Nayra and the Djinn

Nayra and the Djinn #1

by Iasmin Omar Ata

In this coming-of-age graphic novel with a fantastical twist, Nayra Mansour, a Muslim American girl, is helped on her journey to selfhood by a djinn. Nothing is going right for Nayra Mansour. There's the constant pressure from her strict family, ruthless bullying from her classmates, and exhausting friendship demands from Rami –the only other Muslim girl at school. Nayra has had enough. Just when she's considering transferring schools to escape it all, a mysterious djinn named Marjan appears.As a djinn, a mythical being in Islamic folklore, Marjan uses their powers and wisdom to help Nayra navigate her overwhelming life. But Marjan's past is fraught with secrets, guilt, and trouble, and if they don’t face what they’ve done, Nayra could pay the price.In this beautifully illustrated graphic novel, Iasmin Omar Ata has created a realistic coming-of-age story with an enchanting dose of the fantastical about strength, identity, and, most of all, friendship.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Comics, Young Adult, Fiction, Muslims

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 28, 2023

About the author

I'm Iasmin Omar Ata, a Middle Eastern & Muslim comics artist, game developer and illustrator who creates art about coping with illness, self-acceptance, and Islamic futurism. I’m currently working on two books with Viking Books, the first of which is to release in 2022! (They/them pronouns, please!)

I'm an Ignatz Award winner and Excellence In Graphic Literature Award finalist; I’ve been interviewed & reviewed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Electronic Intifada, Library Journal, and NPR. I've worked with clients/groups such as PEN America, L’Institut du Monde Arabe, Palestine International, Bigmouth Comix, O/R Books, and more; I’ve also spoken/taught at Harvard University, the New York Public Library, and University of Maryland.

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm so sad to say that this didn't really work for me. I usually do well with all of the middle grade graphic novels that I read, but every now and then I find one that I don't enjoy. CW: bullying and Islamophobia

Nayra and the Djinn follows middle school student Nayra during Ramadan. Between the bullying that she faces from her classmates and the expectations of her parents, Nayra feels overwhelmed and considers starting over at a new school. Unexpectedly, she finds comfort in a Muslim online group chat. In this chat, they discuss everything from fasting to the cultural traditions and storytelling of their families and communities. It is through this chat, that a Djinn makes it's way into Nayra's life and helps her navigate the struggles she's facing in her life.

What Worked: For a middle grade audience, I can see the conversations related to friendships and bullying resonating with readers. While I didn't experience the level of bullying that Nayra and her best friend face in this book, it would have been beneficial to read something like this when I was their age. I also think that Ata did a great job illustrating the ups and downs related to friendships. It's easy to assume that friendships are always perfect, but Nayra finds herself in the midst of a battle when she begins to build relationships with those that are not exactly close to Rami. The depiction was extremely realistic and serves as a catalyst for other events in the book. While I wasn't exactly a fan of the art style, I looked the inking. The blending of warm and cool colors really added to the atmosphere of the book especially when readers are introduced to the Djinn.

what Didn't Work: This story was extremely confusing. There parts that didn't feel fleshed out or complete. While I was interested in the origin of the Djinn and their connection to Nayra and other humans, I felt as though we were left in the dark about some things. The setting, the concept, the idea were all perfect and I think it was an amazing way to showcase the experiences of those who participate in Ramadan, but we weren't given much beyond a concept. I also wasn't a fan of the artwork. As I stated before, I loved the inking and coloring, but not much beyond that.

I'm sure that some middle grade readers will enjoy this one, but it wasn't the strongest read for me.

[nikki | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ . · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a really cute coming of age comic about identity and friendship while playing with folklore.

i loved how whimsical the art got esp with the presence of the djinn and their storytelling. the plot was pretty simple, but overall it was a very feel-good read.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of this graphic novel was intriguing, and I appreciated that it takes place over Ramadan. (This was the first book I've read that depicts a main character fasting over Ramadan, and that alone makes me excited to bring this book to my next school visit!) However, the story didn't hook me. I had a bit of a hard time following some of the illustrations and the ending was a little too quick and simple - I wish it had been flushed out a little more and showed more resolution between the friends, as well as between the MC and her family.

Publisher recommended for ages 10-12.

[Aylin Niazai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute drawings. The story is nog necessarily islamically correct, I don’t know enough about the Djinn to say that this COULD potentially happen.
But a cute story about friendship and about Ramadan ☪️ nonetheless.

