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We Are Big Time
SWISH! Cheer courtside for a Muslim teen in this graphic novel that's inspired by a true story. Join Aliya as she joins an all-girls, hijab-wearing basketball team and learns that she’s much more than a score.
Aliya is new to Wisconsin, and everything feels different than Florida. The Islamic school is bigger, the city is colder, and her new basketball team is…well, they stink.
Aliya’s still excited to have teammates (although the team's captain, Noura, isn't really Aliya's biggest fan), and their new coach really understands basketball (even if she doesn't know much about being Muslim). This season should be a blast... if they could just start to win.
Join Aliya and the Peace Academy on a headline-making season where they strengthen their skills and their Muslim identities--all while discovering that it takes more than talent to be great, and that teamwork and self-confidence can define true success.
For fans of The Crossover and Roller Girl, this graphic novel goes big with humor and heart as it explores culture and perceptions, fitting in and standing out, and finding yourself, both on and off the court.
Aliya is new to Wisconsin, and everything feels different than Florida. The Islamic school is bigger, the city is colder, and her new basketball team is…well, they stink.
Aliya’s still excited to have teammates (although the team's captain, Noura, isn't really Aliya's biggest fan), and their new coach really understands basketball (even if she doesn't know much about being Muslim). This season should be a blast... if they could just start to win.
Join Aliya and the Peace Academy on a headline-making season where they strengthen their skills and their Muslim identities--all while discovering that it takes more than talent to be great, and that teamwork and self-confidence can define true success.
For fans of The Crossover and Roller Girl, this graphic novel goes big with humor and heart as it explores culture and perceptions, fitting in and standing out, and finding yourself, both on and off the court.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published August 6, 2024
37 people are currently reading
722 people want to read
About the author
Hena Khan
51 books527 followersHena Khan writes books in a multitude of formats, including picture books, middle grade fiction, pick-your-path adventures, and graphic novels. Her stories are often centered around community, friendship, and family, and draw from her own experiences and culture. Hena’s novels include AMINA'S VOICE, MORE TO THE STORY, and DRAWING DEENA. She is the author of the Zayd Saleem Chasing the Dream, Zara’s Rules, and Super You! series. Hena’s picture books include GOLDEN DOMES AND SILVER LANTERNS, UNDER MY HIJAB, and IT'S RAMADAN, CURIOUS GEORGE, among others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 248 reviews
January 16, 2025
Loved this story of an all Muslim girls' basketball team, and their first real season! And it's based on a true story!
September 16, 2025
This was a really motivating book that taught me more about discrimination in sports. I thought it was a good story and the characters were detailed even though it was only a graphic novel. This is a very good book, I recommend!
June 6, 2025
Fantastic story of multiculturalism and women’s sports. I recommend everyone read this, especially women
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2024
The energy of this graphic novel! Hena Khan has given readers an inspiring story based on real events. And Safiya Zerrougui’s art takes it to another level. Whether you’re a basketball fan or not, you’ll love getting to know Aliya and her family and teammates. A great story for middle grade through teens.
March 30, 2024
ARC provided by Follett First Look
Aliyah Javaid is not happy that her family is moving from warm and sunny Florida to Milwaukee for her freshman year. She's glad to be near her grandparents, but sad at leaving the school she has always attended and her best friend. Her new school, Peace Academy, is also a private, Muslim school, so it seems fairly familiar, but her older brother Ameen seems to settle in better. When basketball tryouts are announced, Aliyah is happy, because she was only able to play rec league in Florida. There are just enough girls for a team, so no one is cut. Coach Jess Martinez makes Noura, a senior who has played before, the captain, but chooses Aliyah as cocaptain over more experienced players, so that there will be leadership once the seniors have graduated. This makes sense, but Aliyah feels that Noura holds this against her. The girls work hard to bond as a team, and Coach Jess is good about making them think about their purpose on the court ("More than the score" is their motto), and having them do activities like baking that help them come together and cooperate. She also sets aside time for them to do their prayers if they coincide with practice. There is some local news interest in an all Muslim girls' team, and the girls get a little tired of being asked, by other teams as well, how they can play while wearing hijabs. The team does fairly well, but Aliyah isn't confident on the court, lets her grades slip because she has a lot to do, and stresses about a lot of things. When the national Rafter Report wants to do a piece on the team as they head toward the state tournament, the pressure increases. She finally shares her concerns with Halima, a teammate, and this helps a little. Even the Rafter Report tends to ask questions about issues like immigration, but the team gets together and decides to redirect all of the questions to basketcall. They are given the last seed in the tournament, which means they will have to play the best team in their first game. They don't win, but feel good about their progress on the court, and Aliyah feels good about her new school and new life in Milwaukee.
