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Bifocal
On the White Ravens' Outstanding New International Books for Children and Young Adults list, 2008 ForeWord Magazine 's Book of the Year Awards Bronze Medal Winner (YA Fiction category), 2007 Snow Willow Award nominee, 2008 CCBC's Best Books for Kids and Teens, 2008 Two bestselling authors join forces to write a powerful novel about racism. A student arrested on suspicions of terrorism. A high school torn apart by racism. Two boys from two different sets of circumstances forced to choose sides. These are the issues at the heart of Bifocal , a ground-breaking new novel for young-adults. The story is told from two different points of view. Haroon is a serious student devoted to his family. His grandparents emigrated from Afghanistan. Jay is a football star devoted to his team. He is white. One day their high school is put on lockdown, and the police arrest a Muslim student on suspicion of terrorist affiliations. He might be guilty. Or is he singled out because of his race? The entire student body fragments along racial lines and both Haroon and Jay find that their differences initially put them at odds. The Muslim students become targets and a smoke-bomb is set off near their lockers while Jay and his teammates believe they've been set-up to look like racists. Bifocal is, by no stretch, an easy book. Award-winning authors Deborah Ellis and Eric Walters deliver a serious, hard-hitting book about racism that does not talk down to young people.
280 pages, Paperback
First published September 18, 2007
46 people are currently reading
456 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Ellis
57 books601 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Deborah Ellis has achieved international acclaim with her courageous and dramatic books that give Western readers a glimpse into the plight of children in developing countries.
She has won the Governor General's Award, Sweden's Peter Pan Prize, the Ruth Schwartz Award, the University of California's Middle East Book Award, the Jane Addams Children's Book Award and the Vicky Metcalf Award.
A long-time feminist and anti-war activist, she is best known for The Breadwinner Trilogy, which has been published around the world in seventeen languages, with more than a million dollars in royalties donated to Street Kids International and to Women for Women, an organization that supports health and education projects in Afghanistan. In 2006, Deb was named to the Order of Ontario.
Deborah Ellis has achieved international acclaim with her courageous and dramatic books that give Western readers a glimpse into the plight of children in developing countries.
She has won the Governor General's Award, Sweden's Peter Pan Prize, the Ruth Schwartz Award, the University of California's Middle East Book Award, the Jane Addams Children's Book Award and the Vicky Metcalf Award.
A long-time feminist and anti-war activist, she is best known for The Breadwinner Trilogy, which has been published around the world in seventeen languages, with more than a million dollars in royalties donated to Street Kids International and to Women for Women, an organization that supports health and education projects in Afghanistan. In 2006, Deb was named to the Order of Ontario.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
March 21, 2010
Dear Deborah Ellis and Eric Walters:
I get it. Racism is bad. Religious intolerance is bad. In this post-9/11 world we live in, danger can come from anywhere and it's very easy for anyone to be accused of terrorism and this is also bad. I PROMISE, YOU HAVE MADE YOUR POINT.
I understand and respect what you were trying to do with this story - having one of you write from the perspective of a white football player and the other write about a Muslim Afghan boy and then tossing them together at a high school where a Muslim student has been arrested as a suspected terrorist was a good idea for a story. I just don't particularly love the way you both chose to go about telling the story. For starters, both the main characters (Jay and Haroon) are, for lack of a more polite word, pussies. Everyone around them has strong opinions and actually does something about them; Jay and Haroon are always just sort of going along for the ride and trying not to draw attention to themselves. It is frustrating when you have to root for a pair of fence-sitters who are, really, sort of spineless.
Also, the ending was a total letdown. You set up this whole interesting premise where a group of suspected terrorists has been arrested, and one of them is a sixteen-year-old boy. But do you tell us anything about the actual trial? Do we get to see a trial or know how this kid was connected to the other suspected terrorists? Do you even tell us how the police decided to arrest this kid? No, you do not. I realize that this is realistic, but just because something is realistic doesn't mean it'll make a good story. Good storytelling involves tying up loose ends, and your story starts multiple threads and then just leaves them dangling so we can watch Jay and Haroon do nothing some more.
So in conclusion, I understand what you were trying to do with this story. I just didn't really understand why you decided to tell it the way you did.
