06 + 07/50: Does My Head...? + 10 Things... by Randa Abdel-Fattah
Hey, look! ANOTHER review of these books! But it's not really surprising because they're both fun, quick reads. Abdel-Fattah's greatest strengths as a writer are her ability to create an engaging story, developing complex endearing characters you can relate to and a knack for believable dialogue.
Moving on, "Does My Head...?" and "10 Things..." share the common thread of a young girl trying to figure out her identity and what that identity means to her. It's a great, universal theme that makes each book shine in its own ways. Because I'm lazy and have already put off my review for a few weeks now, I'm going to point you over to gwyneira's review for a summary if you don't already know what the books are about.
Alright, cool? Let's carry on:
- I imagine "Does My Head...?" as the sort of book that would lend itself well to being adapted into a Disney movie; it's fun, light and has a "feel-good" vibe to it. What I liked most about it was Abdel-Fattah's representation of the broad spectrum of Muslim families. While reading, I definitely felt my own prejudices and misconceptions surfacing, and by the end, I felt foolish for thinking my crazy family was any different from Amal's.
I would recommend this book for any young girl who is looking to expand her literary horizons. Amal is a strong, confident female character that, I think, many girls can relate to in one sense or another. She definitely has moments of weakness, but when you're a teenager, who doesn't?
- After finishing "Does My Head...?", "10 Things..." was almost a shock to my literary system. While not necessarily darker, "10 Things..." came off to me as a more honest, realistic approach to the prejudices Muslims face in a post-9/11 Western world.
Jamie is almost the polar-opposite of Amal; she's a bit insecure and conflicted about her identity, but also deals with much more open hostility. While reading, I felt Abdel-Fattah really matured as an author and appreciated her direct approach to addressing difficult issues of sexism, privilege and racism. I thought "10 Things..." was a great example of Abdel-Fattah's skill of creating complex characters, especially with Jamie's father. On the surface, and through most of the book, he comes off as oppressive and sexist; however, the reader discovers it's not out of malice, only love and confusion.
Before recommending "10 Things..." to a teen reader, I would have her/him read "Does My Head...?" first and use her/his opinion of the topics covered as a gauge for whether or not they'd like "10 Things...".