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temitematem's review
5.0
my eyes were already welling up when bisma got sick thinking she'd die like beth did in the original story but i'm so happy she didn't. this book was beautifully written,,i love all the sisters with my whole heart
carolinerosereads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
5.0
This modern Muslim retelling of Little Women is a perfect MG read! I’ll confess that I’ve never read the original, so I can’t make any comparisons, but I can attest to the fact that this was a wonderful read, even without knowing the details of the story it retells. Jameela is a bright young girl whose greatest desire is to be a writer one day and make her father proud. But when her father has to go out of the country on business and her beloved little sister gets sick, Jameela’s life is turned upside down. In the meantime, she also faces a dilemma with her journalism that lands her in trouble with her new family friend (and kind-of crush?). The themes of this book seem truly timeless, so I’m not surprised that it’s a retelling of a classic. When Jameela’s sister gets sick, the thing that gets them through it all is the strong bonds they have with friends and family. This support system is the highlight of the book and shows how we can rally together in times of crisis. Kids who like to write will relate to Jameela’s journalistic ambitions, but even those who aren’t interested in journalism will find themselves pulled into Jameela’s dilemmas with how to write a worthy story (without ruining her friendships in the process). Overall, this was a wonderful read!
NARRATION: I ended up listening to the audiobook version, and the narration by Priya Ayyar was wonderful!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher for review purposes (but then ended up listening to the audiobook from my local library). No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
NARRATION: I ended up listening to the audiobook version, and the narration by Priya Ayyar was wonderful!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher for review purposes (but then ended up listening to the audiobook from my local library). No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
missbookiverse's review
3.0
[3.5 stars]
Super sweet family story about a first generation American girl and her dream of becoming a journalist. This book follows Jameela who has to deal with her gorgeous older sister and her two annoying younger sisters on a daily basis. Nevertheless, she loves her family and the relationships between parents, children, and relatives felt sincere and precious. Even though quite a lot is happening in the family's life at the point of narration I sometimes felt a little bored. The audiobook is only 5 hours long though, so I didn't have any trouble finishing it.
I liked how the book deals with racism only on the periphery (in the form of micro aggressions) because I'm sure that's something every Muslim girl living in a Western country has to deal with, but by not making it the centre of the story it becomes clear that Jameela doesn't let these issues rule her life and that not every story about immigrant children has to be about racism.
One topic I wish would've been presented more critically is the use of social media in times of need.
Overall, this is a wonderful addition to diverse, #ownvoices middle grade literature.
Super sweet family story about a first generation American girl and her dream of becoming a journalist. This book follows Jameela who has to deal with her gorgeous older sister and her two annoying younger sisters on a daily basis. Nevertheless, she loves her family and the relationships between parents, children, and relatives felt sincere and precious. Even though quite a lot is happening in the family's life at the point of narration I sometimes felt a little bored. The audiobook is only 5 hours long though, so I didn't have any trouble finishing it.
I liked how the book deals with racism only on the periphery (in the form of micro aggressions) because I'm sure that's something every Muslim girl living in a Western country has to deal with, but by not making it the centre of the story it becomes clear that Jameela doesn't let these issues rule her life and that not every story about immigrant children has to be about racism.
One topic I wish would've been presented more critically is the use of social media in times of need.
Spoiler
One of Jameela's sisters is diagnoed with cancer and in order to keep friends and relatives updated they create an online profile with pictures and everything. I understand the intent behind this but I was surprised that not even the parents question putting up photos and sensitive information about their child on the internet (despite them not allowing their younger daughters to have Instagram and Snapchat yet).Overall, this is a wonderful addition to diverse, #ownvoices middle grade literature.
migimon2002's review against another edition
5.0
What a sweet, updated, cultural re-telling of Little Women. I loved how More to the Story was it's own unique entity, yet the thoughtful (and obviously purposeful) parallels to Little Women made by Hena Khan paid homage to the classic. This is a completely 'safe', yet poignant book for younger readers - how refreshing!
rajacookie's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Lovely retelling of Little Women! You can see the similarities, but it still feels like its own story. Loved the changes made to make it appropriate for younger audiences, and the overall message is adorable!
showell's review against another edition
5.0
The author describes this text as a love letter to her favorite book: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. It's a lovely and emotionally resonant story that draws on the parallels between cultural norms and expectations in modern Pakistani-American families and the lives of the characters in Alcott's original text to explore several issues, including microaggressions, ethics in journalism, supporting a loved one through a severe illness, and coping with familial expectations that clash with society at large.
I adore this middle grade novel.
I adore this middle grade novel.
adrzeck's review against another edition
4.0
Admittedly I haven't read Little Women, but I feel that this is a modern and fairly true retelling, while being original and unique to Khan's story. Would be happy to recommend it to anyone regardless of them being Alcott fans. Are you a fan of sisterhood? Is family the most important? I'm not crying. You're crying.
mbrandmaier's review against another edition
4.0
Loosely based on Little Women. Jam is obsessed with writing an award winning article for her school paper, but that takes a back seat when her little sister Bisma becomes seriously ill.