Strengths: I loved Khan's note at the end that this was based off a real team who had similar experiences with media coverage. Girls have been playing basketball for a long, long time, (think about Jessie Graham Flower's 1911 Grace Harlowe's Sophomore Year at High School, or, The Record of the Girl Chums in Work and Athletics) so it was good to see that there really wasn't any objection to the girls having a team, even though some people had questions about the girls playing in hijabs. I'm always a fan of exploring team dynamics, and Aliyah's personal struggles will resonate with young readers who, like Elena Delle Donne's Elle DeLuca, struggle with time management and self esteem. Zerrougui's illustrations are appealing, and she does an excellent job of differentiating the characters through their eyebrows and facial expressions, which is important because they are often in identical uniforms! Seeing coaches protrayed in a positive light is always a relief, and Coach Jess is a good example of how innovative methods and a desire to help students can overcome a lot of struggles.
Weaknesses: I personally would have preferred this to be in regular novel format, because Aliyah had so many emotional things going on, and it was hard to get a good feel for them. Noura was interesting, and her issues with Aliyah would have been easier to work in as well. Basically, I found this all so interesting that I just wanted to know more!
What I really think: This will be a HUGE hit with students, since there are so few graphic novels about sports. I loved Khan's Zayd Saleem series for younger readers and was so glad to see that Aliyah was in high school. I will probably have to purchase two copies of this to keep up with demand.
Considering that there are two other graphic novels about girls' basketball (Tavares' Hoops, Misako Rock's Bounce Back, and Dawson's Fifth Quarter, I'd love to see more basketball graphic novels with boys as the main character. I can only think of Yang's Dragon Hoops.
Aliyah Javaid is not happy that her family is moving from warm and sunny Florida to Milwaukee for her freshman year. She's glad to be near her grandparents, but sad at leaving the school she has always attended and her best friend. Her new school, Peace Academy, is also a private, Muslim school, so it seems fairly familiar, but her older brother Ameen seems to settle in better. When basketball tryouts are announced, Aliyah is happy, because she was only able to play rec league in Florida. There are just enough girls for a team, so no one is cut. Coach Jess Martinez makes Noura, a senior who has played before, the captain, but chooses Aliyah as cocaptain over more experienced players, so that there will be leadership once the seniors have graduated. This makes sense, but Aliyah feels that Noura holds this against her. The girls work hard to bond as a team, and Coach Jess is good about making them think about their purpose on the court ("More than the score" is their motto), and having them do activities like baking that help them come together and cooperate. She also sets aside time for them to do their prayers if they coincide with practice. There is some local news interest in an all Muslim girls' team, and the girls get a little tired of being asked, by other teams as well, how they can play while wearing hijabs. The team does fairly well, but Aliyah isn't confident on the court, lets her grades slip because she has a lot to do, and stresses about a lot of things. When the national Rafter Report wants to do a piece on the team as they head toward the state tournament, the pressure increases. She finally shares her concerns with Halima, a teammate, and this helps a little. Even the Rafter Report tends to ask questions about issues like immigration, but the team gets together and decides to redirect all of the questions to basketcall. They are given the last seed in the tournament, which means they will have to play the best team in their first game. They don't win, but feel good about their progress on the court, and Aliyah feels good about her new school and new life in Milwaukee.
Strengths: I loved Khan's note at the end that this was based off a real team who had similar experiences with media coverage. Girls have been playing basketball for a long, long time, (think about Jessie Graham Flower's 1911 Grace Harlowe's Sophomore Year at High School, or, The Record of the Girl Chums in Work and Athletics) so it was good to see that there really wasn't any objection to the girls having a team, even though some people had questions about the girls playing in hijabs. I'm always a fan of exploring team dynamics, and Aliyah's personal struggles will resonate with young readers who, like Elena Delle Donne's Elle DeLuca, struggle with time management and self esteem. Zerrougui's illustrations are appealing, and she does an excellent job of differentiating the characters through their eyebrows and facial expressions, which is important because they are often in identical uniforms! Seeing coaches protrayed in a positive light is always a relief, and Coach Jess is a good example of how innovative methods and a desire to help students can overcome a lot of struggles.