Sincerely,
Madeline
PS: I don't know what made Eric Walters think he could write accurate teenage dialogue, but he was wrong. So very, very wrong. He sounds sort of like whenever that guy who writes Family Circus decides to throw in an American Idol reference to remind his audience that the comic doesn't take place in the 50's - misguided and a little sad.
Read for: Social Justice in Young Adult Literature
I get it. Racism is bad. Religious intolerance is bad. In this post-9/11 world we live in, danger can come from anywhere and it's very easy for anyone to be accused of terrorism and this is also bad. I PROMISE, YOU HAVE MADE YOUR POINT.
I understand and respect what you were trying to do with this story - having one of you write from the perspective of a white football player and the other write about a Muslim Afghan boy and then tossing them together at a high school where a Muslim student has been arrested as a suspected terrorist was a good idea for a story. I just don't particularly love the way you both chose to go about telling the story. For starters, both the main characters (Jay and Haroon) are, for lack of a more polite word, pussies. Everyone around them has strong opinions and actually does something about them; Jay and Haroon are always just sort of going along for the ride and trying not to draw attention to themselves. It is frustrating when you have to root for a pair of fence-sitters who are, really, sort of spineless.
Also, the ending was a total letdown. You set up this whole interesting premise where a group of suspected terrorists has been arrested, and one of them is a sixteen-year-old boy. But do you tell us anything about the actual trial? Do we get to see a trial or know how this kid was connected to the other suspected terrorists? Do you even tell us how the police decided to arrest this kid? No, you do not. I realize that this is realistic, but just because something is realistic doesn't mean it'll make a good story. Good storytelling involves tying up loose ends, and your story starts multiple threads and then just leaves them dangling so we can watch Jay and Haroon do nothing some more.
So in conclusion, I understand what you were trying to do with this story. I just didn't really understand why you decided to tell it the way you did.
Sincerely,
Madeline
PS: I don't know what made Eric Walters think he could write accurate teenage dialogue, but he was wrong. So very, very wrong. He sounds sort of like whenever that guy who writes Family Circus decides to throw in an American Idol reference to remind his audience that the comic doesn't take place in the 50's - misguided and a little sad.
Read for: Social Justice in Young Adult Literature
November 9, 2012
I liked this book a lot
April 27, 2023
I did not like this book it was not bad but not good the ending id very disapproving and boring it is a realistic ending and not a fun nor interesting ending
November 4, 2008
s it a longing for order, ethnic magnetism, or adolescent xenophobia that makes high school lunchrooms such showcases for segregation—or is that “niche societies? At Bifocal’s Central Secondary, a high school in an unnamed Canadian metropolis, there’s a section for the kids from India, Pakistan, and the Middle East called Brown Town. There’s a place over by the doors, nearly outside, for the Goths and “emos,” who are “sort of diet-Goth.” The black kids sit in Cafrica near the Asian kids who dress like blacks and are called Jackie Chans. Of course, as anyone who went to high school knows, the jocks sit nearest the food and the pretty, popular girls sit where the jocks can see them.
The authors’ strategy for creating this book about bigotry and fear is ingenious: the text is written by two people, alternating the points of view of two different characters. Eric Walters, a social worker and coach with forty-six books to his name, writes from the perspective of a white athlete, Jay, a rising football star being groomed for the position of captain in his senior year. The book opens with Jay and other teammates climbing through a ceiling to get some perspective on a “lockdown” situation at the school. From their elevated position, they vocalize both wonder and contempt for the SWAT teams, bomb squads, and fleets of police that surround the school.
The other main character of the story, Haroon, has an entirely different take on the proceeding. It was in his classroom that the trouble began when police burst into his “Reach for the Top” rehearsal (an inter-school quiz competition) and cuffed him and the only other “brown” kid in the class, Azeem, for charges unknown. Deborah Ellis, the author of the Haroon segments, is a peace activist who has traveled the world to hear the stories of children marginalized by poverty and conflict.
