Under My Hijab

by Hena Khan, Aaliya Jaleel (Illustrator)

Overview

This lovely book from the author of Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns invites readers to understand and appreciate the hijab and the Muslim women who decide to wear it.

Grandma's hijab clasps under her chin. Auntie pins hers up with a whimsical brooch. Jenna puts a sun hat over hers when she hikes. Iman wears a sports hijab for tae kwon do. As a young girl observes the women in her life and how each covers her hair a different way, she dreams of the possibilities in her own future and how she might express her personality through her hijab.

With cheerful rhyming text by the author of Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, and charming illustrations from a talented newcomer, Under My Hijab provides a friendly introduction to hijabs for all readers, and celebrates the many Muslim women and girls who choose to wear them.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620147924
Publisher:	Lee & Low Books
Publication date:	02/05/2019
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD710L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Hena Khan is the author of many award-winning children's books, including Under My Hijab, Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, Amina's Voice, and the Zara's Rules series. She lives near Washington, DC, with her family. Please visit her online at henakhan.com and follow her at @henakhanbooks.

Aaliya Jaleel is a student at the University of Texas-Dallas, where she studies animation and enjoys trying new dessert places with her friends. Under My Hijab is her first picture book. She lives near Dallas. Please visit her online at aaliyamj.com and follow her at @aaliyamj.

Editorial Reviews

11/19/2018
The narrator, a Muslim girl, has many impressive women in her life: her grandmother is a baker, her mother is a doctor, her cousin Iman excels at karate. In public, each of these women wears a hijab in a style that’s as individual as they are; at home or with other women or girls, they uncover their heads, and their chosen hairstyles are equally expressive. When the girl’s aunt, an artist, works in her public studio, “her silky hijab towers up high,/ pinned with a handmade jewel.” But when Auntie is in her own home with the narrator, she shows off an edgy haircut and pink and purple dye. Simple rhyming text by Khan (Amina’s Voice) is a bit on the nose (“Jenna’s our fearless troop leader./ She makes us the gooiest s’mores!/ Her hijab is topped with a sun hat/ whenever we hike outdoors”), and debuting illustrator Jaleel matches this straightforward approach with lifelike tableaus. But their matter-of-fact approach accomplishes what it sets out to do: celebrate the diversity and autonomy of contemporary Muslim women. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Matthew Elblonk, DeFiore & Co. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

* "This is a book that offers great representation and inspires readers to accept everyone just the way they are. A timely story that breaks down many stereotypes and negative feelings about hijabs. A perfect selection to reinforce religious freedoms and self-expression." — School Library Journal, starred review

* "[A] warmhearted tribute to beauty in diversity and self-expression. Cheerful, rhyming verses complement a parade of confident women athletes, doctors, artists, and students, each donning a hijab as colorful and unique as the women themselves." — Foreword Reviews, starred review

"A generous invitation by both author and illustrator to young Muslim girls to witness a variety of ways and reasons women wear hijabs. . . Cheerful, colorful images complement the affirming tone and message of this timely book." — Booklist

"A window into the world of a Muslim-American girl and the diverse women in her family and community. . . Informative and genuine, the book offers much to learn about the settings and situations of hijab." — Kirkus Reviews

"Matter-of-fact approach accomplishes what it sets out to do: celebrate the diversity and autonomy of contemporary Muslim women." — Publishers Weekly

Best Children's Books of the Year - Bank Street College of Education
Book Concierge List - National Public Radio (NPR)
Books We Love - National Public Radio (NPR)
Capitol Choices - Capitol Choices
MISelf in Books - Michigan Association of School Librarians
Monarch Award - Association of Illinois School Library Educators
RISE: A Feminist Book Project Booklist - American Library Association (ALA)
Star of the North Award Nominee - Minnesota Youth Reading Award

From the Publisher

06/21/2019

PreS-Gr 3-A young girl sees women in her family wearing a hijab in unique ways when they are in public, and how they keep their hair at home. Impressed by these women in her life, she emulates their style and wonders how she will wear a hijab when she is older. The book has a beautiful message for both Muslim and non-Muslim readers. It affirms a positive message for young Muslim girls who are hesitant to wear a hijab because they think that they will be ridiculed or rejected in society. It takes away the fear that they won't be able to continue certain activities in their life if they wear a hijab. For non-Muslim readers, this title answers many questions in an effortless manner such as "Do you wear hijab at home?" "Do you sleep in hijab?" etc. VERDICT This is a book that offers great representation and inspires readers to accept everyone just the way they are. A timely story that breaks down many stereotypes and negative feelings about hijabs. A perfect selection to reinforce religious freedoms and self-expression.-Noureen Qadir-Jafar, Syosset Library, NY

School Library Journal

2018-10-28

A window into the world of a Muslim-American girl and the diverse women in her family and community.

A young, unnamed female narrator observes the women in her lives in public situations where they wear hijab and other situations where they do not, clearly showing when Muslim women who wear hijab transition into situations and places where they do not wear hijab. Khan connects in words the personality of each woman in and out of hijab. When Grandma is at work baking, "her hijab is carefully folded, / like the crusts on my favorite pies," while "at home in her kitchen, / Grandma fixes her hair in a bun." When she's in her shared studio, an aunt's hijab "towers up high, / pinned with a handmade jewel," but at home the narrator can appreciate how her hair "is streaked pink and purple." Jaleel's illustrations pair well with Khan's text, depicting some of the various ways hijab is styled. Though specific ethnicities are not mentioned, the family is multiracial, with the grandmother and father appearing black, a light-skinned mother and other female relatives, and friends with various skin tones. Women are also varied in ages and body shape. An endnote provides further information about hijab, what the word means, when women choose to wear it, why they choose to wear it, and that some women, like the author of the book, choose not to wear it.

Informative and genuine, the book offers much to learn about the settings and situations of hijab. (Picture book. 4-10)

Kirkus Reviews