The characters, Hanan and her friends (teenage girls), were portrayed perfectly and I quite enjoyed their company. I was a bit frustrated by some of their behaviour but I had to remind myself they were teenagers doing teenage things. Dapo Adeola, Tracy Darnton, Joseph Coelho and Chitra Soundar are among the 19 authors and illustrators longlisted for the Inclusive Books for Child... Though Hanan has a close friendship group, her school life is marred by institutional racismand bigoted bullying. And she bears great pressure, too: “it sometimes felt like…I needed tobe so perfect to secure my family’s future.” What’s more, she carries her “dad’s legacy; myparents’ sacrifices; my family’s hopes for a good life against the undercurrents of racism in aplace where people are surprised I succeeded.” So well pitched at the target reader is this novel, that Mohamud can teach her young audience a lot - but equally they will get from this a sense of self, a sense of being seen, heard and recognition that this difficult era of life is surpassable. And how important that is to young people the world over...

And this is actually due to several reasons. Its wonderful storyline, powerful and vibrant characters, highlightimg racial discrimination and most importantly hatred against a community based on faith. Ayaan describes all of these aspects in a very fascinating way. Masterfully exposing the brutal realities of Islamophobia in Britain, Ayaan Mohamud’s YouThink You Know Me debut is a moving, stirring triumph that sees a quiet, hardworkingteenager journey through horrendous Islamophobic abuse to find a courageous voice and,in her words, “optimism and dreams and faith”. I enjoy reading true crime books and I have enjoyed all of the books written by Ryan Green. Just be warned: Even though this book is labelled as true crime, the author does take a lot of liberties with the story. Unlike a lot of true crime books, this one reads more like fiction than a dull, fact-filled rehash of the crimes. Mohamud’s writing brilliantly voices Hanan’s character and emotions and also shapes the various supporting characters of the story too, making them and their experiences feel authentic and really brings the important messages at the heart of this book across. The relationships, both those involving family and friends, were so wholesome and though there were some very hard moments to get through in the story there were also some wonderfully heart-warming and humorous scenes too.Although the book is fiction, the events are painstakingly familiar. So many British Muslims, especially women, face Islamophobia daily. I was desperately sad and angry for Hanan. Life has been cruel, but she came out like a warrior. Hanan’s family fled Somalia during the civil war; during the journey, her father is brutally murdered. You can’t help but admire and be in awe of the resilience of each member in her family – not only are they grieving their father, Hanan and her family are refugees settling into a country that is so unfamiliar. However, they keep their homeland and culture rich in their home and hearts. Herb Baumeister is an average man with nothing truly remarkable about him. True, he does have a strange sense of humor, doesn't really like to touch his wife, and frequents gay bars, but nobody would really call him dangerous. But, as this story unfolds, the reader learns how truly dangerous he is.

The Primary School Library Alliance is calling on the government to match-fund the private investment it has brought into helping primary schools c...The character development in the novel was great in my opinion. I liked how Ayaan describes Hanan’s struggle as a refugee in London. Regardless of many threatening situations she doesn’t stop being a practical Muslim. Every character seemed very realistic to me but of course Hanan is my favorite character. I can personally relate with her character in some aspects. How her suffering is minimised and not seen as important and that white people will always be given the benefit of the doubt but Muslims are instantly guilty and labelled as terrorists. The MC, Hanan, is a quiet studious girl who has spent years at school being harassed and bullied and just did her best to ignore it.

Books like this are why I roll my eyes at people when they criticise adults for reading Ya because for those who don't, you miss out on absolute gems like this. Ayaan, the fact that this is a debut astounds me! Your talent is insane! But anyway, let's talk about the book. Informed by the author’s experiences, the novel shares the story of Hanan, who lost herfather as she and her family fled civil war in Somalia. Now living in London with her mum,grandmother, twin brother and little sisters, Hanan is a model student, dedicated to herloving family, and to the memory of her beloved dad.Herb Baumeister would later be alleged to have killed at least nine more men along the Interstate 70 between Indiana and Ohio, and coined the “I-70 Strangler”. It is entirely possible that he was one of the most prolific serial killers in history.