Bouncing back and forth between white and brown, Muslim and everything else, right, wrong, high, low, and the “war zones” of football field, dinner table, and community, Ellis and Walters’ cooperation is both energetic and thoughtful. Bifocal will interest teens of all colors and backgrounds, and will make an excellent resource for teachers who wish to discuss controversial issues in their classrooms. (ForeWord Magazine)
The authors’ strategy for creating this book about bigotry and fear is ingenious: the text is written by two people, alternating the points of view of two different characters. Eric Walters, a social worker and coach with forty-six books to his name, writes from the perspective of a white athlete, Jay, a rising football star being groomed for the position of captain in his senior year. The book opens with Jay and other teammates climbing through a ceiling to get some perspective on a “lockdown” situation at the school. From their elevated position, they vocalize both wonder and contempt for the SWAT teams, bomb squads, and fleets of police that surround the school.
The other main character of the story, Haroon, has an entirely different take on the proceeding. It was in his classroom that the trouble began when police burst into his “Reach for the Top” rehearsal (an inter-school quiz competition) and cuffed him and the only other “brown” kid in the class, Azeem, for charges unknown. Deborah Ellis, the author of the Haroon segments, is a peace activist who has traveled the world to hear the stories of children marginalized by poverty and conflict.
Bouncing back and forth between white and brown, Muslim and everything else, right, wrong, high, low, and the “war zones” of football field, dinner table, and community, Ellis and Walters’ cooperation is both energetic and thoughtful. Bifocal will interest teens of all colors and backgrounds, and will make an excellent resource for teachers who wish to discuss controversial issues in their classrooms. (ForeWord Magazine)
June 16, 2014
Bifocal is a book about terrorism in a high school. It’s told from two different perspectives; Jay and Harron. Jay is a jock, he plays on the high school football team. Harron is on a high school game show team and extremely smart, he is also Muslim
The beginning of the book set the scene as the terrorist attack was happening. It also introduced the characters. For me, the beginning and the end of the book were the most exiting parts; through the middle it just kept re-explaining the same scenario over and over again. It was extremely boring, it seemed like the authors were trying to make up time in the book. There was a lot of repetition. The end of the book is where the main action was, and the problems started being solved. But the very ending was made me really mad. The main question was never solved. In the begging of the book, Azeem, Haroon’s friend was arrested because he was accused of being in a terrorist organization. The whole time we are waiting to find out if he is guilty or not, and we never find out! It is more realistic this way, but it also made me feel like reading this book was a waste of my time.
This book is good in the fact that it educates people about racism and also different religions and cultures. It seemed to be aged towards 13-18 year olds. Although it was a difficult read, it still educated me.
Overall, I did not enjoy this book. It could have been a great book, if it was executed properly. Normally one would think a book written by two professional authors would have been twice as good, but this is not the case. I think that they might have under or over thought the book too much.
The beginning of the book set the scene as the terrorist attack was happening. It also introduced the characters. For me, the beginning and the end of the book were the most exiting parts; through the middle it just kept re-explaining the same scenario over and over again. It was extremely boring, it seemed like the authors were trying to make up time in the book. There was a lot of repetition. The end of the book is where the main action was, and the problems started being solved. But the very ending was made me really mad. The main question was never solved. In the begging of the book, Azeem, Haroon’s friend was arrested because he was accused of being in a terrorist organization. The whole time we are waiting to find out if he is guilty or not, and we never find out! It is more realistic this way, but it also made me feel like reading this book was a waste of my time.
This book is good in the fact that it educates people about racism and also different religions and cultures. It seemed to be aged towards 13-18 year olds. Although it was a difficult read, it still educated me.
Overall, I did not enjoy this book. It could have been a great book, if it was executed properly. Normally one would think a book written by two professional authors would have been twice as good, but this is not the case. I think that they might have under or over thought the book too much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2016
This was a really enjoyable read. Told by the two main characters with alternating viewpoints, the book tackles a number of controversial issues which could lead to some excellent class discussion.
Haroon and Jay are two senior boys from vastly different racial backgrounds,trying to survive in an ethically divided high school which has worsened since 9/11. We share their experiences, perceptions and participation in a number of events including physical violence and verbal attacks. Neither of the two boys is perfect, they both make mistakes as they try to deal with everything going on around them. While I found Haroon the more convincing character, Jay was still likeable.
There are a few unpleasant scenes described in this book and some of the issues raised are not essential to the story, but overall it is quite a page-turner and ends on a positive note.
