The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family

Product Information

I have a freebie that is part of this larger resource so you can try it out before buying anything! The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family is a beautifully written and illustrated book by Ibtihaj Muhammad and S.K. Ali. Sisters Asiya and Faizah are off to their first day of school. Asiya is proudly wearing a beautiful, new blue hijab, which represents beauty and strength to the girls. However, other students react to Asiya’s hijab with questions and unkind actions. Faizah doesn’t understand how they see it so differently. She watches Asiya with concern, but Asiya simply turns and walks away. Faizah recalls her mother telling them to “drop” the hurtful words of others, and she too walks away. The girls head home at the end of the day, with Faizah fantasizing about the day she can wear her own blue hijab. Identity, courage, and family are important themes in this book. MuslimFest is an award winning one to three-day arts festival which has been taking place for the last 17 years in seven cities across North America attracting 500 to 60,000 people.

Hello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing - Make a Proudest Blue Paper Boat by following the instructions in this video by the book’s illustrator, S. K. Ali.The story keeps repeating that hijabs are beautiful as if it's just a fashionable accessory, nothing more. It goes into very vague reasoning as to why hijabs are important such as "It means being strong" and it also means that "you understand who you are." But what does that mean exactly? Asiya’s mama shares lots of quotes to support and inspire her daughters. What helpful words and phrases have your family and friends ever said to you? In our nation, we are encountering women in hijabs. Books like this are truly needed so the majority can be exposed to the wonderful culture of this family.

From picture books to chapter books, you’ve been quite busy since joining the agency in 2016! Can you tell us about what exciting projects lie ahead? This book discussion was conducted on May 12, 2019, and was based on the fold & gather, received from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. The conversation has been edited for clarity. Color me curious: the one thing this book did not offer is the "why" of wearing hijab, only suggesting the power and pride that comes with wearing it. I still have no idea what it represents or why it's important, only that the author says it is. I live in a place where it's cold, and I often bundle up with a scarf wrapped around my head and hair, which may suggest hijab. I wonder what people might be thinking about me wearing this. Just like the author told her story of love and family, you can tell your story. Write a sentence telling the main message of your story. The story you want to share with others. Children I teach report troubling encounters with Islamophobic behaviour when they aren't protected by school. There is a need to be open about this and to educate for understanding and tolerance of hijab. I would thoroughly recommend this book as a starting point that would fit perfectly into PSHE and RE lessons. I've used it successfully in a reading club with children in Years 1 and 2 but it would resonate, I think, with children throughout primary schools.Cultivate harmony among neighbors through art, media, strategic communication, and education. Our Vision The vision of Sound Vision is to establish peace, justice, fairness, and equity in the world. Follow us on social media Ariana: I like differentiation in the scarf style preference between Asiya and her mother, her mother in an abaya and a long khimar, a hint of how they might differ in hijab style. I also like that Asiya’s style without hijab is distinctive and cool. In this book, sisters Asiy and Faizah are celebrating the first day of wearing hijab. Other kids don't understand, but Faizah is proud of the strength and beauty of her hijab and the way that it represents their Muslim faith and culture. Before Reading Connect:If you have ever seen a sibling or friend teased, you may have an idea of how Faizah feels. What are some things you can say to support a friend who is teased? During Reading

It's not religion oriented , instead more like been different and grow up in yourself. In general, it's lovely. As James Brown said, "Say it loud, say it proud." Except in this book, he could sing, "Say it loud, wear it proud, wear it in a crowd." Faizah admires older sister Asiya’s new, strikingly blue and beautiful first-day-hijab, finding inner strength and pride when facing bullies at school who make fun of it. I also recommend having a conversation about kindness and respect. Handling conflict the way the characters did is hard for young kids, so this is a good place to discuss how students can handle similar situations. Mentor Text Resource Show students the front cover and the front endsheets. What do you already know? What are you wondering?This book is a great story for girls who will wear hijab one day, full of faith and pride and strength. But it's also a great story for kids who are not Muslim, because it shows how wearing hijab isn't about anyone except the person wearing it, and it also gives some insight into how nervous that girl might be, not knowing how her choice is going to be viewed or treated. I especially liked how the kids who made fun of Asiya were not drawn with faces, but are instead unimportant, insubstantial shadows. Can you think of other ways that people are similar / different? Why should we celebrate our differences?

Now that I got a bigger Cintiq than the small one I had I need to work out a larger desk! I tend to be messy when I’m working but not too bad, ha-ha. And I do have a roommate who is a lovebird! Our dog and two cats come and visit very often but not the 2 bunnies. And while I am not Muslim...as someone who has been Othered/bullied for being brown, I am so thankful to see media like this where diversity is celebrated. It also shows that breaking stereotypes is so vital. The author herself is a legend! It’s Faizah’s first day of school, and her older sister Asiya’s first day of hijab – made of a beautiful blue fabric. But not everyone sees hijab as beautiful. In the face of hurtful, confusing words, will Faizah find new ways to be strong? I'll finish with one golden nugget of advice, useful for any children on the end of any unkind comments, that I've found myself quoting often since reading the book: 'Don't carry around the hurtful words that others say. Drop them. They are not yours to keep.' Calm, practical and soothing in the way it releases the child from the insult, it also exudes quiet strength - like The Proudest Blue.To go beyond just stating the problem and solution in the book, I make sure to pose questions that will get students thinking about their effects. How do the characters handle the conflict? What character traits do they demonstrate? How do they grow or change? What can we take away from the resolution? How does it connect to the theme of the book? Before Reading: Some of the people in the story are drawn using silhouettes. Why is this? Could you try to make some silhouette pictures? Ariana: My first appreciation is seeing multiple Muslims involved in the process of this book from the author, Ibtihaj Muhammad with S.K. Ali and illustrated by Hatem Aly. The cover clearly conveys the concepts and themes– beauty of the blue hijab, ocean and sky, the endless possibilities. Think about the conflict and resolution. What message do you think the author wants us to take away from this book?