share their own experiences.
  • Include in a display about Islam or during an important Muslim holiday, such as Ramadan.    



Find it @ your library - Albany County Public Library
YA FICTION AB231D

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