[Lata · Rating 3 out of 5]

We meet Nayra during Ramadan; she is struggling with focus and energy as she goes through her days. She's bullied, her marks are suffering, and her family expects her to power through everything regardless of her emotional state. Her friend Rami and she take some comfort in their friendship, but this isn't enough for Nayra; she wants an escape.

A djinn enters her life, and Nayra feels less alone, and the djinn Marjan helps her deal with a little of her anxiety. But Marjan is not fully honest with Nayra about why they are in the human world. Everything comes to a head and Nayra must grow up and deal with her bullier, her ignored friend Rami, and her parents.

The illustrations are pretty, and it's great to see a story where the main character is Muslim. That said, I felt that we were only touching the surface and there wasn't enough development of characters to make this book really good.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I've heard that when you look at someone, you see your memories of them - not what's really in front of your face. ...Is that why things start to get messed up? Because one day, you suddenly realize...that those two things aren't the same anymore..."

[Anniek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just have so much love for middlegrade graphic novels. This one is set during Ramadan, so perfect to read this month! The art work is so incredibly cute.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super cute read!

[J (Midnight Book Blog)]

This was really cute! I loved the color palette especially. Some of the panels were a little hard to tell what was happening, and I think there were lots of big issues that resolved quickly. But overall I really appreciated the message and magic of this story!

[Alexx (obscure.pages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really nice! Loved the colors and the art style in here. And also the way this book highlighted Muslim American identity, friendship, and young adulthood was so deliberate and relatable. I was questioning Nayra and her decisions, but I was also rooting for her and her journey! I do kinda wish Rami had more backstory, too.

I also liked that we got a glimpse of Islamic folklore in this story! Although I wish there was more, it was still nice and I loved the storytelling!

Some dialogues and panels can get confusing sometimes, and the tone sort of shifts from time to time for me. But other than that, this was just really entertaining and wholesome 🥹

CW: Islamophobia, bullying

Exact rating: 3.75

Find me elsewhere: Instagram | Twitter | Blog

Marking this book as part of reading challenge: #ReadQueerly2023.

[akacya ❦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

2024 reads: 159/250

nayra mansour is under constant pressure from her family and is undergoing bullying at school. as she considers transferring schools, a djinn named marjan appears. nayra has always wanted to meet a djinn, but marjan’s past might just catch up to them both.

first, i absolutely adored this art style!! and the color scheme was mainly pink and purple, which i loved.

the story was also really interesting. as i mentioned, nayra unfortunately faces a lot of islamophobia at school. her parents don’t understand why she’d want to transfer because of this, since her older siblings went to the same school and did well. she’s friends with the only other muslim girl at school, but it’s still hard. marjan, the djinn, becomes her new friend, but also biggest secret. i really liked the moments we were taken into marjan’s world.

i recommend this to anybody who enjoys YA graphic novels.

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

The artwork! The colour palette of pink and purple! Talk about breathtaking.

I loved the cultural representation and learning more about Ramadan through Nayra's POV. The book also tackles important issues such as racism and bullying while highlighting themes that adolescents will able to relate to e.g. friendship woes, school and grades, the pressure to perform etc. The magic element was a fun touch.

However, I feel like there could have been more meat to the story and characters. The side characters were largely ignored in favour of Nayra, who remained quite one-dimensional anyway. Plus not only was the conflict rather simplistic, there was also lots of untapped potential in regard to the Djinn world-building.

A quick and decent read with visual appeal nevertheless.

[jude · Rating 2 out of 5]

this wasn't good tbqh. the characters were one-dimensional, there were too many subplots, the characters' motivations made no sense, the bullying felt cliche. i loved mis(h)adra, so i was looking forward to this one, but it fell very flat for me. the art was also a little weird. gorgeous colors, but there were some pages that were fully colored in and others that were just outlines and i couldn't figure out if there was supposed to be a difference between the two. it felt unfinished and rushed.

[Nathan Bartos · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars

[Ariadna Cota · Rating 5 out of 5]

La verdad que me ha encantado. Creo que es un libro perfecto para niñes de unos 10 años mas o menos. Trata un montón de temas como la amistad, el bullying, la importancia de la familia... y además aprendes sobre la fiesta de el ramadán, como se vive desde dentro de una familia musulmana y sobre la mitología árabe.

Y para acabar de ponerle el lacito las ilustraciones y los colores son PRECIOSOS. Me recuerda un montón al tipo de ilustraciones de Steven Universe.

En mi humilde opinión, y si de mi dependiera, haría que este libro fuera una lectura obligatoria en los ciclos superiores de primaria.

[acorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ✨

This book follows Nayra, a Muslim American teen, who decides to help a magical spirit called a djinn. She shows the djinn her daily life which includes bullying from her classmates and making new friends. Things get complicated when she learns the djinn’s story and how close it is to her life.

The illustrations in this book were intriguing and I liked the color palette. But overall, the book didn’t seem fully fleshed out. Some parts of the story were hard to follow. As a character, Nayra was alright but I couldn’t really get to know her either. It was a cute story but not amazing for me.

[Cress · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very confusing in both the storyline and the actual page layouts (it was difficult to tell which dialogue was meant to come first, second, third, etc.). In addition, none of the characters were all that likeable, and while I understand flawed characters, it was hard to root for anyone, in my opinion. The conflict was also resolved in very few pages. The art was cute, though, and it had some promising elements that just didn't work for me, unfortunately.

[Andrew Eder · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was fine or whatever I guess? Good representation or variety of identities. Art was pretty good too. The story just wasn’t very engaging or all that interesting? Just found myself not caring too much.

[Daryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5

[Vanna Book-Mage · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! Story was engaging and the art was brilliant!

[el (celestialbronz) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75⭐️

[Hannah (hngisreading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A heartfelt story about friendship, faith, identity, and how we’re really so much stronger together.

[Layla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love seeing more representation in graphic novels for young readers! Love, love, love the color scheme of the art, love the djinn, love the whole premise. It was exactly the palette cleanser I needed after my last heavy read.

[litteraire_venere · Rating 4 out of 5]

C’était trop trop bien. J’ai adoré les couleurs pop avec ces nuances de rose violet et jaune, l’histoire est super touchante et tendre, et en même temps très dure. J’ai appris des petites choses sur le ramadan et les djinn donc trop bien ! Gros coeur sur Rami mon perso pref

[Rummanah (Books in the Spotlight) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mostly enjoyed this graphic novel, but the middle got muddled and I didn't quite follow what was going on. Review coming soon.

[christinac_reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ I'm so so very sorry but that I didn’t like this book. I wish I did, I really wish I did. It might be different for you so do read it first before reading my review.

The rep is fantastic, absolutely but other than that everything else didn’t work out for me.

Art - so pretty. Aesthetic colors with lovely images!

Dialogue - stilted. almost every sentence ended in an exclamation point and I felt like everyone was just fighting each other the whole time. miscommunication was happening from page one even to the very end of the book.

Characters - everyone felt like the same person. They reacted the same way all information and spoke the same way, even the adults were portrayed in the same juvenile way to the kids when upset (which was the majority of the book). Everyone was always running away mid conversation too, and that’s what served as scene transitions… just the characters leaving in between yet another confrontation

World Building - the fantasy aspect was just an info dump. It didn’t really add to the story for me, personally.

Plot - felt very rushed, beyond the showcasing of Muslim culture, what was the story? What was the goal of the book? What was it trying to do and tell me? Did I miss something? Perhaps I did. It felt all over the place and not realy fleshed out. Oh also there’s one scene where the person who bullies the MC asks for tutoring advise but we later see that the MC is actually failing all her classes? It doesn’t make sense.

The ending - I didn’t get the resolution to the countless of instances of bullying and miscommunication. felt like after all that miscommunication I got slapped with “👍🏼 yay we’re all cool now” the end.

[Darth Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

First thing's first: absolutely love these glimpses into cultures I'm not familiar with/don't see often in fiction. Will absolutely keep picking these up whenever I see 'em while browsing at the library.

That said, it's vividly clear the author of this graphic novel overestimated her knowledge of the medium. The dialogue was extremely hard to follow and was, quite literally, all over the page. The color palette was washed out, one-note, and muddled. From her blurb, the author is solely an illustrator, which, great! Problem is, though, how so many people, especially artists, think writing is "easy" and "everyone/anyone can do it". I see that a lot in specifically children's/middle grade graphic novels: artists who think they can write and are sorely mistaken. In this case, the story made nearly no sense, to the point I called it quits halfway through. Oh well.

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really pretty art, and I liked the focus on a character fasting during Ramadan. The first half is really solid, setting up a friendship conflict, family issues, and a bully, but sort of drops the ball at the end. Everything is resolved very, very quickly, especially with Nayra's family, and at least one plot thread gets dropped entirely. I just wanted a little more out of this book.

[luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very cute and sweet graphic novel! I wish that there was better development with the conflict resolution with her family and the bully though.

[dovesnook · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is slightly choppy but very cute and has a sweet lesson to be learned 💘. Read for the Trans Rights Readthon.
- Palestinian / American, queer and nonbinary author