Does My Head Look Big In This? discussion

Amal, a 16-year-old Muslin girl in Australia decides to wear the hijab as a symbol of her faith full time. When school starts up again, Amal runs into several obstacles and controversy over her decision. She must learn to overcome the generalizations that stem from her religious decision, often feeling like an outcast among her peers and friends. In addition to these challenges, Amal also must face the challenges that come from being a 16-year-old girl. She must learn to find herself as she navigates school, boys, trends, friends, and her religion. Although there are brief mentions of rebellious teenage behavior like smoking or sex among her peers, there are not any scenes that are inappropriate for general audiences.

I loved this book because I learned so much from it. I have almost no experience with the religion of Islam, so this book provided a new perspective for me. I didn’t expect to relate to Amal as much as I did, but I also have experience being a young girl a part of a faith that often gets misrepresented. Amal is just a girl that worries about typical teenage girl problems. Yes, her faith sets her apart but she is a person that has typical human concerns and interests. I learned so much about the religion of Islam and what stereotypes are wrong. I feel so much more prepared to meet people of different faiths and backgrounds.