I'm Just Me.

by M.G. Higgins

Gravel Road, award-winning realistic teen fiction, highlights the talents of our urban street lit authors. Each book is approximately 200 pages, and is written at a 3.0 reading level. Nasreen and Mia are two very different girls. But they stand out at Arondale High. And kids make assumptions about the only Muslim and the new black girl--the only African American--in school. "Who let you into the suburbs?" Samantha asks. Everyone gawks. Nasreen has kept her head down for years. Eighteen months and she's out, she tells herself. Off to college. Mia is bold. Yeah, she wishes she were somewhere else, but she's not going to take the bullying lying down. She has to live her life. Graduate. Get into a good school. The school administrators are ignorant. And worse. The bullying escalates. Both at school and online. The girls come up with a plan to fight back. To regain some dignity. To turn the tables on the bullies.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Teen, Muslims

201 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Nicole ✨Reading Engineer✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently found this book in the dusty corner of my school library, and I have to say I am glad that I found this little self-published book. And before I continue, I have to say this is a book that I think everyone who is a minority MUST read.

This a novel who follows two girls, Mia and Narseen, one Muslim and one African-American who go to an all white high school in the suburbs. And of course they deal with bullying, which is what breaks my heart.

This book definitely wasn't the best book ever to be written, it's short and has a lot of grammatical errors, but the premise is so intriguing that I have to say more people should read it. It's a book that I relate to a lot since I am a minority and I live in the suburbs, but the message is so beautiful that I want everyone to read it.

[Isabel Hinen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3 out of 5
Age range: 14-19
Sexual references: minimal
Swearing: minimal; mostly b words and similar derogatory terms
Religion: mostly Islam, Christianity mentioned
Controversial/uncomfortable topics: racism/descrimination, bullying
Sexual scenes: none

Overall I thought this was a good book. There was a heavy theme of racism and bullying so it could give you a better understanding of others' struggles, or could be a trigger warning. It was a very easy read and I finished it in just a few days so I felt like it was very short/went really fast- you can decide whether that's a good thing or not. But I did feel like it was written pretty well, and the story was very satisfying in its completion, which I appreciated. I would probably recommend I'm Just Me.

[Readersaurus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is spot-on with the daily hell some kids have to go through in high school. Kids who are different in any way, or not different at all, but simply the unlucky winners of that unofficial lottery, become to brunt of other kids' mysterious need to be mean. Well-meaning adults fail to see, or look the other way -- and the targeted kids begin to feel that the only thing they can do is take drastic action on their own.

In this book, Mia and Nasreen are lucky, because they find one another and become friends. Each gives each other a little strength.

I would read more books in this series. It absolutely delivers. A very quick and easy read without talking down to the reader or being preachy. There were places in the reading when I was in tears -- I could really feel for those kids and it brought back what those years can be like.

I recommend this book to adults who work with teens, kids who've experienced bullying, and kids who may have found themselves on the mean end of the interactions.

[Ras the Exhorter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this. I really did. It had potential. The only reason I gave this 2 stars instead of 1 was because of the sentiment.

First and foremost, I couldn't figure out the target audience for this book. It reads like a novel for early middle school, all curt sentences and tween-grade vocabulary, but it regularly used words like "raghead," "darky," and "whore." It was a weird mix of really mature and really, really not.

Secondly, the characters were shallow, stereotypical, and emotionless. If they had been fleshed out, made into real people with quirks and flaws and passions, I feel like I could have liked them, but they weren't, and I didn't.

Overall? Choppy, bad writing. Poor plot. Even poorer characters. Darn. Try again, book.

[Rebecca Saxon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a great concept: two girls who stand out as outsiders in their mostly white high school fight back against bullying. The bullying they face is often racist and Islamophobic, which can be hard to read but is believable. Nasreen is the only Muslim girl at the high school (her parents immigrated from Pakistan) and Mia is the only African American student. It's nice to read a book from their perspectives (the chapters alternate) and see them struggling against racism and awful kids. I wish the book hadn't had them take things too far, as it lost the chance to be more complex and subtle with the topic. That being said it's still a good, very readable book, worth recommending.

