Laila Sabreen

TW: racism, anti-Muslim hate, online harassment

teen fiction - three Black Muslim teen girls (high school seniors--a writer/dancer, an artist, and a computer programmer) from different parts of the US collaborate on a blog that starts as one girl's self expression (not meant to be published publicly) but becomes a place for others to feel seen and heard, only to become the targets of alt-right hate and harassment (both on and offline).

Nice to see a couple of the trolls get unmasked, though there might not turn out to be any consequences for the vandalism realistically. It was also nice to see the victims of the online hate band together--the different communities working together and becoming stronger in the process. The ending may have been simpler and happier than what might typically happen IRL, but it still made me happy to see.… (mer)

If I were to teach a high school course called "History Through YA Fiction," this book would be among those I'd use. It blends friendship, family, courage, and identity extremely well while also giving readers a gutsy and jarring trip through what many in America face on a regular basis-Ugly racism and bigotry. In this book, three Black Muslim girls from different parts of the U.S. come together online following a terrorist bombing of a Washington, DC Metro station. When Sabriya's sister reads what she's written out of frustration, fear, and anger following the attack, she convinces her to post it online. Neither sister realizes it has gone viral. When Zakat in a small city near Atlanta reads it, she immediately identifies with the words. So does Farah, a computer geek in California. As they work to make the blog better, all three face pushback, first from an online hate group that targets their blog, then from a storm of hateful blog comments. How they handle their collective and individual fear and anger makes for a terrific read.… (mer)

"It's scary that names can speak for someone before they're given the chance to open their mouth. Names can decide between who lives and dies. Between who can live in peace and who has to live in fear. Between those who can tell their own story and those whose stories are assumed before they can pick up the pen."

You Truly Assumed by Laila Sabreen is a debut novel that blew me away. The story is told from the POV's of Sabriya, Zakat & Farah, 3 Black Muslim girls who become online friends after a terrorist attacks sparks anti-Islamic hate in their communities. Each one has unique challenges. I really loved the strong writing & development of each perspective which allowed us to become fully invested in each girl and provided a safe space to explore the incidents of Islamophobia, racism and the erasure of Black Muslims. This one left me with so much to reflect on. The key themes that stayed with me were:

▪︎assumptions & associations made about names
▪︎ rampant Islamophobia in this country
▪︎ how the intersection of blackness with Islam is erased
▪︎ how Muslims are stereotyped & face daily micoragressions
▪︎ how interfaith families can model tolerance & acceptance
▪︎ how the role of allies must always be an active one
▪︎ how being racist is not a "phase"
▪︎ how vicious social media hate is towards Black women, especially Muslim ones
▪︎ how important safe spaces are

Thanks to @inkyardpress for the gifted copy. I cannot wait to read more from Sabreen. Do yourselves a favor and pick up a copy of this book because this story is compelling and needs to get all the love it deserves. Black Muslim girls need to be able to tell their own stories.… (mer)