More to the Story

Starred review from July 1, 2019
This contemporary update of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women follows the Muslim, Pakistani-American Mizra family of Atlanta. Narrator Jameela, 13, is thrilled to be named features editor of her school newspaper and endeavors to write a spectacular article as a going-away gift for her father, whose job is sending him overseas for six months. Jam and her sisters—Maryam, Bisma, and Aleeza—are heartbroken to lose Baba for half a year, but the sting is lessened somewhat by the arrival of Ali, 14, the British-Pakistani nephew of Baba’s best friend. Ali is spending the year in the U.S. after getting into trouble following his father’s death, and he quickly endears himself to the Mizra girls. Jam decides to write her article about microaggressions and unwisely uses examples Ali told her in confidence, endangering their new friendship just as a crisis threatens her family. Khan (Amina’s Voice) nimbly incorporates details of modern life and allusions to Alcott’s classic—including financial troubles and a health scare—into a tale that is, fittingly, strongest in the moments when family dynamics are on display. Ages 8–12. Agent: Matthew Elblonk, DeFiore & Co.

July 1, 2019
Four sisters in a Muslim, Pakistani American family star in Khan's (Amina's Voice, 2017) 21st-century update to a beloved classic of American literature. The narrator is Jam (short for Jameela), a seventh grader bent on becoming a journalist. Her family newsletter, Mirza Memos, is all hers, but on the school newspaper she fights to make her voice heard about publishing important subjects. Her older sister, Maryam, is in high school. Maryam's beauty is what people notice, but she is also studious, responsible, and caring. The youngest, Aleeza, brings out the worst of Jam's temper, while gentle Bisma brings out Jam's protective, loving instincts. Exit Baba (their father) for an international work contract; enter Ali, a cute British Pakistani boy who befriends all the girls, but especially Jam. Add money problems and the sudden discovery of a serious illness for Bisma, and you have a carbon copy of Little Women that feels comfortingly familiar yet also entirely new, like an old friend given a makeover. The characters are believable and endearing, and their problems are emotionally weighty. The ways they find to support each other through difficulties, to fight, and to forgive highlight the reasons why Little Women still finds adoring fans. Cultural content such as Jam's article on microaggressions and the Mirza family's no-dating rule (despite Ali's flirtation) add interest as well. A delightful concept well executed, this volume is sure to find many fans. (Fiction. 8-12)

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August 1, 2019

Gr 4-6-The Pakistani American Mirza sisters live in Norcross, GA, and each shares a first initial with one of the March sisters of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. Jameela, the heroine and narrator, feels less polished than her older sister, Maryam; less virtuous than her younger sister Bisma; and less patient than she should be with Aleeza, the youngest. Jameela is most comfortable in her skin when she's writing, and she plans to publish a story for her school paper that will make her father, who is overseas for a new job, proud. She is also delighted to make friends with Ali, the son of family friends, who has recently moved to Georgia. When Bisma is diagnosed with lymphoma and Jameela breaks Ali's trust after publishing an off-the-record interview, she feels that she is losing her sister and a new friend in addition to her absent father. Jameela is a devoted journalist, and her curious, inquisitive voice makes her an engaging narrator. Simple, straightforward language will be accessible to middle grade readers, and the tone is informative but never didactic on topics such as journalism ethics. This is a positive and loving portrayal of a Muslim family, and details of Pakistani culture and Muslim observance are not given heavy-handed explanations, but are simply included as essential details of the Mirzas' existence. Readers may be inspired to compare notes with Little Women, but can enjoy this without having met the March sisters. VERDICT This thoughtful update of Alcott's classic text features an American Muslim family and deftly balances issues such as microaggressions and cancer treatment with typical middle grade tropes such as sibling rivalry, a first crush, and an early adolescent search for identity.-Lisa Goldstein, Brooklyn Public Library

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2019
Grades 4-7 In her latest novel, Khan (Amina's Voice, 2017) brings readers a charming take on Louisa May Alcott's 1868 classic, Little Women. Things for 13-year-old Jameela are great when she's named features editor of her school newspaper and becomes friends with Ali, who just moved to Georgia from London (dazzling English accent included). But when her dad is sent abroad for work for six months, things for Jameela and her three sisters feel like they're spiraling downhill, especially when one of her sisters falls ill. As her sister's condition worsens, Jameela must learn to curb her short temper to coexist with her sisters, while also learning that even as a journalist, some stories belong only to those who have lived them. Khan's homage to one of her favorite books growing up is engagingly written for a young, new generation. The plot takes a moment to thicken, but when it does, the natural prose and distinctive characters guide it along. Like Little Women, this is a story that is sure to appeal to many.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)