Weaknesses: I personally would have preferred this to be in regular novel format, because Aliyah had so many emotional things going on, and it was hard to get a good feel for them. Noura was interesting, and her issues with Aliyah would have been easier to work in as well. Basically, I found this all so interesting that I just wanted to know more!
What I really think: This will be a HUGE hit with students, since there are so few graphic novels about sports. I loved Khan's Zayd Saleem series for younger readers and was so glad to see that Aliyah was in high school. I will probably have to purchase two copies of this to keep up with demand.
Considering that there are two other graphic novels about girls' basketball (Tavares' Hoops, Misako Rock's Bounce Back, and Dawson's Fifth Quarter, I'd love to see more basketball graphic novels with boys as the main character. I can only think of Yang's Dragon Hoops.
August 20, 2024
'My dad used to think this is where Muslims pray to.'
'What?'
'This used to be called the MECCA in the '70s and '80s. So he thought this was THE Mecca.'
Ugh, this was amazing! From the basketball aspect to Aliya's family being so supportive and even praying together (the positions weren't exactly correct, though) was so refreshing and heartwarming to see. We Are Big Time being based on a real life story is just another good thing about it. I loved that we see the team go from being terrible to passable and then good enough to win matches. The inclusion of so many games, at home and away, really showcased the level to which all their hard work paid off.
There's a bit about them possibly being discriminated against but not being enough proof which yeah, that tracks, sigh. The team also faces microaggressions here and there as well as stupid questions but manage to field them well. At its core, it's really about female friendships and learning to work together as a team and I loved it for that.
The art is great and compliments the story really well with its bright and colorful palette.
'What?'
'This used to be called the MECCA in the '70s and '80s. So he thought this was THE Mecca.'
Ugh, this was amazing! From the basketball aspect to Aliya's family being so supportive and even praying together (the positions weren't exactly correct, though) was so refreshing and heartwarming to see. We Are Big Time being based on a real life story is just another good thing about it. I loved that we see the team go from being terrible to passable and then good enough to win matches. The inclusion of so many games, at home and away, really showcased the level to which all their hard work paid off.
There's a bit about them possibly being discriminated against but not being enough proof which yeah, that tracks, sigh. The team also faces microaggressions here and there as well as stupid questions but manage to field them well. At its core, it's really about female friendships and learning to work together as a team and I loved it for that.
The art is great and compliments the story really well with its bright and colorful palette.
Read
June 2, 2025This is great. Really lovely sports drawings that feel dynamic and graceful. I frankly appreciate that it actually gave me a sort of FAQ on wearing hijabs (loved seeing the places where the girls had their hair out and the places they didn't, and it also made me think about how much we use hair as a way to familiarize ourselves with people, and what do we do when that's not an option?) that I had never felt like I could ask, and I love how it was woven into the story in a way that felt not too "for dummies" for me and hopefully not too annoying for readers for whom a hijab is a familiar thing they don't need explained in great detail.
November 5, 2024
Good graphic novel about an all-Muslim girl's basketball team who want to prove that they're more than their religion. Well done and would appeal to middle school and high school athletes especially.
August 6, 2024
1. The art Of course I have to start with the art! This is a graphic novel and it is all about that art~ Well, I can tell you that I really like the art and how it looks! Tons of diversity, great character designs, good colours, and more!
2. Family This book is not just about basketball and finding your way in a new school and a new place, it is also about family! Not just Aliya’s mom, dad, two brothers, but we also see her grandparents. We see how close-knit the family is and how they all just click together. We see them hanging out on the couch watching movies, eat yummy foods, have great family meals, talk about sports, and there is more. I just loved this family! Oh, and I laughed when the dad confessed how, when he was younger, thought that Mecca was way nearer to him than it actually was.
3. Basketball I am normally not a big sports fan, as in I do love at times checking things out for the Olympics, but I do love reading about it in books. And the author definitely made the basketball in this one very engaging. Because you don’t just start with a team that is perfect, you see the girls work HARD. Train HARD. Have some disappointments. Fight and find their strengths. Get better. It was just all very fun to read and you find yourself 100% rooting for the girls. You want them to get better, start kicking some serious ass. Whoop some other teams. Let’s goooo! Plus, their coach was the sweetest and I loved how she tried to find out more about the culture/religion, eat various foods, try out new things. She really was there for the girls in every aspect and that made me smile so much.