Haroon and Jay are two senior boys from vastly different racial backgrounds,trying to survive in an ethically divided high school which has worsened since 9/11. We share their experiences, perceptions and participation in a number of events including physical violence and verbal attacks. Neither of the two boys is perfect, they both make mistakes as they try to deal with everything going on around them. While I found Haroon the more convincing character, Jay was still likeable.
There are a few unpleasant scenes described in this book and some of the issues raised are not essential to the story, but overall it is quite a page-turner and ends on a positive note.
May 16, 2010
3.5 stars
I liked it, even though it is VERY flawed, with a few inconsistencies, but it gets the point across (although both authors are white, and far removed from their teenage years).
It could have been done much better, but I still liked it, if only that there are few teen books that deals specifically with this type of racism. (Well, there are books about this, but are almost always written by real Muslims and almost never see a mainstream following.)
Additionally, it deals almost completely with the AFTERMATH of the lock down of the school due to "terrorist" activities and focuses on students were not a part of the suspected terror cell.
Above all, read it, encourage your children to read it, and most importantly, DISCUSS it.
I liked it, even though it is VERY flawed, with a few inconsistencies, but it gets the point across (although both authors are white, and far removed from their teenage years).
It could have been done much better, but I still liked it, if only that there are few teen books that deals specifically with this type of racism. (Well, there are books about this, but are almost always written by real Muslims and almost never see a mainstream following.)
Additionally, it deals almost completely with the AFTERMATH of the lock down of the school due to "terrorist" activities and focuses on students were not a part of the suspected terror cell.
Above all, read it, encourage your children to read it, and most importantly, DISCUSS it.
January 13, 2008
I chose to read this book because a friend recommended it to me. When I realized it was by two very good authors, I was very excited to read it. I found the book somewhat disappointing. Don't get me wrong, I still liked it, but I thought it would be better. The ideas are very timely, and the idea of the story being from two different perspectives is always interesting. I just felt like the writing didn't really grab me. I wonder if that comes from two authors trying to write together? I would still recommend this as the story is different, interesting and touches on some pretty controversial ideas.
Want to read
January 23, 2014GOOd
June 2, 2022
Totally ignore the largest question in the book, characters are undeveloped, ending was ridiculously simple and gave no resolution. How is this a recommended novel for students?
February 5, 2023
If this book contained only one fatal flaw, I could try to dredge up reasons to give it at least one more star; but it contains more than one. Combined, they make me hope this book doesn't become well-known in middle school classrooms.
First is an issue several reviewers have already highlighted: the sermon-not-story presentation. These characters are cut from cardboard and propped up by the moral of their story, so much so that I would never use this book in a literature class purely because of the didactic spoonfeeding. Good young adult literature presents its themes to the reader as a buried treasure to unearth, not as a suffocating blanket or a sledgehammer.
Second, I take issue with the message itself: namely, "tolerance covers all." The writers take this politically correct concept and dash far and wide with it.
The plot takes off (actually, the plot never leaves the runway, but that's my third issue) when a student is arrested and accused of terrorist involvement. "He might be guilty," the book blurb says. "Or is he singled out because of his race?" An excellent question that remains a question. Haroon, the Muslim character, doesn't care if his fellow student is guilty or not. By extension, since he is the most lauded character in the book, the writers don't care, either. The plot meanders away from the jailed student until he's only one example of "racial conflict." But doesn't every thinking reader want to know--was this boy planning to blow up his school, or not? If he wasn't, the police will have a lawsuit on their hands. If he was, shouldn't the intention to murder another human being, whatever his race, be addressed? It isn't.
In addition, the resolution (if one can call it that) is morally ambiguous at best. Why is it noble for Haroon to let his classmates get away with vandalism? Why is it noble for Jay to pretend he wasn't party to the crime? Haroon says that honesty and justice would only create "more anger, more hatred, more problems." What kind of reasoning is this? Does he really believe the racists will be less racist if they get away with racism? Do the writers? This isn't the only instance of skewed logic. More than once, the authors write off moral non sequiturs or double standards by having a "good" character say to a "bad" character, "You just don't understand." Well, I don't, either.
Finally, message aside, the book simply isn't engaging on any level whatsoever. The characters are one-dimensional (Haroon may qualify as 2-D, if we're being generous). I can say with certainty that neither of these writers is a Christian or a Muslim. Both characters feel like products of shallow research, not like children of the writers' experience. The plot plods along, mostly via bland or contrived dialogue. The final scene is cliched and flat.
