 | Zara Hossain is here Author: Khan, Sabina | |
| Price: $9.01 | ||
Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Pakistani immigrant, Zara Hossain, has been leading a fairly typical life in Corpus Christi, Texas, since her family moved there for her father to work as a pediatrician. She tries to avoid conflicts so her family can get their green cards, but when a bully takes things too far, she has to weigh the consequences of fighting back.
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 04/01/2021 Gr 8 Up—High school senior Zara Hossain would prefer to be preoccupied with the cute girl in her social justice club instead of the nasty student at school who hurls racist comments at her. Zara's nervous to mention the hateful behavior to her parents, especially as she and her family are anxiously awaiting the green cards they've been promised for years—which should be arriving within months. Soon tensions escalate and violence erupts, forcing Zara to wrestle with the emotional, legal, and political consequences of the incident. This is a heart-wrenching look at Dreamers and immigrants who establish lives in the United States that highlights what they leave behind, what they risk, and how living with an uncertain future can take a toll. Zara's loving family and friends—the network the Hossains have formed during their years in the United States—are a highlight, making the choices Zara is faced with all the more heart-wrenching. This is an unblinking examination of identity, home, and where a bisexual Pakistani teen without a green card might fit in. VERDICT This emotional look at belonging and identity will make readers consider what it means to be home. Perfect for fans of Erika L. Sánchez and Mitali Perkins.—Elissa Bongiorno, Washington, DC - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 04/01/2021 *Starred Review* On the surface, Zara Hossain’s life appears as normal as that of most 17-year-olds: she has two incredibly loyal friends, parents who love and support her (even after she comes out as bisexual), and a girlfriend who shares her sentiments. But underneath, the strain of uncertainty wraps around Zara and her parents, all Muslim Pakistani immigrants who’ve been waiting for their green cards for eight years. Worse yet, Tyler—the star football player at her school in Corpus Christi, Texas—is openly racist, and when his discriminatory remarks escalate to vandalizing the Hossains' home, it leads to a violent confrontation. Before they know it, Zara's family not only faces a health crisis, but their immigration status and the life they've sought for so long is in limbo. First, let's bask in the utterly refreshing fact that this Muslim, desi, non-hetero protagonist is accepted by her parents for a change—that’s huge! Coming off the emotional heels of The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali (2019), Khan pulls from her own immigration experience to convey how taxing the process is and how a criminal charge can send everything tumbling. The intensity of the Islamophobia the family experiences is viscerally described, and that, coupled with strong character relationships and succinct writing, establishes Khan as a powerful rising voice in YA. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.
