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A review by teacher_may
Piece by Piece: The Story of Nisrin's Hijab by Priya Huq
3.0
3.5 stars
The author, Priya Huq, presents a jarring- yet necessary story of Nisrin, a middle school student that is attacked while wearing her orna (Bangladeshi headscarf) while walking home from school with her friend. The trauma that she experienced, and the resulting family traumas that are revealed help Nisrin to make some personal decisions about wearing hijab, and and what gives her pride and strength. I appreciated the tough family conversations that arose, as well as the realistic portrayal of friendships that can sometimes drift due to misunderstandings, as well as reconciliation. I also appreciated the use of the Bangla language peppered throughout the novel, as well as the cultural notes at the end of the book. It's not everyday that you come across a book (in English) with a protagonist of Bangladeshi heritage, and this book will definitely appeal to middle and high school readers.
One challenge I had with the book is that some of the illustrations were difficult to interpret, and a few pages that I kept flipping back-and-forth thinking that I had missed something. I also wish the author had explored/addressed Nisrin's problematic teachers, as well as delved deeper into her friendship with Firuzeh (perhaps there will be a second novel...).
The author, Priya Huq, presents a jarring- yet necessary story of Nisrin, a middle school student that is attacked while wearing her orna (Bangladeshi headscarf) while walking home from school with her friend. The trauma that she experienced, and the resulting family traumas that are revealed help Nisrin to make some personal decisions about wearing hijab, and and what gives her pride and strength. I appreciated the tough family conversations that arose, as well as the realistic portrayal of friendships that can sometimes drift due to misunderstandings, as well as reconciliation. I also appreciated the use of the Bangla language peppered throughout the novel, as well as the cultural notes at the end of the book. It's not everyday that you come across a book (in English) with a protagonist of Bangladeshi heritage, and this book will definitely appeal to middle and high school readers.
One challenge I had with the book is that some of the illustrations were difficult to interpret, and a few pages that I kept flipping back-and-forth thinking that I had missed something. I also wish the author had explored/addressed Nisrin's problematic teachers, as well as delved deeper into her friendship with Firuzeh (perhaps there will be a second novel...).