Hana's Hundreds of Hijabs

by Razeena Omar Gutta, Manal Mirza (Illustrator)

Hana has a humongous collection of hijabs and accessories – and her hijab is always styled superbly. But when her overflowing collection gets a little out of hand, Hana knows something needs to be done . . . and comes up with a clever plan for sharing her talents and possessions with her community! Young makers will chuckle along with this humorous tale of creative problem-solving and learning to help others.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Fashion, Muslims, Family, Religion

24 pages, Hardcover

Published September 20, 2022

Reviews

[Maleeha Siddiqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read an early copy of Hana's Hundreds of Hijabs. It was SO hard to keep a smile off my face while I was reading this. Razeena's text paired with Manal's GORGEOUS illustrations made my heart flip with wonder and joy! I can't even begin to imagine how thrilled my stylish 5 year old daughter is going to be when I show this book to her in the fall! She loves beautiful hijabs just like Hana :) The short Q&A at the end with the author and illustrator was also a nice touch!

[Elvina Zafril · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book to teach children about time management and helping people.

Hana is a very good and kind girl. Love the illustrations in this book too!

[M.O. Yuksel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hana’s Hundred’s of Hijabs is a joyous, fun story about a stylish girl, Hana, who has so many creative ideas that she runs into various challenges like not having enough time in the day to style to her heart’s content. I love that this book portrays hijab-joy while also addressing sustainability. The backmatter with a Q&A with the author and illustrator is a nice addition. The illustrations are rich with colorful details; the joy and humor jump off the page!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Digital illustrations created with Procreate brim with sumptuous colors and fabrics in this unique story concerning hijabs. While many readers may think that hijabs consist only of a piece of fabric, Hana's example provides challenges to that assumption. Not only does she collect all sorts of hijabs, but this young girl has many different accessories that she likes to add to her hijab in order to make a fashion statement or show off her style and personality. But her collection has become so enormous that she needs to find a solution. After watching her aunt style various individuals' hair, she decides to set up shop outside the salon and offer her own scarves, jewels, and rhinestones as well as her skills to customers interested in wearing their hijabs but also being stylish at the same time. The artwork brims with life, joy, and creativity, and even the brief introduction to the author and the illustrator offers information about the significance of wearing a hijab to them. This picture book is refreshing and might expand awareness of those who know little about the hijab. I just wish it had been a little longer.

[rroumani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hana's Hundreds of Hijabs is a beautiful book that celebrates the beauty of the hijab. I have a kid who loves fashion and this book is perfect for her! Hijab is a personal choice for Muslim women-- it is indeed a part of one's faith. But it can also be a beautiful, joyous things for kids who are exploring fashion and their connection to their faith. My daughter doesn't wear hijab, but she LOVES the hijab. She has friends who wear it. She loves to figure out colors and styles and she loves going to the mosque and wearing her hijab when she does. If I shared pics of my kid, I'd share one to show you...how much this character from this book actually exists in real life. A book that looks at the joy and style of the hijab isn't the end all on the hijab. It's a story. A beautiful, joyous, fun story that feels so relevant for our kids. Thank you for this book! It is so wonderful to see so many different types of books coming out that explore the different ways we express our faith, our culture and our way of being in the world. This one adds so much to our children's worlds and their ability to see their world in books around them. Pick it up--whether you're Muslim or non-Muslim. You'll get to learn about the joyous, fun side of being a kid who is proud of their faith and the hijab. So often people present it as a burden. This book shows how it is exactly the opposite!

[Inda Ahmad Zabri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A vibrant, fun picture book about a creative little girl who just can’t help herself when it’s time to style her hijab. She has so many ideas that she makes everything hijab-able, and runs into trouble when her hijabs and accessories are overflowing and there just isn’t enough time in the day to style to her heart’s content. I love that this book allows girls who wear hijab, or who have family members and friends who wear hijab, to see themselves in this book, and the adorable way that the character goes over the top, while simultaneously tackling sustainability. Razeena sprinkles lots of fun & ‘hijab-tactic’ words which will get a giggle from readers, and Manal’s illustrations are bright and charming, and I have lost count of how many hijabs she has packed into her art! Love this positive read!

