Ibtihaj Muhammad

October 1, 2017
Grades 3-5 Along with being the first Olympian to compete for the U.S. wearing a hijab, the first female Muslim American to win a medal in any event, and a woman of color excelling in a predominantly white sport, Muhammad is a role model for minority athletes in multiple respects. Faust outlines her athletic pursuits from the time she took up fencing in 1999 to the 2016 Summer Games. He devotes more attention to explaining her values than giving her life, and, keeping the tone positive, mentions that she has faced discrimination, without providing any detail. Side panels address topics ranging from the Paralympic sport of wheelchair fencing to Islamophobia. This paint-by-numbers entry in the Breakout Biographies series is virtually the only profile of Muhammad for young readers, and the author makes a strong case for his subject's worthiness.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)