Does My Head Look Big in This?

Abdel-Fattah, Randa. Does My Head Look Big in This? Orchard Books, 2007.

Amal is a teenage girl. Amal is a private school student. Amal is an Australian citizen. And Amal is Muslim. She decides that she is ready to wear the hijab, headscarf, full-time, even to her private school and out in public, etc.  Her parents are concerned that she's not ready to deal with all of the reactions of those around her.   This book allows the reader to see a glimpse into the life of a Muslim family and also to watch Amal's reactions to those who react to her appearance.

I really enjoyed this book.  Yes, it is chick lit, in that the girls are focused on shopping and makeup and boys, but it gets a bit deeper than that when we watch Amal deal with her peers, the people on her bus, and her crotchety old neighbor.  Amal actually does change for the better throughout the book, and I was glad for a book with a Muslim teen as the protagonist.