Oh, and I loved seeing our MC, Aliya, train hard outside of school. She really wants to get better!
4.Friendship Aliya is all new in the school and she is not really happy about things, but I loved that she found friends so fast, especially when the team gets formed she gains many more friends, but she has a couple of friends who are closer to her and I was just so happy for her. It hasn’t been easy for Aliya, she left her bestie back in Florida, so I love how she made friends so easily and seeing them get closer and closer!
5 Culture/Religion Aliya and her friends/family are Muslim and we see how that is for them in daily life, from wearing a hijab when outside the house to praying (and I loved how the coach tried to accommodate them so they could do prayers) to many more aspects. But also seeing the not so happy parts, the micro-aggressions, the way the reporters acted, how the other teams treated Aliya’s team as if they were bad because they were wearing what they were wearing. And see how the girls react to that, I loved how they also got stronger in their replies.
But at page 121 (of my copy) one girl switched outfits trice, she went from her school uniform to what our MC was wearing, back to school uniform, back to what the MC was wearing, and so on.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
2. Family This book is not just about basketball and finding your way in a new school and a new place, it is also about family! Not just Aliya’s mom, dad, two brothers, but we also see her grandparents. We see how close-knit the family is and how they all just click together. We see them hanging out on the couch watching movies, eat yummy foods, have great family meals, talk about sports, and there is more. I just loved this family! Oh, and I laughed when the dad confessed how, when he was younger, thought that Mecca was way nearer to him than it actually was.
3. Basketball I am normally not a big sports fan, as in I do love at times checking things out for the Olympics, but I do love reading about it in books. And the author definitely made the basketball in this one very engaging. Because you don’t just start with a team that is perfect, you see the girls work HARD. Train HARD. Have some disappointments. Fight and find their strengths. Get better. It was just all very fun to read and you find yourself 100% rooting for the girls. You want them to get better, start kicking some serious ass. Whoop some other teams. Let’s goooo! Plus, their coach was the sweetest and I loved how she tried to find out more about the culture/religion, eat various foods, try out new things. She really was there for the girls in every aspect and that made me smile so much.
Oh, and I loved seeing our MC, Aliya, train hard outside of school. She really wants to get better!
4.Friendship Aliya is all new in the school and she is not really happy about things, but I loved that she found friends so fast, especially when the team gets formed she gains many more friends, but she has a couple of friends who are closer to her and I was just so happy for her. It hasn’t been easy for Aliya, she left her bestie back in Florida, so I love how she made friends so easily and seeing them get closer and closer!
5 Culture/Religion Aliya and her friends/family are Muslim and we see how that is for them in daily life, from wearing a hijab when outside the house to praying (and I loved how the coach tried to accommodate them so they could do prayers) to many more aspects. But also seeing the not so happy parts, the micro-aggressions, the way the reporters acted, how the other teams treated Aliya’s team as if they were bad because they were wearing what they were wearing. And see how the girls react to that, I loved how they also got stronger in their replies.
But at page 121 (of my copy) one girl switched outfits trice, she went from her school uniform to what our MC was wearing, back to school uniform, back to what the MC was wearing, and so on.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
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August 29, 2025I'm a big fan of Hena's AMINA books (fun fact, Abigail DeLa Cruz did those covers as well as my Iveliz cover - art twins! 🤩), and I'm happy to report Hena's foray into graphic novels did not disappoint.
Maybe I'm biased, what with clearly being in my sporty girl book era 😅, but I loved loved loved getting to follow along with Aliya as she joined an all-girls hijab wearing basketball team at her new school in Wisconsin. (It's based on a true story, y'all!) The book tackled performance anxieties, team-building, and the pressure that comes with having all eyes on you for looking different.
And honestly, story aside, Safiya's art was so wonderful that I ended up switching from my Kobo Color to reading on my phone just so I could experience the full range of the colors.
All in all, a wonderful read I will be recommending to fans of VALE who are looking for more intersectional rep in sports.
P.S. For my teacher friends - the MC is in 9th grade, and her teammates range from 9th-12th, but I would classify this solidly as upper MG and perfect for middle school!
Maybe I'm biased, what with clearly being in my sporty girl book era 😅, but I loved loved loved getting to follow along with Aliya as she joined an all-girls hijab wearing basketball team at her new school in Wisconsin. (It's based on a true story, y'all!) The book tackled performance anxieties, team-building, and the pressure that comes with having all eyes on you for looking different.
