★★★★★ 5
A Test of a Young Girl's Faith
Barakah Beats is the debut novel of author Maleeha Siddiqui. It is the story of Nimra, a 12-year-old Pakistani Muslim who is transitioning from a private Islamic school to an American public school. It deals with many traditional problems children starting middle school face—self-esteem, fitting in, and making friends. What adds an extra layer of tension to this novel is the religious aspect. Nimra memorized the Qur'an at her private school and wants to maintain her Muslim identity while also fitting into her new school.
Nimra has previously had a friendship with Jenna, an American girl she thought was her close friend. Jenna seems to treat Nimra differently at school, and Nimra decides she wants to find a way to earn back Jenna's friendship. Some eighth-grade Muslim boys at her school have a music group called Barakah Beats. They befriend Nimra after they discover she is a talented singer. Nimra becomes a celebrity around campus, and Jenna suddenly wants to be friends with her again. One of the interesting dilemmas Nimra faces is that she's not sure her family will approve of her interest in music. While Nimra likes the boys and the attention she gets from Jenna and her friends, her real passion is drawing and becoming an artist. Nimra is not forthcoming and honest with the boy and her parents, and her guilt becomes too much to manage.
I enjoyed the read and empathized with Nimra's difficult situation wanting to fit in. Siddiqui's book raises interesting questions about how challenging it can be for children with other ethnic, cultural, and religious differences to find their place in American society while maintaining their identity.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2021
