Poetry Review: Golden Girl by Reem Faruqi

Book 4: Golden Girl by Reem Faruqi

1.BIBLIOGRAPHY

Faruqi, R. (2022). Golden Girl. HarperCollins. (ISBN: 978-0063044760)

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Golden Girl begins with a seventh grade student named Aafiyah who loves playing tennis, reading Weird but True facts, and hanging out with her best friend, Zaina. However, Aafiyah has a bad habit of having “sticky fingers” and is drawn to pretty things and can’t help but occasionally “borrow” them. But when her father is falsely accused of a crime he hasn’t committed and gets taken in by authorities, Aafiyah knows she needs to do something to help. When she brainstorms a way to bring her father back, she turns to her Weird but True facts and devises the perfect plan, or so she thinks is a perfect plan. 

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This novel in verse has all the ingredients of an unforgettable book. Golden Girl is a wonderful written novel for students preteen aged and higher. This novel relays a story that sends an important message that people who make bad choices are not bad people. I liked the little “Weird but True Facts” that she kept referring back to throughout the story. The entire novel is written in verse and would definitely be a great resource for struggling middle grade readers. This is definitely a book that a lot of readers will learn from and connect with.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT (S)

“In Aafiyah, Faruqi creates a relatable but flawed protagonist whose road to redemption makes for an engaging, warmhearted story. Readers who enjoyed Hena Khan's Amina’s Voice (2017) or are looking for nuanced portrayals of South Asian Muslim identity will enjoy this selection.' — Booklist

'Faruqi seamlessly weaves in elements of Aafiyah’s Islamic identity while capturing telling details about Aafiyah, her family, and other characters…A story about family, friendship, change, and hope.' — Kirkus Reviews

5. CONNECTIONS

Novels with similar messages:

-Iveliz Explains It All by Andrea Beatriz Arango

-Mirror to Mirror by Rajani LaRocca

-In the Beautiful Country by Jane Kuo

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