And honestly, story aside, Safiya's art was so wonderful that I ended up switching from my Kobo Color to reading on my phone just so I could experience the full range of the colors.
All in all, a wonderful read I will be recommending to fans of VALE who are looking for more intersectional rep in sports.
P.S. For my teacher friends - the MC is in 9th grade, and her teammates range from 9th-12th, but I would classify this solidly as upper MG and perfect for middle school!
September 22, 2024
salam stars forever and ever💓💓💓💓💓💓
December 23, 2024
Aliyah is disheartened when her family uproots from Tampa to Milwaukee a month into her freshman year. Although the move comes with positive changes, such as being closer to her grandparents and having a bigger home, Aliyah longs for her home and friends she leaves behind. Luckily, Aliyah is able to continue her passion for basketball at her new school. Peace Academy is an Islamic school and has an all girls hijab wearing basketball team. However, the girls team is not known for winning. As the year progresses, Aliyah and her teammates are tasked with getting acclimated to a new coach and playing expectations. Even more, they are tasked with leaning and exemplifying to themselves and community that there's more to the game and life than a score.
November 8, 2024
THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING 🥹🥹🥹😭😭😭🥰🥰🥰👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🏀🏀🏀💖💖💖
All the stars 🌟🌟🌟⭐️⭐️⭐️💫💫💫✨✨✨☀️☀️☀️
WE NEED MORE MUSLIM REPRESENTATION AND MORE GRAPHIC NOVELS WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED MY MUSLIMS!
Anyways, this graphic novel is amazing…incredible!!! So cool that it’s inspired by a true story of a Muslim School’s Girls Basketball Team!!!
I loved the art and the colours and the family dynamics and the friendship and everything!
The only thing is that Aliya felt overwhelmed and I felt that should have been taken a bit more seriously.
But seeing them pray salah and have a Multicultural Night was so beautiful 🥹🥹🥹 However, they didn’t really use that many terms like Salaams or Insha’Allah or Jazak’Allah or Masha’Allah which would have been nice to include or even see them make dua to win the game or anything like that.
Of course I cried!!! REPRESENTATION MATTERS!!! 😭😭😭
10/10 would recommend and GET THIS FOR ANYONE AND EVERYONE AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A TEACHER OR LIBRARIAN!!!
Cannot wait for the kids to read this!!!
Also, Saving Sunshine is another excellent graphic novel by a Muslim author and illustrator.
But we need MORE! It’s great to see a lot of graphic novels have become more diverse by including some hijabi characters in the background or as a friend but we do need more Muslims writing and illustrating graphic novels!
We truly love to see it!
Thank you for creating this book!!! I hope it really does inspire many Muslim kids to become part of a team!!!
All the stars 🌟🌟🌟⭐️⭐️⭐️💫💫💫✨✨✨☀️☀️☀️
WE NEED MORE MUSLIM REPRESENTATION AND MORE GRAPHIC NOVELS WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED MY MUSLIMS!
Anyways, this graphic novel is amazing…incredible!!! So cool that it’s inspired by a true story of a Muslim School’s Girls Basketball Team!!!
I loved the art and the colours and the family dynamics and the friendship and everything!
The only thing is that Aliya felt overwhelmed and I felt that should have been taken a bit more seriously.
But seeing them pray salah and have a Multicultural Night was so beautiful 🥹🥹🥹 However, they didn’t really use that many terms like Salaams or Insha’Allah or Jazak’Allah or Masha’Allah which would have been nice to include or even see them make dua to win the game or anything like that.
Of course I cried!!! REPRESENTATION MATTERS!!! 😭😭😭
10/10 would recommend and GET THIS FOR ANYONE AND EVERYONE AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A TEACHER OR LIBRARIAN!!!
Cannot wait for the kids to read this!!!
Also, Saving Sunshine is another excellent graphic novel by a Muslim author and illustrator.
But we need MORE! It’s great to see a lot of graphic novels have become more diverse by including some hijabi characters in the background or as a friend but we do need more Muslims writing and illustrating graphic novels!
We truly love to see it!
Thank you for creating this book!!! I hope it really does inspire many Muslim kids to become part of a team!!!
March 3, 2024
(Full disclosure I received a free e-ARC for review through NetGalley. Content warning for depictions of Islamophobia.)