[Arisha]

I rate Im just me by m.g higgins a 3.5 because there were many good informal information that helps think about society and stereotypes of racism and religion. In this book they give good examples of how it can affect someone so much and how wrong equality is. There is a black girl named Mia and a muslim girl named Nasreen who are the only colored and get treated very badly and unfair in school. I think this book is a good way to teach others how hurtful and wrong it is to treat others differently because of their background or appearance. This book definitely helps to understand how one can feel.

[Shaaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really emotional book. It really struck my heart because I know that there are many kids out there getting bullied and if I'm witnessing it then I'll help in anyway I can. Don't get me wrong I love this book but I just don't like the ending, I guess it is a little insight of what actually happens and it's not just rainbows and happy smiles but I just really wanted it to have a happy ending but I don't feel like it was.

[Noop · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does a great job of explaining a deep story clearly and concisely that makes you want to keep reading. It's quite a short novel as I finished it in one sitting. It follows two high schoolers being discriminated against and bullied for being the only people of color in their school. Even though this book has a simple setting and background, this allows for their story to shine and their experiences to be felt deeply. I enjoyed the simple yet metaphorical one-liners near the end of the chapters as it allows readers to view the characters from different perspectives and be sympathetic to them. At times the book made me emotional thinking about how this is just one example of racism and this happens in a widescale throughout North America in many Systemic ways. This being said, there was some language/vocabulary that was outdated which I wasn't surprised about considering it was published in 2014. I would just recommend to readers to fact-check before making assumptions about any of the two main characters. However, I also liked reading about the character development of Mia and Nasreen as their friendship grows in retrospect. They learn to appreciate one another and learn while they develop a plan to fight against the injustices done against them. This part of the book especially made me emotional but proud of the girls for taking pride in who they are and standing up for themselves. This was a very realistic part of the book as well as they went through many stages of how to go about doing it. There was doubt and fear and courage and they both helped each other through it. As a POC there were many themes that I could relate to in the book like being the "token" POC having to talk from our perspective and the whole idea of building trust around someone. Overall I think this is a great book for anyone wanting to learn about what it's like to view and experience the world as a POC and especially for teachers, this book delves into a lot of themes that are important for students to learn about. I would also recommend having deep conversations about each chapter of the book and encouraging respectful conversations around learning to expand perspectives as this is one of the best ways to learn.

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Understandably easy read, as it was intended for lower lexile readers. The problems I have with the book are these:

1. The depth of emotions that high school girls have when dealing with the issues the two main characters are dealing with is not anywhere near where it should be in this book. They are high school students given the emotional capacities of late elementary, middle school students at best.
2. As a BIPOC, I have an issue with non-BIPOC writers (my apologies if I am mislabeling the author) writing as if they truly understand our experiences, as is the case with the black girl (whose mom and grandma need to have blue eyes mentioned multiple times throughout the book?) and a Pakistani Muslim girl (whose family is deeply rooted in their religion yet do not surround themselves with others of their religion?) and
3. Arbitrary, but I have a problem with including the word “just” in the phrases on the cover. It’s as if it’s demeaning to be a girl, when that has no bearing on the story. Just a white or black or green etc girl. Girls are not “just” anything. We are freaking awesome. And I’d say the main characters never have any reason to doubt they are too.

Do I see traces of realistic moments in this book? Yes. Does the idea of bullying and especially cyber bullying need to have more awareness as is mentioned in the book? Heck yes. But this book was way off in how it decides to convey its messages.

[Iyana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a young girl named Neema she was sixteen years old in the 11th grade and her boyfriend is named Demonte in the 12th grade,he was going to college soon. Neema lived with her mom and her moms boyfriend, Neema didn’t like her moms boyfriend. One day Neema’s mom’s boyfriend tried to touch her and she told her mom and her mom kicked her out and she had no where to go so she stayed with Demonte but his parents weren’t okay with it so she couldn’t stay long. So neema moved in with her Aunt amina. Then neema found out she was pregnant then she told Demonte but he wanted nothing to do with her . Demonte told Neema to never talk to him again. Demonte’s parents knew she was pregnant,but never offered to help her. Neema had to tell her mother then they became closer and her mother moved in with her sister Amina.
I gave this book five stars, it’s a very good book . It shows how people really are and how someone’s life could really be. I’m pretty sure a lot of girls have experienced the same thing as Neema did so they’ll probably really enjoy resemblance . And I’m glad at the end of the story neema had her family help her and take care of her child . She also had her friends to support her the whole time and she made the right decision to take the responsibilities to keeping the child.

