The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family

A lovely book that explains so much about hijab and opens the mind of a child to the common yet misunderstood style.

The pictures make my child deep dive into the blue of the scarf. This book is very good if you want to show your little girl an example of a confident little lady, managing the daily hardships of the life and the initial few challenges that come with the decision of wearing a hijab.

Must have book

This book has been a real hit with my girl of four years old. She always picks this up as favourite and was able to understand the concept of hijab well

Amazing book. Beautifully written and gorgeous illustrations. HIGHLY recommend. One of our favourite books!

Powerfull story. Beautiful motivation for growing girls and daughters and sisters of hijab wearing women.

This stunning picture book celebrates the beauty of the Muslim hijab tradition, the bond of sisters, and the strength to stand tall when bullied. Written by Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad, "The Proudest Blue" tells the story of two Muslim sisters attending school, the youngest watching with pride as her older sibling wears a hijab for the first time. Her pride soon turns to confusion when young Faizah witnesses other children taunting Asiya for looking different from themselves, for wearing what they mockingly call a "tablecloth." Faizah refuses to let the bullies diminish her pride, insisting on comparing her sister's hijab not to an inanimate tablecloth but to a strong, friendly, blue ocean in motion. She also figuratively joins her sister in wearing a hijab in the picture she draws of the two of them during class, then literally as she marches away from the schoolyard bullies, refusing to engage with them or allow their words to diminish her strength of identity. Asiya, too, stands resolute at the end of the day, smiling and strong, the two sisters even more bonded together than ever before. The illustrations beautifully reinforce the beauty, bonds, and strength emanating from the narrative. Illustrator Hatem Aly depicts the hijab with imaginative and emotionally evocative flair, giving it a life of its own. First filling the brilliant blue hijab with tiny clouds like a perfect day, then later bestowing it with the forward movement of irrepressible ocean waves, and finally wrapping it around the resolute face of Asiya with her unblinking eyes, Aly illustrates the hijab as a beautiful, unwavering presence in these girls' lives. That Aly refuses to grant the bullies faces on the page, but fills whole spreads with Asiya's countenance, denies hate even any pictorial power in this book. The connection drawn between the sisters--through hands held, footsteps in the other's shadows, and faces turned toward one another--comprise other attentive illustrative touches. This stunning book is a work of art that will not only mirror to its hijab-wearing readers their own internal strength but also present other readers with a humanizing portrayal of Muslim children and a compelling anti-bullying message.

Wonderful