Huda and Me

Oh my heart! Some books just reach out and give you hugs🤗⁠

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Genre:Middle Grade⁠

Ages: 9-12 (and up)⁠

Available: @thebookmartuk , my amazon page, link in bio. Also bookdepository.com⁠

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Screening: a brief mention of a birthday, and some music playing in a taxi. Nothing really significant, I would call it clean tbh⁠

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I loved every moment of reading this beautiful novel by @ms.huda.h

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Akeal’s family are Lebanese Australians with a beautiful and happy life together. When his mother’s mom gets sick in Lebanon, plans for the whole family to visit change into the parents having to leave the kids behind with a friend (Auntie Amel) and rush over to take care of the grandmother.⁠

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Akeal and his six siblings are left with, at first glance, a weird babysitter, who then starts to do really dangerous stuff. And so Huda (the little adorable “baby” of the family although there is another actual baby) decides to run away to Lebanon and asks Akeal, her bff and brother, to go with her!⁠

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Akeal narrates the crazy (and sometimes outlandish) events that unfold.The book flits back and forth from chapters of Akeal and Huda’s “running away” plan to back before they decided to run away. And the ending is sweet and wonderful and beautifully reminding me why MG is my favorite genre still as an adult!⁠

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The Islamic rep in this book was superb!!! Prayers are mentioned as done regularly, Wudu is done, hijabs are worn (Huda actually faces an islamaphobic encounter and her hijab is almost pulled off and the book addresses what its like to experience this!), Islamic morals are mentioned, duaas are made, and best of all Islam is lived by the characters but not preached! They live as a normal happy family, just one experiencing a wild adventure among a little bit of family drama (all clean and child-friendly). The bond between the family members, love of parents, sibling connection, and care of the elderly is all so reminiscent of real life Muslim families!⁠

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I also appreciated the Lebanese culture rep and the flight to Lebanon, and it brought back memories to me of going to Syria!⁠

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Def a new favorite for sure and one I am sure mg readers (and older) will love!!

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