Young Adult (Realistic) Annotation

All-American Muslim Girl

by Nadine Jolie Courtney

Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux, NY (Nov. 2019)

Type: Hardcover, 419 pages.

Geographical Setting: Suburbs of Atlanta and Dallas

Time Setting: Contemporary

Summary:

“What if I’m not always a good Muslim? I’m still a Muslim.  And I’m still good.”

Sophomore Allie Abraham has it all.  Awesome parents, straight A’s, new school, new friends, and a super cute and understanding new boyfriend, Wells.  So why does she still feel alone and lost? Like she's keeping her real self from everyone; like she’s keeping a ‘secret’.  But is it a ‘secret’? Allie’s just never openly told anyone she’s Muslim and people don’t automatically assume it - because she ‘doesn’t look like one’.  It also helps that her parents don’t practice. So why does Wells's dad, the famous TV "conservative shock jock" get on her nerves and pushes her buttons when he encourages Islamophobia?

As she observes growing hatred against Muslims (and immigrants) across the country and in her town, Allie starts questioning why she’s ‘hiding’.  She’s upset her dad didn’t teach her about Islam, or Arabic, or their Circassian heritage. As Allie starts to study and practice her religion, she now faces the same Islamophobia she silently observed. What will happen when Wells and his dad find out she’s a Muslim? More importantly, will she remain ‘a good Muslim’?  And will she ever truly fit in as an American Muslim girl?

Elements of a Realistic YA Novel:

Own Voice: Because the novel is based loosely after the author, she and Allie share the same  marginalized identity. Both are blonde-haired, green-eyed Circassian Muslims, raised to ‘hide’ the truth about their religion.

Authentic/Realistic: Allie and her school friends, the girls in her Qur’an group, her parents, and extended family all behave according to their respective ages, nationalities, and backgrounds.  The issues faced by each character reflect everyday lives and conflicts of present day teens.

Reflective: Allie and the girls in her Qur’an group think seriously about their lives and places within school, their families and communities.

Introspective: Allie seriously thinks about Islam and openly practicing it.  She takes ‘baby steps’ towards this goal and sees how it affects her relationships with her family and friends.

Thoughtful: Although Islamophobia, religion, racism, prejudices and LGBTQ issues are covered in the novel, it is discussed with respect and insight.  Readers will see (or, hopefully not, relate to) Wells's dad’s ultra conservative attitude and the naiveté of teenagers considering these topics. 

Coming of Age: Allie’s character development and evolvement is the main focus.

Young Adult Read-A-Likes:

Fiction:

Love, Hate, & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah

NonFiction:

Yes, I’m Hot in This: The Hilarious Truth about Life in a Hijab by Huda Fahmy

The Muslim Next Door: The Qur’an, the Media, and That Veil Thing by Sumbul Ali-Karamali

Our Stories, Our Voices: 21 YA Authors Get Real about Injustice, Empowerment, and Growing up Female in America edited by Amy Reed