Module 7(B) - Does My Head Look Big in This?

Book
Does My Head Look Big in This?
Written by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Citation
Abdel-Fattah, R. (2007). Does my head look big in this? New York: Orchard Books.

Summary
Amal, a teenager who decides to wear the hijab to announce her religious intentions, tell her story of finding the courage to be herself among the friends and enemies, families and strangers that pepper her life. Amid the developing friendship of a young man named Adam who may or may not have a crush on Amal and amongst the many discussions of what to eat and who likes whom, Amal chooses to maintain her religious convictions by wearing the traditional Muslim headdress to show her commitment to her God. Teenagers from all walks of life, who participate in any cultural activities will relate to this realistic fiction novel that accurately portrays the trials and challenges that every teenager trudges through.

Reviews
Horn Book (July/August 2007): At the start of a new term, eleventh-grader Amal makes the big decision to wear the hijab, the Muslim head scarf, full-time. This first novel follows "Australian-Muslim-Palestinian" Amal as she debates the pros and cons of wearing the hijab, providing numerous teaching moments about Muslim culture and identity. Amal is proud to wear the symbol of her faith, yet she knows she faces ridicule from the popular set at wealthy McCleans Preparatory School. She is supported by her two best friends from her old Islamic school, as well as her new friends at McCleans, and their discussions explore different practices of Islam while dutifully dismantling stereotypes and presumptions. The girls' conversations and IMs are peppered with references to fashion, music, and pop culture lest the reader miss that Amal is a typical teenager in many ways. Amal's complex navigation of her first big crush is conveyed with a lighter hand. Adhering to her principles on no physical relationships before marriage, she flirts with Adam, not realizing she may be leading him on until he tries to kiss her. Though the lengthy analyses on everything from female body image to Palestinian food give the book more message than momentum, the girls' thoughts and dreams are authentically adolescent, providing a bridge between cultures -- as the author clearly intends.

School Library Journal (June 1, 2007): Gr 7 Up-Australian 11th-grader Amal is smart, funny, outspoken, a good student, and a loyal friend. She is also a devout Muslim who decides to wear the hijab, or head covering, full-time. The story tells of her emotional and spiritual journey as she copes with a mad crush on a boy, befriends an elderly Greek neighbor, and tries to help a friend who aspires to be a lawyer but whose well-intentioned mother is trying to force her to leave school and get married. Amal is also battling the misconceptions of non-Muslims about her religion and culture. While the novel deals with a number of serious issues, it is extremely funny and entertaining, and never preachy or forced. The details of Amal's family and social life are spot-on, and the book is wonderful at showing the diversity within Muslim communities and in explaining why so many women choose to wear the hijab. Amal is an appealing and believable character. She trades verbal jibes with another girl, she is impetuous and even arrogant at times, and she makes some serious errors of judgment. And by the end of the story, she and readers come to realize that "Putting on the hijab isn't the end of the journey. It's just the beginning of it."

Suggested Use
Students are expected to keep a journal for a specified length of time - three weeks, at least - of the struggles and trials they come up against day in and day out. The idea being that a culminating activity - perhaps a painted mural or other artistic expression - would help each student see that teenagers experience similar feelings and emotions as other teenagers, no matter the religious, racial, or economic background.

Impression
I wasn't sure I was going to like this book - I wasn't sure I would be able to relate to it. The dialog and flow of typical teenage events kept the book moving and helped me completely identify with the main character's struggles with fitting in. I think this book would make a wonderful read-aloud for high school students. The discussions that would follow, I imagine, would be lively and interesting.