Yusuf Azeem Is Not A Hero

“Be proud of who you are. Be proud of the name and everything that comes with it.”

How can I not love this book?! From the creator of the much loved ‘Yasmin’ series, comes this amazing book giving us all a window to look into the life of Pakistani-American middle schooler Yusuf Azeem on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. A book about prejudice and pre-conceived notions and also about love and community, in a world where Kamran becomes Cameron for convenience and hatred is underscored because of where one comes from, this book is an important addition to all middle school libraries. Especially remarkable is the way Saadia Faruqi uses Urdu words in the text, not italicised, but interwoven naturally in the narrative.