Barakah Beats by Maleeha SiddiquiMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is a delight of a story about Nimra. After attending an Islamic school, Nimra is moving to a public school. With this, it means she'll be navigating what it means to be Muslim in this space. Then, the unlikeliest of things happens. Nimra is asked to join a Muslim boy band, Bakarah Beats. Nimra decides to join, but doesn't tell her parents as she believes this doesn't align with her religion. In addition to this, Nimra is navigating the change in dynamics with her best friend. She and Jenna have gone to different schools, but now that they're finally at the same school, things seem strained. While a unique premise with the boy band, this is very much real in exploring the challenges of fitting in during middle school and finding your voice. Nimra was a wonderful main character, and I loved seeing how she found her place at her school in ways she never would have expected. Thanks to Scholastic for the copy of this October 2021 release.
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