The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family

Product Information

Lovevthe connection between the sisters and the mums comments raise an awareness of how cruel some people can be. With her new backpack and light-up shoes, Faizah knows the first day of school is going to be special. Aly's illustrations are beautiful as they bring to life the ocean/sky blue color that Asiya selects for her hijab. It goes into very vague reasoning as to why hijabs are important such as "It means being strong" and it also means that "you understand who you are.

We were thrilled to chat with Hatem about his creative process behind his latest picture book, The Proudest Blue, which published with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in September 2019. The author, Ibtihaj Muhammad, wrote this based on her own experiences as a young girl wearing hijab to school for the first time – and unfortunately, the bullying she endured. The girls head home at the end of the day, with Faizah fantasizing about the day she can wear her own blue hijab.As Faizah walks to the school she admires her sister who looks like ‘a princess’ in her blue head scarf. A young girl (Faizah) goes to school with her older sister (Asiya) on her first day of wearing a hijab. A celebration of religious freedom, there is no reason to be ashamed of your faith in this first day of school stories about sisters, Asiya and Faizah. This book is a great story for girls who will wear hijab one day, full of faith and pride and strength.

Although most kids in their class are struggling to understand, Faizah and Asiya are proud of what the hijab represents in their Muslim faith and culture. To go beyond just stating the problem and solution in the book, I make sure to pose questions that will get students thinking about their effects. There might not be a story at all, were it not for the ugly truth of Islamophobic bullying that wearing hijab can unleash. This valuable story will encourage young readers to try to understand and celebrate differences and to take strength in faith, traditions, and family.Focusing on the two sisters, rather than just Faizah and her experience of wearing the hijab, really helps to make the story more realistic and meaningful.