Meet Yasmin! by Saadia Faruqi , Hatem Aly
Release: August 1st 2018
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Picture Window Books
Source: Netgalley
Meet Yasmin Synopsis:
Meet Yasmin! Yasmin Ahmad is a spirited second-grader who’s always on the lookout for those “aha” moments to help her solve life’s little problems. Taking inspiration from her surroundings and her big imagination, she boldly faces any situation, assuming her imagination doesn’t get too big, of course! A creative thinker and curious explorer, Yasmin and her multi-generational Pakistani American family will delight and inspire readers.
Review:
A special thanks to Netgalley for giving me an advanced copy of this book to read and review. Even though I read it initially, due to personal reasons, I couldn’t review it prior to the publication. So here it is now 🙂
The main thing that I really appreciate about “Meet Yasmin!” is having a Pakistani American family as the theme. Considering how there is so much hatred towards people from different cultures, religious, orientation etc. it is refreshing to see a children’s tale featuring a Pakistani American girl. It is important to teach future generations to be accepting of one another, and any small contribution, even if it is in the form of a children’s book, is always an added value to the society.
I particularly liked how the author shows how creative Yasmin can be under any circumstances, in all the four stories. My favourite story was “Yasmin the Builder”, where Yasmin cleverly builds her own town by connecting the other models. Saadia Faruqi has done a terrific job in creating Yasmin, and making the stories equally fun to read. Hatem Aly has also done a wonderful job in the illustrations, making Yasmin and her family stand out. The book also provides interesting facts about Pakistan, how to make a refreshing Lassi, and dos and don’ts when you are faced in a similar situation to Yasmin.
The only thing I didn’t quite like about in the stories was how Yasmin does not get a warning or punishment for doing something bad. Yasmin tears out her mother’s clothes and the parents are happy. Yasmin gets lost in the market and her mother doesn’t get angry. It might send out a wrong message to young readers thinking it is okay to behave the same way in reality.
Overall, “Meet Yasmin” is a cute children’s book which schools should encourage younger readers to pick up.
