I recently heard about ‘The Proudest Blue” when people were sharing lists of books which were diverse. After googling what it was about, I liked that this book was about hijab and decided to purchase it.
The Brightest Blue
Authors: Ibtihaj Muhammad with S.K. Ali
Illustrator: Hatem Ali
Publisher: Anderson Press
RRP: £7.99
Asiya’s hijab is like the ocean and the sky, no line between them, saying hello with a loud wave. Saying I’ll always be here, like sisters. Like me and Asiya.
Hijab is such an important part of our faith, but at the same time it isn’t always easy to do. I only started observing hijab (the headscarf) after having my children and realising I needed to be a good role model for them.
However hijab is not something I want to force on my girls. All I can do is my best to educate them about hijab, what it means to wear it, and pray that they choose to wear it themselves. I wanted to find a story book that spoke about hijab in a positive way, but while also showing the reality of it and how it can be hard to wear it. The Proudest Blue covers all those issues and more.
First Day Hijab
The story is about Asiya, who picks her first day hijab and told through the eyes of her younger sister. Asiya picks a bright blue hijab ready for school.
The story explores how other children will ask what it is, even showing that some children may laugh.
Some people won’t understand your hijab, Mama had said. But if you understand who you are, one day they will too.
The book doesn’t even shy away from some of the hurtful words that can be used by other children such as ‘tablecloth’. Going on to explain not to carry around hurtful words and to continue to be strong.
Our Thoughts
We all enjoyed reading this book. The book definitely deserves being on our book shelf, not just because I am trying to find more diverse books, but because it is such an important topic. There is no denying that hijab can be difficult to wear, and this book gently touches on the bullying that children may face should they choose to wear it and reminding them to be strong and proud of who they are.
If you would like to hear more of my thoughts and see inside the book then you can watch my IGTV video.
If you would like to purchase the book then check your local Islamic bookshops, online islamic stores and it is also available on Amazon (affiliate link).
If you are looking for other hijab related books then you may be interested in another book review I did: How to get hijab ready.
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