I Was Their American Dream by Malaka Gharib

I Was Their American Dream   by Malaka Gharib

Publisher: Clarkson Potter Publishers, NY (2019); Paperback, 160 p.

Ages: Upper Grades (7-12)           Lexile: 490

Geographical Setting: California, New York, Washington, DC, and Egypt

Time Period: 1980s to early 2000s

Awards:

• Loan Star Favorites (2019)

• School Library Journal Best Nonfiction Books (2019)

• Arab American Book Award (2020)

Summary:

Comparing/contrasting both sides of her family. (Chap. 2)

If you grew up in America in the 1990s before the internet became a necessity, you can relate to the author.  If your parents were immigrants, you’d relate even more.  If your immigrant parents were from different cultures, countries, and religion, you might relate even more.  How did these two people from completely different worlds meet and eventually marry? This is the story of Malaka, who’s mother is a Filipino Catholic and father an Egyptian Muslim.

Through her drawings, Malaka illustrates what it was like to grow up with two vastly different cultures and religions, while also trying to fit in at a school full of other cultures, religions, and immigrants’ children.  Not only does she have to navigate the social life of a teenager, she deals with her parents’ extended families after they divorce.  Growing up, she spends every summer in Egypt with her father’s family learning Arabic, Islam, and other social etiquettes and culture. The rest of the year, she’s with her mother's family learning Tagalog, Catholicism, and the Filipino culture in California.

All throughout high school, in Malaka's eyes, the problem was that she didn’t look Egyptian or Filipino.  She did her best to ‘be white’.  When she later went to college, she realized she didn’t know anything about ‘being white’.

At the heart of it, this is a story about an American millennial growing up with immigrant parents and a reminder of their search for the ‘American Dream’ and a better life than what they left behind. Malaka fills this book with both Arabic and Filipino words she used, recipes for favorite (and not so favorite) foods, and what she calls 'Fun Pages'.

(Note: The graphic novel did not have page numbers, so I cited the chapter which the page was taken from.)

Why mom didn't want to migrate to the US. (Chap. 1)

The process dad took to migrate to the US. (Chap. 1)

Comparing her family to the typical one showed on TV. (Chap. 2)

How Malaka combined the religions. (Chap. 2)

Microaggressions Malaka deals with. (Chap. 6)

She finally decides to be herself. (Chap.6)

Nonfiction Read-a-Likes (Coming of Age, First generation Immigrants):

• Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob.  In this graphic novel, Jacob’s  tries to answer the innocent questions of her half- Jewish, half-Indian son.  However, after the 2016 election those questions become more complicated.  Discussions about love, race, sex, and religion.  (Grades 9-12)

• American Like Me edited by America Ferrera. An anthology of 31 of today’s famous people who grew up between cultures.  They are well-known actors, comedians, athletes, politicians, artists, and writers, but they  are also immigrants, children or grandchildren of immigrants, or indigenous people.  At one time all struggled to establish a sense of self, find belonging, and feel seen. (Grades 9-12)

• The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor by Sonia Sotomayor.  The story of the first Hispanic and third woman on the Supreme Court, proving that the ‘American Dream’ can come true.  Sotomayor describes what it was like to grow up in New York City with both her Puerto Rican parents and extended family and wanting to fit in. (Grades 4-8)

Realistic Fiction Read-a-Likes (Coming of Age, First generation Immigrants):

• All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney. Why does Allie feel alone and lost?  Because she’s keeping a ‘secret’? But is it really? She’s  just never openly told anyone she’s Muslim and people don’t automatically assume it, because she ‘doesn’t look like one’.  What will happen when she starts ‘looking like one’? (Grades 9-12). Side Note:  You can read more about All-American Muslim Girl in my blog post from April 2020.

• A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi.  It’s a year after 9/11 and hijab-wearing Shirin is tired of being stereotyped wherever she goes. She’s tired of the demeaning comments and stares, but most of all the  physical violence.  She escapes her reality through music and breakdancing.  Then she meets Ocean, who really wants to get to know her.  Can she let her guard down knowing they come from completely different worlds? (Grades 9-12)

• Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan.  As a Pakistani- American middle schooler, shy and quiet Amina just wants to fit in with everyone at school while also staying true to her family’s culture.  Can she do both? Or will she have to hide her true self? More importantly, can she stay quiet after her musjid is vandalized? (Grades 4-8)

I Was Their American Dream would be great to use in any middle or high school class teaching culture and geography, social studies or in an ELA class. Lessons can be found at TeachingBooks.  Lesson plans on modern Philippines and modern Egypt can be found on the Lesson Planet website. Listen to her interview with David Green on NPR.

Information on Modern Egypt:

• Egypt by Clarissa Aykryod. Part of the Modern Middle East Nations and their Strategic Place in the World Series, this book delves into the geography, society, economy, and politics of the country.

• Daily Life in Ancient and Modern Cairo by Joan Barghusen. Part of the Cities through Time Series, this book compares daily life in every aspect with ancient times to today.

• Authentic Egyptian Cooking by Nehal Leheta.

Information on Modern Philippines:

• The Philippines by Tammy Mildenstein. Part of the Modern World Nations Series, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the country’s geography, history, government, economy, society and culture with full color maps and illustrations.

• The Filipino-American Kitchen: Traditional Recipes, Contemporary Flavors by Jennifer Aranas and others.

Foods Mentioned now LOVED by Malaka:

Works Cited:

Gharib, Malaka. (2019). I Was Their American Dream. New York, Clarkson Potter Publishers.