The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family (2019)

Primary; Intermediate; Realistic Fiction; Informational; This book is made up of memories of the author as a young girl as she began wearing her Hijab everyday. She was bullied at school, but her mother reminded her that it is a part of her and therefore she should not be embarrassed of it. This is a great story of embracing identity and beliefs. This would be a great story for girls who wear Hijab as well as anybody who has a physical or moral identity that is mocked. ( )

I would recommend this book for second through fourth-grade students. This book empowers hijab-wearing students and gives powerful insight for students who would not know what that is.

I thought it was cool that this book was written by a former Olympic medalist and the illustrations were so nice to look at. I also liked how it was about sister being their for each other and standing up for themselves.

This book is about hijabs. The order sister of the narrator of the book is wearing her hijab for the first day. The children at school are pointing and asking questions which the narrator explains. They are very proud of the hijab and the book teaches that there is nothing to be ashamed of.

It's the first day of school for Asiya and Faizah, and for Asiya that means the first-day hijab. Both sisters are excited about Asiya's hijab and they celebrate that through their journey to school. Despite the bullying Asiya encounters, both girls show pride in their religion and in their Mama's teachings. The Proudest Blue was a beautiful story about being true to yourself despite what others might say. The illustrations are breathtaking in their vibrancy and the attention to detail is evident on every page. I added this book to my classroom library last year, and I've used it as a teachable moment when talking with my students about accepting others who are different or have different beliefs. ( )