We're proud to have a lot of books in our school library that celebrate women and their varied achievements. It's great for young women to see role models in books to inspire and encourage them to reach for their full potential, the understanding that the whole world is open to them now without so many of the gender barriers of the past. Of course we still have a little way to go until full equality is reached but modern women have a lot to thank our predecessors for.
In honour of International Women's Day this weekend, I decided to buy a new book for the library, and spotted this beautiful book by @ibtihajmuhammad and it felt perfect. The story of a young Muslim girl and her first day at school wearing the Hijab. She chooses one in a beautiful bright blue, the colour of the ocean or the sky on a sunny day.
She is proud of her choice and feels beautiful, and her younger sister thinks she looks like a princess.
In the course of the day she is challenged for wearing her Hijab, but deals with this with a quiet grace and strength - which really stands out against the ugly behaviour of the bullies.
This book encourages the reader to practice love, for ourselves and others. To believe in ourselves and that what makes us unique does not make us different.
At least, that is the message that my daughter and I took from the book, which we both loved. Mini Whisperer was disappointed that the boys in the story made fun of Asiya - 'Why can't people just be kind to each other Mama?' Let's hope with more books like this one we can read and have a greater understanding of each other, for a kinder world.
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