Overall, from sermonizing to disturbing morality to lack of entertainment value, I can't find a shred to recommend in this story.
First is an issue several reviewers have already highlighted: the sermon-not-story presentation. These characters are cut from cardboard and propped up by the moral of their story, so much so that I would never use this book in a literature class purely because of the didactic spoonfeeding. Good young adult literature presents its themes to the reader as a buried treasure to unearth, not as a suffocating blanket or a sledgehammer.
Second, I take issue with the message itself: namely, "tolerance covers all." The writers take this politically correct concept and dash far and wide with it.
The plot takes off (actually, the plot never leaves the runway, but that's my third issue) when a student is arrested and accused of terrorist involvement. "He might be guilty," the book blurb says. "Or is he singled out because of his race?" An excellent question that remains a question. Haroon, the Muslim character, doesn't care if his fellow student is guilty or not. By extension, since he is the most lauded character in the book, the writers don't care, either. The plot meanders away from the jailed student until he's only one example of "racial conflict." But doesn't every thinking reader want to know--was this boy planning to blow up his school, or not? If he wasn't, the police will have a lawsuit on their hands. If he was, shouldn't the intention to murder another human being, whatever his race, be addressed? It isn't.
In addition, the resolution (if one can call it that) is morally ambiguous at best. Why is it noble for Haroon to let his classmates get away with vandalism? Why is it noble for Jay to pretend he wasn't party to the crime? Haroon says that honesty and justice would only create "more anger, more hatred, more problems." What kind of reasoning is this? Does he really believe the racists will be less racist if they get away with racism? Do the writers? This isn't the only instance of skewed logic. More than once, the authors write off moral non sequiturs or double standards by having a "good" character say to a "bad" character, "You just don't understand." Well, I don't, either.
Finally, message aside, the book simply isn't engaging on any level whatsoever. The characters are one-dimensional (Haroon may qualify as 2-D, if we're being generous). I can say with certainty that neither of these writers is a Christian or a Muslim. Both characters feel like products of shallow research, not like children of the writers' experience. The plot plods along, mostly via bland or contrived dialogue. The final scene is cliched and flat.
Overall, from sermonizing to disturbing morality to lack of entertainment value, I can't find a shred to recommend in this story.
August 4, 2020
I really have to agree with Madeline's review here, the dialogue and the characters make it hard to root for the book.
Read this for school, honestly the first few chapters made me want to stop reading but I just hoped that the ending would be more original and perhaps more inspiring than it was, which was every other teen novel.
The rationality of the characters in the entire book was laughable, and it killed me that I couldn't find one person that I resonate with, and the one person I could stand was Julian, but he was barely a part of the book, and did not have anything to do with the ending.
Overall just kind of disappointed, I used to really like Eric Walter books, but it's beginning to look more and more like the dialogue in Riverdale.
Read this for school, honestly the first few chapters made me want to stop reading but I just hoped that the ending would be more original and perhaps more inspiring than it was, which was every other teen novel.
The rationality of the characters in the entire book was laughable, and it killed me that I couldn't find one person that I resonate with, and the one person I could stand was Julian, but he was barely a part of the book, and did not have anything to do with the ending.
Overall just kind of disappointed, I used to really like Eric Walter books, but it's beginning to look more and more like the dialogue in Riverdale.
July 21, 2019
The story of this book was impactful, powerful, and just... well... good. It was a good story. The writing... well, that's another story. Though the characters were in high school, the writing was as if they were in middle school, possibly lower. There were also many typing errors in the book. Other than that, I enjoyed the two perspectives of a city threatened by terrorism, and the points of these two people were very interesting compared to each other. (One question: what does the title really have to do with anything..?)
February 8, 2019
A thought-provoking look at racial profiling, told from two points of view: Jay, the white high school football star and Haroon, the (brown) Muslim academic. Although a bit simplistic in part, it would be a great discussion starter in the home or classroom. It looks not only at prejudice based on religion or skin colour, but also at the way we begin at, an early age, to judge others based entirely on their appearance.