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was pure delight! Hana loves her hijabs and is very creative in adorning them. Once she starts accessorizing, she cannot stop. She finds herself frequently being late, and her collection of hijabs and accessories clutter her home. But I love that Hana is able to show off her personality and style and that she finds a way to share her talent with others in a delightfully unique way. This book really put a smile on my face.

The illustrations are magnificent! Young girls will enjoy lingering over the pictures to perhaps spark their own sense of creativity.

Be sure to read the last two pages where the author and illustrator answer questions such as “What does hijab mean to you?” I loved their answers.

I received an early digital copy from the publisher. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

[O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh what a joy this book is! Hana reminds of Nancy of the Fancy Nancy series with her flair for fancy, and creative problem solving skills.
Hana has a problem with her hijab. But it's not the "Oh woe is me I am forced to wear a hijab" type of problem. It is a problem of having just too much awesome hijabs and not knowing what to do with them. Thankfully she finds a hijab-tastic solution that not only benefits her, but her whole community.
The text is fun to read outloud, with just right amount of fancy words sprinkled through out. And the illustrations just POP out of the page. The beads, the colours, the headbands, the styles! Every time I flicked through the book I found a new detail that made me smile and reminded me why I love my hijab so much too.

[Sirah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hana loves her hijabs. She loves to accessorize and style them. But she has so many. Then she realizes there might be a way to share her love of hijab fashion.

This is a sweet story with a ton of colorful illustrations. It warmed my heart to see so much love for hijabs, and I'm glad that Hana shares that.

[Melati Lum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hanna's Hundreds of Hijabs is a joyous story about Hana and her love for styling fashionable hijabs. A beautiful children's book filled with gorgeous, colourful illustrations and a cute story. It's so wonderful for young people to see hijabi women centred and celebrated in this lovely book for children and parents to enjoy.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

4stars for this celebration of the hijab

I read a digital advanced reader's copy from the publisher

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story about a girl who loves to make her hijabs fancy.

[Lolz]

Adorable story and illustrations

[Leova Manbhat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hana loves styling and has found a perfect way to express her creativity!

[Ilana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this story both in terms of originality and as it frames diversity. The story is unique as it goes beyond an eventual explanatory take - like this is a hijab and why and how someone wears it. It accepts the difference as a normality and within this choice it creates a unique story. My only disatisfaction was that sometimes the choice of words was ill-suited, too pretentious for the age target. The illustrations are colourful and on point.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Jessy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is sick. A children's book for kids aged 4 aimed at glamorizing and normalizing a garment hundreds of millions of women are forced to wear. This is not normal. You can dress this in whatever PC rhetoric you like but it comes down to a movement aimed at keeping women under patriarchal control. This is not what embracing diversity is about. This is a disservice to children. If an adult woman wants to wear a hijab that is absolutely fine but keep indoctrination away from toddlers. Children are pure and innocent. Children do not need to cover their hair by any religious standards.

[Aya Khalil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this sweet and funny picture book by Razeena. Hana has hundreds of hijabs and her creativity shines throughout her hijab-styling. But sometimes it gets too distracting, so will she find a way to still use her creativity? Such a lovely book, and the illustrations are so colorful and vibrant. I loved the backmatter; it's so unique with Q&A's with the author and illustrator.

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our book today is Hana’s Hundreds of Hijabs, written by Razeena Omar Gutta and illustrated by Manal Mirza, a tale of one fashion-forward girl learning the importance of selfless service.

Hana is, without a doubt, the most fashionable kid in school. Her vast collection of hijabs and accessories, as well as her meticulous and unique ways of styling them, are the envy of her friends, and they all come to her for advice on their own outfits. Hana loves to express herself through her hijabi style, building avant garde looks around each individual article. Unfortunately, there are two problems with Hana’s passion for fashion: one, her complicated styling sessions are always making her late for school; and two, her hijab and accessory collection has taken over the entire house! Can Hana find a way to share her talent and creativity in a way that is more considerate of others… or better, in a way that provides them their own feeling of fabulosity?

