Graphic Novel Review: Huda F Are You? by Huda Fahmy

Huda F Are You? by Huda Fahmy. Dial, 2021. 9780593324318.

This based-on-real-life bit of fiction follows Huda, a young Muslim woman who chooses to wear a hijab, as she navigates high school and the rest of her life. (Fahmy explains in the opening why she always draws Huda wearing her hijab, even in bed, and that this book isn’t meant to represent all Muslims or their experiences.) This is a straightforward high school story with an identity crisis, worried parents, and unrequited crushes that takes place after Huda and her family relocate to a new city. She is not the only hijabi in her high school, but she does face some racism. She also has to deal with people’s stereotyping her and other Muslim students. Huda’s main problem is that she’s not sure who she is (and that she is pretty good at faking interest in whatever anyone is talking about). Luckily she has some good friends around to help, and her family is pretty cool too.

I learned a bit from this book about halaqa (Huda’s friend says it’s like Bible study, but they talk about Islam and the Quran), wearing abayas, and the stuff Huda has to deal with. Mostly I’m in awe of Fahmy’s writing and cartooning; she brought me right into Huda’s life using simple layouts and a perfect balance of words and art. This book deserves a home in middle, high school, and public libraries whether or not they have massive graphic novel collections.

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