When Aliya Javaid's parents announce that they're moving the family from Florida to Milwaukee, she and her older brother Ameen are none too happy. (Younger brother Ismail seems like more of the carefree type.) For starters, she's already one month into her freshman year. It'll be nice to live near her grandparents, but she doesn't want to leave her friends behind. And while Peace Academy does have a girls' basketball team, the bad news is that they kind of stink.
But the Javaids aren't the only addition to Peace Academy this year - the girls' basketball team has a new coach, Jessica Martinez, who is determined to execute a Mighty Ducks makeover. For Aliya, this means getting out of her own head, and learning to enjoy her victories at least as much as she dwells on her mistakes. As the team makes a slow but steady comeback, local and then state (and even national?) news outlets begin to pick up the story of the all-Muslim lineup. Armed with leading questions and an apparent agenda, the girls are forced to block more than just field goals. (Yeah, I had to look that term up.)
Based on a true story - that of the Salam School's girls' varsity team in the 2018-19 season - WE ARE BIG TIME is a gentle story about teamwork, friendship, and belonging. As the editorial director Rotem Moscovich notes in the ARC's front matter, Khan introduces elements of Islamophobia and discrimination without allowing them to dominate the girls' story - much as how the girls on the team handle the reports' asinine questions, redirecting their story in a more relevant direction. The depictions of female friendship and camaraderie are refreshing, and I really enjoyed the scenes with the extended (and super-supportive) Javaid family.
When Aliya Javaid's parents announce that they're moving the family from Florida to Milwaukee, she and her older brother Ameen are none too happy. (Younger brother Ismail seems like more of the carefree type.) For starters, she's already one month into her freshman year. It'll be nice to live near her grandparents, but she doesn't want to leave her friends behind. And while Peace Academy does have a girls' basketball team, the bad news is that they kind of stink.
But the Javaids aren't the only addition to Peace Academy this year - the girls' basketball team has a new coach, Jessica Martinez, who is determined to execute a Mighty Ducks makeover. For Aliya, this means getting out of her own head, and learning to enjoy her victories at least as much as she dwells on her mistakes. As the team makes a slow but steady comeback, local and then state (and even national?) news outlets begin to pick up the story of the all-Muslim lineup. Armed with leading questions and an apparent agenda, the girls are forced to block more than just field goals. (Yeah, I had to look that term up.)
Based on a true story - that of the Salam School's girls' varsity team in the 2018-19 season - WE ARE BIG TIME is a gentle story about teamwork, friendship, and belonging. As the editorial director Rotem Moscovich notes in the ARC's front matter, Khan introduces elements of Islamophobia and discrimination without allowing them to dominate the girls' story - much as how the girls on the team handle the reports' asinine questions, redirecting their story in a more relevant direction. The depictions of female friendship and camaraderie are refreshing, and I really enjoyed the scenes with the extended (and super-supportive) Javaid family.
September 22, 2024
A really cute graphic novel about an girl’s basketball team at an Islamic School, based on a real story by the Peace Academy team in Milwaukee. While some of the content was def more for the target audience and not someone in their 30s, I loved the significance of the storyline especially as France just banned any women wearing a hijab from participating in the Olympics. It’s a reminder that in the USA we are so lucky to have religious freedoms that aren’t afforded to people in other places of the world. I also appreciated how the girls were just living their lives even when the media kept trying to turn it into a bigger message, even if to other people they were shifting negative stereotypes. Children shouldn’t have to bear the brunt of dismantling racism, and I think the author did a good job here of encouraging them to just focus on the game and having fun. Only until the end was it mentioned that they had shifted the public image on hijabis being able to do anything. I also loved that their teacher wasn’t a Muslim because it showcases real Islam which encourages people of all faiths to be kind to one another. I liked the multicultural night because it showcases that Islam transcends every culture and is not an ethnoreligion nor is it only a religion of Arabs. I did think the teacher’s comment about “you girls know I’m Puerto Rican and not Arabic” was a touch misleading, because I can see someone reading that and thinking that all the other girls are Arabic but that was such a minor detail in the book.
Overall really enjoyed it and I think it’s great for younger kids to read see the Muslim community together and represented in such a positive light as opposed to the fear mongering campaigns that some news outlets try to lead.
Overall really enjoyed it and I think it’s great for younger kids to read see the Muslim community together and represented in such a positive light as opposed to the fear mongering campaigns that some news outlets try to lead.
July 15, 2024
“But if everything is so big…
…why do I feel so small?”