[Abby Fike · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does a perfect job of explaining just how hard some kids have it in public schools the age range I would say would be 14 to adult it does go over some harsh topics that you might not want a younger kid hearing it goes over racism and how some kids are sexualized at school overall I do highly suggest reading it. It really just shows that even though life can be a living hell all you need is good people by your side and it will be better
Also, if you are a parent and have teens, I highly suggest reading this book as well because it can show just how much you might not understand the full extent of some things for example, here is where a spoiler is going to come
















Nareen tries to tell her parents about how she’s being bullied at school but due to her parents just coming to America. They don’t quite fully understand it and just how Mia wants to tell her grandma, but she doesn’t because she doesn’t quite know how to or how Grandma will react. This is one of those books where I think it will definitely make you think on how you act as a person and if you have teens or you have soon to be teens or even if you’re just wanting to have kids in the future, I genuinely think you should try and have a really good bond with them that’s built on trust and love so that way in case any of these situations does happen, your kids feel safe coming to you

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nasreen and Mia meet on the school bus on the first day of school. Both girls, Muslim and black respectively, are bullied mercilessly by the peers, to the point that the girls do not feel comfortable in their own school. After attempting to get adult help, to no avail, the girls begin to bully back, escalating the problem to a new level.

This book highlighted a very realistic bullying scenario, in which the victims are not perfect and do not take the high ground in order to alleviate the situation. Although I felt that the bullying was a little to "wrapped up" in the end, the two girls faced down their fears and attempted to make the best of their situations. This novel also illustrates the mingling of various cultures, and how that plays out within the novel. It feels as though many readers would be able to connect to the story and the characters.

[Nadian Barnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m Just Me by M.G. Higgins is a powerful and thought-provoking read. The story does an excellent job of exploring themes of identity, self-acceptance, and resilience, and I really connected with the honesty and rawness of the main character’s journey. The writing style is accessible yet meaningful, which made it easy to stay engaged while still offering plenty of depth.

What stood out most to me was the way the book tackled real-life struggles with authenticity, making it both relatable and impactful. While there were a few moments that felt a little rushed, overall the pacing kept me interested and invested in the outcome.

This is the kind of story that stays with you and makes you reflect, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys contemporary YA with heart and purpose.

[Hailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently read the fiction book, I’m Just Me by M.G. Higgins, in my English class. I found this book to be very eye-opening about the world we live in today, yet so heart-warmimg to see the bond formed by two high school girls. It brings up the issues of discrimination and bullying that we very much should be addressing more today. The book is about Mia and Nasreen, two different girls coming from completely different backgrounds, but yet going through the same situation. They are constantly being bullied and harassed at school by other children because of their ethnicity and religious beliefs. They are unique in their own way, yet everyone sees these girls differently. Their families are not acknowledging the everyday mental abuse they are receiving at school. Attacked so much, they become the bullies themselves. Will the bullying destroy the friendship they have, or can they survive and overcome this obstacle in life? I would rate this book four out of five stars. The author had a great meaning behind the book, and it proved everyone is unique in their own way. It’s eye-opening to bullying and discrimination which are very big issues we should well address to everyone. Although the book was very heart-warming, it was a very easy read as a senior in high school, but they often use mature language. It is confusing to figure out the audience the author has targeted for this book. I believe this book is for middle to lower high school students who are really facing the time of bullying the most. We should prevent bullying and discrimination before it has started.

[Hannah Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rare book that addresses intense high school issues like bullying, sexual comments, and religious bigotry without becoming in and of itself a crass book. It felt sadly believable and intese wit the complexity remaining accessible to low readers! Well done!

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, and I would definfitley recommend it for anyone in my age group (high school.) This book is impossible to put down and personally, i could relate to one of the characters in this book in many ways. I loved this book and cant wait to read more by the author.

