Praise for Barakah Beats:
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
New York Public Library Best Books of the Year
Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Indie's Introduce Summer/Fall 2021 Pick
Indie Next November/December 2021 Pick
"This book about friendship and faith absolutely sings." — Buzzfeed
"Superb!" -Alex Gino, award-winning author of George
"Nimra is just the heroine middle-school readers are searching for." -Saadia Faruqi, author of A Thousand Questions
"Sweet and relatable-I couldn't put it down!" - Huda Fahmy, creator of Huda F Are You?
"You won't be able to stop reading once you start! I tumble-down fell in love." -Wendy Wan-Long Shang, author of Not Your All-American Girl (co-authored with Madelyn Rosenberg)
"This lively, heartfelt book hits all the right notes." -Rajani LaRocca, author of Red, White, and Whole
"If you love an irrepressible heroine and the story of underdogs stopping at nothing to be seen and heard, Barakah Beats is a must-read. I'm a Barakah Beats stan for life!" -Stephan Lee, author of K-Pop Confidential
★ "Fraught family relationships, shifting friendships, differing religious practices-they're big topics, but debut-author Siddiqui deftly tackles them with warmth, humor, and compassion." -Booklist, starred review
★ "Every elementary and middle school library will benefit from this touching story." -School Library Journal, starred review
"An important story about staying true to yourself." -Kirkus Reviews
★ 10/01/2021
Gr 4–8—When Nimra memorizes the Qur'an ahead of schedule, her parents decide to send her to public school as a seventh grader, an entire year earlier than planned. At least Nimra will have her longtime friend Jenna to show her the ropes--right? But Nimra's new classmates have all kinds of assumptions about her faith, and Jenna isn't defending her. So when Barakah Beats, the popular Muslim boyband at school, wants her to sing with them, Nimra agrees, even though performing goes against her beliefs. But as lies build, Nimra is torn between friends, family, and faith, until she's no longer sure who she is. From the very beginning, this is an excellently constructed story. Nimra's dilemmas and challenges will be understood by every reader, regardless of faith or background. Nimra spends the book feeling deeply conflicted about music and its role in her faith and life, but the book's ultimate strength is in demonstrating how, just like there is no one right way to be a teenager, there is no one right way to practice faith. Nimra's decision at the story's end will likely surprise many, but it is one that feels absolutely true to the character. And when she does find her voice, readers will feel the chills right along with her. VERDICT Every elementary and middle school library will benefit from this touching story about a preteen struggling to reconcile faith, friends, and family against the backdrop of an American middle school.—Kristin Brynsvold, Tuckahoe Elem. Sch., Arlington, VA
2021-09-01
Twelve-year-old Nimra Sharif is attending public school for the first time.
Pakistani American Nimra was home-schooled until she was 8, then attended a private Islamic school where she memorized the Quran, becoming a hafiza. Now her parents have decided that it is time for her to attend public school, where she’ll be with her childhood best friend, Jenna, a White girl. But once seventh grade starts, Jenna ignores and avoids Nimra. Fortunately, Nimra meets other Muslim students: Matthew, a White convert; Bilal and Khadijah, Somali American siblings; and Pakistani American Waleed. When Bilal, Matthew, and Waleed ask her to join Barakah Beats, their Muslim band, she hesitates because of her family’s interpretation of Islamic teachings, which eschews taking part in instrumental music. But she gives in, believing that hanging out with three popular, attractive eighth grade boys will impress Jenna. Her plan to join the band just long enough to regain Jenna’s friendship before dropping out leads to her lying to her parents—and a sticky friendship situation when the boys sign up to perform at a mosque talent show to raise money for refugees. While secondary characters are less well fleshed out, Nimra grows, takes responsibility for her actions, and thoughtfully engages with her faith. Siddiqui has written a sympathetic character who wants to stay true to her beliefs while facing the pressures of school, changing relationships, and diverse beliefs about music within Muslim communities.
An important story about staying true to yourself. (author's note) (Fiction. 9-12)
