Today,
the ‘Books of the Week’ are following the ‘New in the Library This Term’ theme of
the month as well as tying in with Anti-Bullying Week. Before you ask,
no, these two books were not chosen for their practically matching pink and
yellow covers or the coincidental rhyming of the protagonists’ names but for
the way they tell stories of dealing with bullying in two very different
contexts. Both central characters are juggling trying to fit in in the world
alongside being bullied at School (not to mention the other everyday dramas of
teenage life). Exhausting! These stories inspire a new approach to living through
it: recognising and remembering your own potential and the importance of surrounding
yourself with allies.
You Must Be Layla by Yassmin Abdel-Magied
Layla can’t help but stand out, she’s goofy, clumsy and loud mouthed and she has just left her Islamic School to join a posh, private school only to be the first student to ever wear a hijab there. Sigh! But on the inside, she’s cool, calm and collected and she’s got this. With her repertoire of seriously dodgy jokes (and sometimes just straight-up prayer) she knows she is going to settle in and end up becoming the great adventurer and builder of things that she aspires to be. But the constant bullying starts to takes its toll, even on the ever optimistic Layla. Will she be able to keep her comments to herself long enough to outsmart the cowardice and ignorance of those who can’t accept her? This is a beautiful, funny book that reminds us all to stay true to ourselves and keep hold of what makes us unique. Uplifting and inspiring. Recommended for Y7+
And
it is, indeed, really very funny. I was invested from the outset in the first
person narrative of Haylah, or “Pig”, as she affectionately reclaimed from the
bullies for a nickname. She is obsessed with writing jokes, big ones, small
ones, rubbish ones but mostly magnificent ones. Haylah jokes her way through
school, home and potential romance as she juggles being carer to her four year
old brother who provides her with a large amount of her comedy material. She
may be racking up the big laughs but when her relationship with her otherwise
beloved cuddler of a mother begins to sour with the appearance of her new
weirdy-beardy boyfriend we start to wonder whether Haylah’s emotional energy is
altogether misplaced. This is an uplifting story about how we all have the
potential to project when things get tough but remembering we are not alone can
steer us right again. Recommended for Y7+
Ms Johns