May 23, 2023
A good book for teens that centres around racism. It should definitely not be read by those who are too immature to understand the deeper meanings - there are a lot of racist jokes that some of my eighth grade students found funny or wanted to share. If young people are reading this entirely on their own, the book might have the opposite effect of its intentions. This is the case for 'some' students.
April 26, 2024
‘Bifocal’ by Eric Walters and Deborah Ellis captivated my Grade 6/7 class from start to finish. The authors fearlessly tackle racism, making it a central theme that resonated with my students. Despite the mature content, my class was mature enough to engage with the material effectively. However, while they were engrossed in the story, the ending left them with lingering questions. Overall, a thought-provoking read that sparks important discussions.
May 8, 2017
I really enjoyed this novel. I love the dual perspective on such a tough topic. This book was a quick and easy read. Despite being called Bifocal, you actually learn about a number of character's perspective. This is a nice companion to To Kill a Mockingbird for grade 9 or 10 students. It gives them insight into the modern racial tensions.
June 25, 2024
it was cool when i was 12
but honestly, stories about racism written by 2 white people, what the hell did i expect 😔
Sure its somewhat educational for children who grew up privileged and have no understanding of discrimination but thats about it.
but honestly, stories about racism written by 2 white people, what the hell did i expect 😔
Sure its somewhat educational for children who grew up privileged and have no understanding of discrimination but thats about it.
July 24, 2017
I have mixed feelings about this book! Read my full review at https://elsbookreviews.blogspot.ca/ ! 😃
- El
- El
November 11, 2017
Thoughtful, balanced, likeable characters and as always with Debora Ellis, I learned something about myself as well. Bought the book to share.
April 4, 2019
It’s a good book but a lot of the stuff are wrong. It’s not accurate at all for the facts they give about Islam.
January 23, 2022
Read it for English class but kind of got bored of it.
April 1, 2022
Book was great but Mid ending
November 10, 2022
Bifocal Ellis, Deborah 3 F Islamic terrorism seen through eyes of European christian & Muslim Afghan along with American dealing w/ pregnancy learn to coexist 2015 8/19/2015
May 7, 2024
Minus 2 points because Kevin did not get hit by a truck.
May 10, 2024
where is the ending???????
April 1, 2019
Read with my grade 6 class. It has lots of great messages!!
Read
March 8, 2017lame
June 5, 2009
Why isn't anybody/everybody talking about this book?!?!?!
I realize this came out a while ago (2007) and Deborah Ellis is famous in some circles but not others yet I have no idea why this title has not received more publicity and recognition. This book is amazing. Ellis and Walters (they wrote the book together) created an incredibly engaging and thought-provoking novel that, at times, can make you uncomfortable but gets you thinking and asking questions about our own stereotypes and prejudices in a way that doesn't sugar coat yet leaves you feeling hopeful and optimistic.
The story is told through two alternating points of view. Jay is a white high school football player who has a limited understanding of Islam and thinks he's a tolerant (non-racist) person because he has friends from various cultures. Haroon is a third generation Afghan-Canadian who feels very "normal" and mainstream yet he experiences a lot of prejudice on account of his skin color and faith and is mistaken for an Islamic terrorist. It's a very down-to-earth story with very little flashiness or exaggeration. The two perspectives are striking because they are different and show how different these two teens' lives are but what's even MORE interesting to me is seeing how SIMILAR they actually are.
I enjoyed the supporting cast of characters possibly even more than I enjoyed reading about Jay and Haroon. Haroon's sister Zana is fantastic for standing up for her faith and against prejudice even when it was not easy. I liked Steve a lot -- his mixed-race perspective added another dimension and I absolutely loved the part where he and Jay talked after their prank. It was such a heartfelt and real moment that sort of made it "click" as to why hate is so pointless. I obviously disliked Kevin but people like him exist so we need to find ways to deal with them and stand up to their messages of hate. I also liked Ms. Singh (even though she was a big preachy) and I really loved Haroon's parents. They were not stereotypes and they showed that even though they are immigrants (second generation) and even though they are Muslim, they are not close-minded and actually have very progressive views on life and freedom.
I wish this was required reading for middle school. I wish I could have found out about it sooner so I could have had more of my students this year read it. I wish this book got more publicity. I hope to encourage a lot of people to read it and to really stop think about what the book is telling you.