Sport centered graphic novels I adore! Especially basketball! In Hena Khan’s latest she depicts and true story about an all Muslim Girl basketball team In Wisconsin. I thought this worked really well as a graphic novel but also left me wanting more.Totally a me thing…I loved the story and could have read a book on the topic but I also think sport enthusiast young readers will highly enjoy this!!!
Thank you to my favorite independent bookstore Beach Books for putting this one on my radar!
https://beachbooks37.com
Releases 8/6
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...
…why do I feel so small?”
Sport centered graphic novels I adore! Especially basketball! In Hena Khan’s latest she depicts and true story about an all Muslim Girl basketball team In Wisconsin. I thought this worked really well as a graphic novel but also left me wanting more.Totally a me thing…I loved the story and could have read a book on the topic but I also think sport enthusiast young readers will highly enjoy this!!!
Thank you to my favorite independent bookstore Beach Books for putting this one on my radar!
https://beachbooks37.com
Releases 8/6
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...
June 24, 2024
I received a review copy from Random House Children’s via NetGalley. This graphic novel is based on a true story of an all girls Muslim high school basketball team that caught the attention of the press to inspire others. A focused and insightful retelling of girls working hard to play a sport they loved.
September 3, 2024
I think this book would be very well recieved in a classroom. An engaging story about a struggling basketball team trying to improve their skills with important discussions about racism and the prejudice against many Muslims. The artwork is also stunning. Great representation in this book makes it a great fit for an upper intermediate classroom. Based on true events.
October 29, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this phenomenal graphic novel. Aliya has recently moved to Wisconsin from Florida. She misses her home, but also misses basketball. She makes the varsity team at her school, and together they prove that an all-Muslim team can play just as well as anyone else. Highly recommend for all school libraries.
January 5, 2024
This was such a good graphic novel!! It depicts the true story of an all-Muslim girl basketball team at a high school in Wisconsin. It was about perseverance, experiencing discrimination, growing as a person, and how to overcome adversity when it's staring you right in the face. It's also about family and how they can support you when you're going through your difficult high school days.
I would recommend this graphic novel to anyone of any age. It's geared towards young adults, but I feel like all ages would be able to enjoy this.
Thank you Penguin Random House for allowing me to read this e-arc. Happy Reading!!
I would recommend this graphic novel to anyone of any age. It's geared towards young adults, but I feel like all ages would be able to enjoy this.
Thank you Penguin Random House for allowing me to read this e-arc. Happy Reading!!
May 8, 2024
I love Hena Khan! This is such a feel-good graphic novel. The girls have nicely unique personalities with wonderfully drawn faces. I appreciated the honesty, struggle, friendship, and camaraderie the girls experience. I especially liked that this book was based on real events.
June 18, 2024
Full disclosure I received a free e-ARC for review through NetGalley.
This was a wonderful and heartwarming graphic novel following a girl joining an all-Muslim basketball team. I loved Aliya's character, and how we got to see her struggle with the pressure of school, sports, and media attention. I also really appreciated the ways the book touched upon themes of representation and discrimination. I look forward to bringing this book to my students this fall!
This was a wonderful and heartwarming graphic novel following a girl joining an all-Muslim basketball team. I loved Aliya's character, and how we got to see her struggle with the pressure of school, sports, and media attention. I also really appreciated the ways the book touched upon themes of representation and discrimination. I look forward to bringing this book to my students this fall!
June 24, 2024
Very cute story!
August 8, 2024
A really fun middle grade graphic novel with fantastic illustrations. This was an excellent representation on Muslim women in basketball and I can't wait to see more books like this in the future.
September 5, 2024
3.5 I'm excited to be able to pass this one on to my students.
November 13, 2024
Definitely getting this for my library!
January 15, 2025
Really positive and inspiring!
August 2, 2025
A girl’s high school basketball team starts to get outside attention, not because of their skills, but because their uniform is hijab. They try and stay focused on pushing themselves to be good at their sport and not get swallowed by stereotypical news coverage.
This graphic novel is done well. It is a nice balance of story-telling and game play. Aliya and her family are crafted with engagement.
This graphic novel is done well. It is a nice balance of story-telling and game play. Aliya and her family are crafted with engagement.
September 10, 2025
Super cute graphic novel! I loved that it was based off a real basketball team.
September 14, 2024
I’m so glad this didn’t follow the structure of an underdog sport team story. There’s so much heart, energy, and inspiration within the panels of girls who just want to play basketball with the added bonus of breaking down stereotypes. Two big thumbs up!
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