Does My Head Look Big in This?

Does My Head Look Big in This?
By Randa Abdel-Fattah
Orchard Books, 2007. 360 pgs. Young Adult

Amal, an Australian-Palestinian teenager, decides to wear the hijab, the Muslim head scarf, full time. Wearing the hijab is a huge decision, especially attending a snooty private school, and Amal is nervous about her decision, but she's determined to live her faith. She also has to decide how to live her beliefs when her crush, Adam, seems to be returning her interest.

This was interesting look at what it's like to be a Muslim teenager, but it's also an interesting look at what it's like to be any sort of teenager, showing that universal desire to fit in while being true to one's self. The issue of the hijab is fascinating, but it's just as interesting to see how many of the other Muslim characters vary in the ways they practice their religion. This book has a little bit of language, but it's a great book about a teenager understanding and living her religion.

AE