Virtual OBOB Event: Yusuf Azeem Is Not A Hero
October 17 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Join us for 13 FREE VIRTUAL events to chat with authors from the 2023-2024 OBOB list! RSVP through Eventbrite here.
Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero
From the author of A Thousand Questions.
On his first day of middle school, Yusuf finds a “you suck” note in his locker and he’s not sure if it was left by the previous student who had the locker or if it was intended for him to find. He’s a rule follower and has a good friend to run with. But as middle school goes, friendships and loyalties are tested.
A powerful and relevant story from the author of A Thousand Questions, about friendship, grief, and standing up for what is right. The ideal next read for fans of Hena Khan, Jewell Parker Rhodes, and Varian Johnson—or for any young reader grappling with recent US history and current events.
Yusuf Azeem has spent all his life in the small town of Frey, Texas—and nearly that long waiting for the chance to participate in the regional robotics competition, which he just knows he can win.
Only, this year is going to be more difficult than he thought. Because this year is the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks—an anniversary that has everyone in his family on edge. After reading his uncle’s journal from that time, Yusuf feels like he almost understands what the nation’s fear and anger felt like.
With “Never Forget” banners everywhere and a hostile group of townspeople protesting the new mosque, Yusuf realizes that the anger hasn’t gone away. And soon, he will have to stand up to the bullies, with understanding, justice, and love.
Saadia Faruqi is a Pakistani American writer, interfaith activist, and cultural sensitivity trainer; she is the author of A Thousand Questions, The Wonders We Seek: Thirty Incredible Muslims Who Helped Shape the World, and the early reader Yasmin series. She resides in Houston, TX, with her family.