[Sydney Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book I read was “I’m just me” by M.G. Higgens, the genre was fiction. I would definitely recommend this book because not only did it show me how others feel when you bring them down but also how people in minority groups have to deal with today’s society. This story is about two high school girls who became best friends their junior year. They are bullied through the book because one of them is a Muslim girl with a headscarf and the other girl is an African American. Before Mia came to Arondale High School, Nasreen learned to just ignore the bullies and keep her head down. Mia is the opposite. She doesn’t let anyone get to her. As she sticks up for the two of them, the bullying only continues. They try talking to the adults around them about it but no one listens so they come up with a plan to create an anonymous email to get back at everyone who messed with them. This book shows real world issues such as bullying and prejudice because of different religious views. There is bullying in every high school as well as in the adult world. Also, everywhere in the world there are issues with religious views and how all people think different views. This book is a good fit for anyone interested in reading about real life problems, such as different religious views and bullying, and teens dealing with high school issues.

[Lauren Ellzey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a strong hi-lo. Would recommend for plot, pacing, and characters. Some of the internet references feel a little dated, but once you get past that, it's just an interesting read -- which is the point of hi-lo after all.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure why low level Lexile books have to also have low level story telling. Very basic story about bullying of two girls who were very different from everyone else at their school.

[Valerie mincks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the book, it is a very quick read. It has a decent amount of character depth. I could stand for a bit more but this will work for now, overall a great book!

[Maryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It did have a few spelling errors but it is an amazing book overall

[Library BrOOKS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the events are not believable, but overall a decent book.

[sladynoire · Rating 4 out of 5]

👍

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The message this book sends to readers is beautiful not only that but many people can relate to the situations that are occurring throughout the story. It was a great read.

[Flesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about being bullied and getting through it.

This is a high interest easy-to-read book.

[Dani Nicolino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would highly recommend reading I'm Just Me by M.G Higgins, especially if you like easy books and have a hard time following some books. For me that’s why I enjoyed it, it was easy to follow and made you want to keep reading. The book was about two high school girls getting bullied and how they come together and stick up for each other. One is a Muslim teenager and the other is an African American teenager, so they are different from everyone else and that is why they get made fun of so much. For example, they get called names all the time and before the one girl used to just let people walk all over her and when the other girl came she stuck up for herself and they both started to then. It really relates to high school now and society today because people do judge how people look and not how they act. I also enjoyed this book because it showed both of their viewpoints so you got to know how both of them felt and thought during the whole story. I think this book is especially for teenagers because some kids don’t think stuff like this happens so they can see it does, or maybe some can relate to it and might be able to learn how to stick up for themselves.

[maya :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was good. It showed 2 beautiful empowered girls going through racism at a young age. The girls are very different. Mia is bold and Nasreen is trying to learn how to have less anxiety. I loved Mia and everything about her. She would do anything for Nasreen and her family at the end of the day. She was also really bold and I just loved her. I do wish the book was longer though. Stan Nasreen, Mia and Melvin only.

[Jennifer Zamastil · Rating 3 out of 5]

High interest, low lexile novel with a relevant plot.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nasreen is the victim of bullying at her high school. She’s a Muslim and wears a hijab, and she’s constantly taunted and called names like “terrorist.” There are no other Pakistani teens at her school, so she keeps to herself and makes no friends, until Mia arrives. Mia is a black transfer student from Chicago. Her mom’s in prison, so she’s moved to suburban Iowa to live with her grandma.

Mia and Nasreen become friends because they are both outsiders at their school, and they are both bullied. The girls decide to put a stop to it by turning the tables on the bullies. They create fake online profiles, create polls to slam their bullies and more. But when Mia brings a knife to school after being threatened, the girls have to make a choice - are they bullies or victims?

This book could resonate with some readers. It’s small in size and short in length (about 200 pages). The cover isn’t too eye-catching (a paper bag with multiple possible typed titles and then the handwritten one), but the typeface on the pages is large and there’s a good amount of white space.

[Nanci Booher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just happened upon this book on the Saddleback publishing website (http://www.sdlback.com/) and this title came up as a free sample. I started it, thinking that I would get to read a few chapters....enough to know whether it would be appropriate for my elementary school or not (probably not due to the few swear words) but next thing I know, it's time to go home from work and I'm sad because I'm about halfway through the book. Told in alternating chapters, this story is about two high schoolers who are getting bullied. One is Muslim and the other is African-American. They soon become friends but that doesn't make the bullying get better.