The Kindest Red: A Story of Hijab and Friendship (The Proudest Blue)

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It’s the doldrums of a Midwest winter, and some of my students are on edge with each other. So I was looking for a BIPOC friendship book to use for Valentine’s week. The bright red dress from the cover caught my attention along with the word Kindest. Mae athrawes Faizah yn gofyn i'w dosbarth pa fath o fyd hoffen nhw ei gael. Mae rhai eisiau byd hufen ia neu fyd uncorn; hoffai Faizah fyd caredig, felly aeth hi a'i ffrind Sophie ati i greu un yn yr ysgol. Versions 1-4: Draw/write about how you would make the world you imagine. For example, if you want to live in a “Safe World”, write or draw how you would make the world safe. Aly's ink-wash-and-pencil illustrations settle and soar along with the language.... This story, as both window and mirror, inevitably educates, but more important, it encourages pride in and respect for hijab through a tale of two sisters, their bond strengthened by faith."— Booklist, starred review A lovely blend of emotional lyricism and closely observed everyday life."— Publishers Weekly, starred review

This is an absolutely beautiful book – one that is positive and empowering. In the author-illustrator team’s previous book The Proudest Blue, we saw the beautiful bond between sisters Faizah and Asiya and heard the supportive and uplifting words of their mother. In The Kindest Red we see this again throughout the story as we ponder the question posed by Faizah’s teacher, ‘What kind of world would you like to live in?’ A beautiful world? A strong world? A kind world? A joyous tale of strengthening community by lifting up one another …the message is perfect as well as vital for elementary children. An exuberant follow-up to The Proudest Blue.”— School Library Journal Faizah wants a kind world, where there's always a friend nearby, where everyone helps. At recess, Sophie and Faizah combine their visions, superheroes and kindness, to help other kids on the playground. When picture time arrives the class is full of smiles, but when it is time for sibling pictures, Faiza and Asiya realize they don't match. Ibtihaj Muhammad captures one little girls wish to be like her big sister, to wear a beautiful red dress on school picture day - passed down through the generations as a prized possession she can now enjoy - and to be empowered by her faith in friendship and the goodness of the world. There is nothing but hope, happiness and love in this story - a refreshing addition to the shelves of children's picture books. Inspiring.... The lovely, playful illustrations by Aly capture the spirit of imagination and sisterly solidarity in the face of bullying."— New York Times Book ReviewS.K. Ali is the award-winning and bestselling author of a number of books for children and young adults, including Saints and Misfits, The Proudest Blue (coauthor), and Once Upon an Eid(coeditor and contributor). She lives in Toronto with her family and invites you to visit her online at skalibooks.com. This cheerful multicultural book, brimming with optimism and hope, will make a lovely read-aloud or bedtime story.”— Booklist This is a story about dreaming, about an inclusive world, about family and the threads that hold them together. It's less about Hijab's and Friendship actually than I think it probably was meant to be - instead it feels more about just "being", and I think I like that just as much. When you're little, just being is all you care about; it's only when we grow that we begin to understand that not everyone will accept us for who we are and the gross unfairness of that. So I loved the childlike, innocent lense we got to see this through. The creators of the bestselling The Proudest Blue (2019) return with a tale of siblings, friendship, and acts of kindness.

S.K. Ali is the award-winning and bestselling author of a number of books for children and young adults, including Saints and Misfits, The Proudest Blue (coauthor), and Once Upon an Eid (coeditor and contributor). She lives in Toronto with her family and invites you to visit her online at skalibooks.com. Ibtihaj Muhammad is the first American woman in hijab to compete for the United States in the Olympic Games. She is also the first female Muslim American woman to medal at the Olympic Games, winning a bronze medal in the saber team event. An award-winning author, activist, and entrepreneur, Ibtihaj has written a memoir, Proud, as well as picture books included The Proudest Blue,and inspired the first hijabi Barbie, in her likeness. She invites you to visit her online at ibtihajmuhammad.com. Lift the Cover Flap to reveal your responses and share what kind of world you want to live in, and how you can make that dream come true! There is something missing - the story is far more simple than it deserved; I wanted to know more about Faizah's family and her relationship with them, I wanted to see more of her friendships at school and I would have really liked to have seen a bigger nod to her faith; I'm interested, I want to learn and I think small children would have really benefitted from that.

Kate, Who Tamed The Wind

In The Kindest Red, Faizah gets ready for picture day at school by wearing a hand-me-down red dress that she had been longing to wear. She and her friend Sophie twirl in their dresses. At school, her teacher asks the class to draw and write about a world they would want. Faizah draws a kind world of friends always helping each other. At recess she and her friend Sophie use their superpowers to be kind and helpful. After class, Faizah and her sister, who wears a blue hijab from the first book by the authors, The Proudest Blue, are to get their sibling photo taken. All the siblings are dressed alike, except for Faizah and her sister Asiya. Faizah is depressed until her friends use their kindness superpower to think of a brilliant idea. Share what kind of world you want to live in with your family and friends, and ask them what world they want to live in. Share how you can make this world possible. Mae Faizah a Sophie'n gwneud pâr rhagorol, yn lledu meddylgarwch i bobman, ac mae yna hiwmor tyner yn ymwneud y dosbarth â'i gilydd. Mae'r darluniau'n ddeinamig a lliwgar, gydag ambell edrychiad hyfryd o ddigywilydd ar wynebau'r plant. Mae Faizah hefyd yn ymddangos yn The Proudest Blue, llyfr lluniau ardderchog arall gan yr un creawdwyr. Faizah is sad, and Sophie notices, can the kindness be passed along like the dress to help the sisters? To make Faizah happy too? I'm not going to give away the conclusion, but it is sweet and idyllic and shows how lovely the world can be if we all just share some kindness.