Fantastic and chic. Pairing Gutta’s playful yet earnest text with Mirza’s warm and brightly-patterned artwork, the result is a story that beautifully explores both hijabi fashion and a lesson in generosity. The spectrum of hijabi culture and fashion is particularly cool; Hana’s story goes into why wearing hijab is important to her, but it also clearly establishes that Hana doesn’t see her hijab as an obligation (a common misconception), but something she takes great job in making her own and expressing herself through. It also firmly establishes that wearing hijab is a personal choice; while Hana’s mother wears hijab, for instance, her Aunt does not, and Hana’s friends are a mix of hijabis and non-hijabis. The length is great for a storytime, and JJ loved the creative fashions and theme of helping others. Overall, an awesome read for fashion lovers, and we recommend it – Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to the Baby Bookworm by a representative of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Shifa Safadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book on hijab, and one that radiates joy at being a hijabi on each page.

Genre: Picture Book
Ages: 4-8
Author: Razeena Omar Gutta
Illustrator: Manal Mirza

Hana has hundreds of hijabs, and she’s so obsessed with styling them that she is late to everything- something her teachers and mom dislike. After watching her aunt Huda style people’s hair at her salon, she gets an idea- she can style people too!

Using her collection, Hana styles others hijabs and hair accessories- and feels sparkly inside at all the smiles she sees.

The joy on each page made me and my daughters really happy- as it truly shows hijab as fun and stylish, which is how young girls typically view hijab. Hana is young and it is understandable she would love dressing up and fashion-centering her hijab, and I appreciated that her mom was mentioned as her inspiration- as many kids (including myself) are first inspired to don hijab. I imagine that as she grows, Hana feels her own faith through wearing hijab (with less emphasis on fashion) and finds her own strength like Mama (giving her prized collection to make others happy is a beautiful way to start).

I really appreciated the note at the end explaining more about hijab and the interviews with the author and illustrator. I love that Yaqeen Institute was suggested for more hijab information, considering Hijab is such a deeply faith-led concept in Islam, and would also suggest pairing this book with another for story-times- possibly Deep in the Sahara (another beautiful pb on hijab that centers faith).

A beautiful story and one that me and my daughters enjoyed❤️

[Olivia]

See my full review here: https://www.yabookscentral.com/hanas-...

HANA'S HUNDREDS OF HIJABS is a sweet picture book about sharing your talents and solving problems. Hana love hijabs, and she has quite the collection. In fact, it has grown way too large and is taking over her house and time as she loves to style them. After considering what she can do, she comes up with the perfect solution - she will offer her talents to others and share her hijabs and style to help them feel beautiful too.

What I loved: This is a bright and colorful celebration of hijabs and fashion. Hana has an eye for design and knows just how to style her hijabs with jewels and other accessories. When she realizes she has a problem, Hana gets creative and comes up with a clever solution - one that also allows her to help others. This is ultimately a really sweet story about solving problems, helping others, and loving fashion.

The font is clear and easy to read throughout, complimented by the stunning illustrations that bring the hijabs to life with lots of color and adorable characters. The backmatter includes an interview with the author and illustrator that is also really interesting.

Final verdict: A cute story celebrating fashion and hijabs, HANA'S HUNDREDS OF HIJABS is a colorful picture book about being true to yourself and solving problems.

[Diza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Edelweiss for the chance to read the DRC of the spanish version! Scroll down if you want to read my review in english.


*Esta historia se publicará en español en Septiembre del 2023, por lo que mi reseña estará en español primero y luego en inglés.*

Me parece muy bueno que estos cuentos puedan ser traducidos al español, ya que muchos niños no conocen acerca de otras culturas ni de sus tradiciones y con cuentos como este tienen una gran oportunidad para hacerlo.

Las ilustraciones son muy lindas, llaman y captan la atención del lector y los textos están ubicados en un buen lugar para su fácil lectura.

English review:

I'm so glad that these stories can be translated into Spanish, since many children do not know about other cultures or their traditions and with stories like this they have a great opportunity to do so.

The illustrations are very nice, they call and capture the reader's attention and the texts are located in a good place for easy reading.

Once again, thanks for letting me read this story.

[Nadine Presley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A joyful celebration of the Hijab!

Hana has a problem, but it’s not the typical hijab related problem we often see.
Her problem is, she simply has too many stunning hijabs, and they are taking over the house. Thankfully she has a hijab-tastic idea, and all the fun begins!
It’s hard not to smile through out this well written, relatable, beautifully illustrated picture book.

