A culturally textured look at a community that is rarely heard from.
A coming-of-age story of identity, culture clashes, prejudice, and loss.
Fourteen-year-old Karen lives in mostly white Boarhead West, and her classmate, Shamshad, in predominantly South Asian immigrant Boarhead East. Despite having a Pakistani father, Karen runs with a gang of xenophobic teens until the leader, Donna, targets her, drawing a cross on her forehead; this prompts Karen to explore her Muslim roots and reclaim her given name, Kiran. Shamshad hates Karen—whom she refuses to call Kiran—for being "half-caste" Pakistani and white, her complicity with the racism of her gang, and not being a proper Muslim. Shamshad torments Karen to the point of physical violence, escalating when Kiran starts wearing hijab and makes the faux pas of pairing it with a miniskirt. Violence increases when Shamshad’s friend Laila disagrees with Shamshad’s behavior and starts teaching Kiran about being Muslim and when Kiran sees Shamshad sans-hijab with Jake, a white boy from her gang. Apart from their own grudge, both Kiran’s religiously lax family and Shamshad’s stringent one appear to hate each other for a secret, off-limits reason, but their ongoing conflict will bring the truth to light. Pakistani British author Mehmood (Courageous Ali and the Heartless King, 2013, etc.) tackles intense issues, including religion and socio-economic differences, and his complex characters, who could have been better fleshed out, illustrate that no one is really “proper.”
A culturally textured look at a community that is rarely heard from. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: March 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-908446-68-8
Page Count: 198
Publisher: Trafalgar Square
Review Posted Online: May 5, 2019
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense.
Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi.
Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood; he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. For her senior capstone project, Pip researches the disappearance of former Fairview High student Andie, last seen on April 18, 2014, by her younger sister, Becca. The original investigation concluded with most of the evidence pointing to Sal, who was found dead in the woods, apparently by suicide. Andie’s body was never recovered, and Sal was assumed by most to be guilty of abduction and murder. Unable to ignore the gaps in the case, Pip sets out to prove Sal’s innocence, beginning with interviewing his younger brother, Ravi. With his help, Pip digs deeper, unveiling unsavory facts about Andie and the real reason Sal’s friends couldn’t provide him with an alibi. But someone is watching, and Pip may be in more danger than she realizes. Pip’s sleuthing is both impressive and accessible. Online articles about the case and interview transcripts are provided throughout, and Pip’s capstone logs offer insights into her thought processes as new evidence and suspects arise. Jackson’s debut is well-executed and surprises readers with a connective web of interesting characters and motives. Pip and Andie are white, and Sal is of Indian descent.
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9636-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
