Head Games

Does My Head Look Big In This?
Randa Abdel-Fattah

Orchard Books 2007

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Read it if: You're in middle or high school, love your friends, Cosmo Magazine and coffee shops, and are thinking about issues of spirituality and difference.

Best for: Girls who are looking for a quick read that's funny and thoughtful

If you like it try:  

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicholson by Louise Rennison

Rating: 2.5/5

While watching Friends on the last week of vacation, Amal has an epiphany: she wants to start wearing her hijab full time. Amal Nasrullah Abdel-Hakim is like every other student starting the eleventh grade - scared about how hard the next year is going to be, devoted to her friends, trying to get her crush to notice her and thinking about what she wants to do with her life. But on top of those concerns, Amal is also navigating how to be a devote Muslim in an Australian community where her faith is often misunderstood and mistrusted, despite her being born and raised there. Often lighthearted, but unafraid to tackle heavy subjects, this is the story of a girl trying to do what she feels is right in a complicated world.

Although I feel the term is both misused and overused, this book is probably best classified as "Chick-Lit". It has the light tone and pop-culture referencing of the genre. It also has a focus on friendships, relationships and personal trials and tribulations. What makes this novel unique rather than formulaic is the portrayal of a protagonist who is deeply religious. Amal's first person narrative explores the implications of her following her faith, and how her own decisions affect those around her. Never preachy or patronizing, this book is not didactic - rather, it explores how personal relationships are affected by and interact with a spiritual relationship.  

There were times where I wanted this novel to go further and explore the issues it raises more deeply. Some of the conclusions Abdel-Fattah comes to are too pat and easy. The dialogue is often wooden and not indicative of the way high school students actually speak. However, Does My Head Look Big in This also has a major strength: it successfully blends the style of popular, light reads for a girl-oriented audience and adds a weighty issue into the mix, creating a read with plenty of food for thought.