I realize this came out a while ago (2007) and Deborah Ellis is famous in some circles but not others yet I have no idea why this title has not received more publicity and recognition. This book is amazing. Ellis and Walters (they wrote the book together) created an incredibly engaging and thought-provoking novel that, at times, can make you uncomfortable but gets you thinking and asking questions about our own stereotypes and prejudices in a way that doesn't sugar coat yet leaves you feeling hopeful and optimistic.
The story is told through two alternating points of view. Jay is a white high school football player who has a limited understanding of Islam and thinks he's a tolerant (non-racist) person because he has friends from various cultures. Haroon is a third generation Afghan-Canadian who feels very "normal" and mainstream yet he experiences a lot of prejudice on account of his skin color and faith and is mistaken for an Islamic terrorist. It's a very down-to-earth story with very little flashiness or exaggeration. The two perspectives are striking because they are different and show how different these two teens' lives are but what's even MORE interesting to me is seeing how SIMILAR they actually are.
I enjoyed the supporting cast of characters possibly even more than I enjoyed reading about Jay and Haroon. Haroon's sister Zana is fantastic for standing up for her faith and against prejudice even when it was not easy. I liked Steve a lot -- his mixed-race perspective added another dimension and I absolutely loved the part where he and Jay talked after their prank. It was such a heartfelt and real moment that sort of made it "click" as to why hate is so pointless. I obviously disliked Kevin but people like him exist so we need to find ways to deal with them and stand up to their messages of hate. I also liked Ms. Singh (even though she was a big preachy) and I really loved Haroon's parents. They were not stereotypes and they showed that even though they are immigrants (second generation) and even though they are Muslim, they are not close-minded and actually have very progressive views on life and freedom.
I wish this was required reading for middle school. I wish I could have found out about it sooner so I could have had more of my students this year read it. I wish this book got more publicity. I hope to encourage a lot of people to read it and to really stop think about what the book is telling you.
November 24, 2015
This fine piece of literature written by two award winning authors originary from Canada, Deborah Ellis and Eric Walters. Something I really liked about it is that it was written in two perspectives Jay's and Haroon's
Jay's part was written by Eric Walters while Haroon's was written by Deborah Ellis. Jay is a white boy that likes to exercise and Haroon is 3rd generation Canadian Persian who is really intelligent.
The story takes place in three places, Jay's house, Haroon's House and their school, it is in the present time. The book starts with a lockdown and Jay decides to go to the top of the building, which he isn't allowed to, and Haroon stays in his classroom. When the chaos is over the police blames Haroon for being a suspect. This is the first clue of racism in the book and as it goes on it increases and shows how every story can have two different sides some can be good and others can be bad. I think this book is very well written because it combines the stories of both narrators and main characters, Jay and Haroon. The way it switches makes it more interesting and easy to read. I think that if the book was only narrated by one of the characters it would be a completely different story with totally different views.
This book really made me more open minded and I think anyone who reads it and takes it seriously wil feel the same as me. Even if it is a fiction book things like this happen in the real life. The way it changes of perspective it makes you feel as if you were in their place, feeling what they feel and everything. I also really liked the end of the book because it has a lot of meaning and represents friendship in all races, religions and cultures.
Jay's part was written by Eric Walters while Haroon's was written by Deborah Ellis. Jay is a white boy that likes to exercise and Haroon is 3rd generation Canadian Persian who is really intelligent.
The story takes place in three places, Jay's house, Haroon's House and their school, it is in the present time. The book starts with a lockdown and Jay decides to go to the top of the building, which he isn't allowed to, and Haroon stays in his classroom. When the chaos is over the police blames Haroon for being a suspect. This is the first clue of racism in the book and as it goes on it increases and shows how every story can have two different sides some can be good and others can be bad. I think this book is very well written because it combines the stories of both narrators and main characters, Jay and Haroon. The way it switches makes it more interesting and easy to read. I think that if the book was only narrated by one of the characters it would be a completely different story with totally different views.
This book really made me more open minded and I think anyone who reads it and takes it seriously wil feel the same as me. Even if it is a fiction book things like this happen in the real life. The way it changes of perspective it makes you feel as if you were in their place, feeling what they feel and everything. I also really liked the end of the book because it has a lot of meaning and represents friendship in all races, religions and cultures.
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