March 2022 Book Club: The Proudest Blue (A Story of Hijab and Family)
The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family
By Ibtihaj Muhammad with S.K. Ali. Illustrations by Hatem Aly
Reading The Proudest Blue by Olympic Fencing Medalist Ibithaj Muhammad with S.K. Ali warmed my heart. A young sister is proud of her older sister for wearing a hijab on the first day of school. The two young sisters are teased, but they remain strong because of their mother’s words, “Don’t carry around the hurtful words that others say. Drop them. They are not yours to keep. They belong only to those who said them.”
For purchase | Check your local library
Discussion questions:
How do you encourage your children to be proud of themselves, even when being teased or disrespected? Do you encourage your children to stand up for classmates who are bullied or teased?
Please share your answers and participate in the discussion using the comments area below
I read this story with my 8 year old daughter. She really resonated with the girls choosing to wear the hijab as a celebration of their culture and being proud of who they are and how they are different and being confident in standing up for themselves. I have reservations about the hijab as a requirement for women and what it represents, but I really appreciate this empowered and positive position the author takes on it.