I absolutely loved seeing the hijab celebrated.

Prophet Mohamed, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty,” and to me this book is a celebration of beauty.

Razeena’s author note at the end is crucial and helps keep us grounded in the true essence and intention of the hijab. Her Q&A is also a wonderful addition.

I can see little girls who enjoy fashion soak up this book, and I’m happy for them!

[Faaiza Osman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Hana! I love the fact that her cupboards are overflowing with hijabs and accessories, I'm sure a lot of girls and even women can relate to that. I had a little giggle when Hana's mum shows her love for Hana's styling but also gets annoyed by the sheer amount of things, that is me, while my daughter doesn't wear hijab yet, she is super crafty and we have cupboards overflowing with craft supplies. I'm sure she'll find a solution just as creative as Hana's someday.

Hana's Hundreds of Hijabs is a cute, sweet book that isn't teachy or preachy. It shows a girl who loves wearing her hijab so much that's it taken over every part of her life. It shows a girl who is fun and creative, someone any child can relate to.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Need a book to warm your heart and alight your imagination? Hana’s Hundreds of Hijabs sparkles with color and creativity while sharing a bit about hijab in Islam.

Reading grows empathy. Throughout my own reading, I have learned so much about cultures, religions, and locations different from my own. Even though most of my reading is fiction, those differences often inspire me to learn more. And, even if I don’t dig further, those introductions remind me of how wonderful our plant is because of our differences. How boring our lives would be if we were all the same.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hana loves her Hijabs. She has hundreds of them. She accessorizes them too, with gems and jewelry. She's always very fashionable. She's also always asked by her classmates for fashion tips.
In spite of her skill, she can occasionally be late (oops) and her collection takes up a lot of space. She comes up with a plan that may just makeover all of the women in town.

#OwnVoices author Razeena Omar Gutta and Illustrator Manal Mirza give us a fun glimpse into Muslim culture, the Hijab itself and what it means, and an overall colorful, great book about entrepreneurship, kindness and empowering women.

[Kaylee (School) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story follows Hana and her love for style! Hana loves to style her hijab more than anything. She loves the different colors, textures, beads, jewels, and anything else she can include on her hijab. Hana does run into trouble when she is always late for school and takes up space in every room because of her hijab. As she helps at a hair salon, she is inspired to help other people with their hijabs, hats, and accessories. She wants to put a smile on their face, so she brings all of her materials to the shop and starts styling customers. I think this is a very friendly and appropriate way to celebrate hijabs and their culture.

[Natasha Khan Kazi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is hard not to smile while reading this book. It is such a delightful read-aloud. I think many kids (and adults) can relate to the main character, Hana, so passionate about personal style and oozing creativity. This book is a true celebration of the hijab: the different places to get them and all the ways to style them. But it is also a celebration of identity, creativity, entrepreneurship, and community. The illustrations are welcoming and vibrant. I loved the unique questions in the backmatter.

[Candelaria Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many young girls go through a phrase where they like to dress up and embellish their clothes. Hana like to do this with her hijabs. She even goes into business helping other women and girls in her community embellish their hijabs. I now find myself noticing hijabs in a different way to see if they are plain, ornate, or wildly embellished. I have bought one for my granddaughter and have ordered another to give to a sewing teacher at my local library who is Muslim and wears a hijab. I think she will like it a lot.

[Gretchen Klepzig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hana's Hundreds of Hijabs is a story about Hana who has many Hijabs in so many different colors and textures. She loves to decorate them in jewels and style them in different ways. The text mentions how special hijabs are to Hana. Even though she is sometimes late to school because she spends so much time decorating, her hijabs represent her personality and her culture.

This book would be great for my classroom library because of the culture and diversity it represents. It shows the importance of staying true to yourself.

[Thaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here’s the thing: I get the message is that everyone can enjoy individuality in their own way. However, the only way one can customise their hijab is through the way they wear it and the colour of the hijab. By adding the fashion element to the hijab, you are doing this for the approval of others, which defeats the purpose of the hijab (which is to wear it for allah). Perhaps it would have been better if she set up a business to help others in their journey to wearing it and perfecting their method to wear instead of this.