You Think You Know Me

Product Information

I received a copy of the book from Usborne Publishing through the Tandem Collective for a readalong in exchange for an honest review** The language and subject matter make the book more suitable for an older readership and it would serve as a valuable text for reading groups where issues of identity, integration and loyalty could be discussed with older pupils. Somehow, Hussein and I managed to get through the next three years together in one piece. It never stopped being hard, but it did get a little easier. We made a few new friends, began making some good memories, and we stayed well away from Luke and his mates. And things got worse still when the class clown, Luke, decided he wanted to make me joke-of-the-week. He and his friends had followed Hussein and me at break one day and we hadn’t noticed until they were only a metre or two away. Hanan has always been the good, quiet, well-behaved girl that she not wants to be, but has to be. She’s already a target for bullying by a group at school her friends call The Braids (mean girls amped up) and being loud, speaking up, would make her more of a target for their hate. Even her teachers use her for her image as their flawless, poster child for a Muslim student at the school. But Hanan has dreams, wishes, and desires to speak her mind and stand up for herself and every other person that gets the same racist undertones (which is just blatant racism most of the time.)

Ayaan Mohamud – Author of ‘You Think You In Conversation With Ayaan Mohamud – Author of ‘You Think You

Senior commissioning editor Sarah Stewart acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, for the debut in a two-book deal with Clare Wallace at Darley Anderson. Excuse you, I’m asking for support here, not judgement, Hanan, she replies drily, squinting at me. Those two are the ones you should be looking at. Hanan is a 'good' student, young woman and Muslim. She's headed for a bright future if she passes her exam for medical school. She's been keeping her head down in her preppy grammar for years so a little longer should be manageable. With a diverse group of close-knit friends, she can let comments and low-level bullying wash over her ordinarily. A part of me wants to laugh, to tell them that crayons are the least of their worries, that the reality of secondary school will blindside them soon enough – when their lives will intersect with those who say cruel and awful things for fun. But I know they’re still children and, for them, playground drama feels like the worst it’ll ever get. Armistice Day: A Collection of Remembrance - Spark Interest and Educate Children about Historical MomentsI genuinely loved Hanan, who was such a warm, brave and fiercely loving character who, despite the hardships and vitriol thrown her way, has powered through with a dignity, integrity and determination that I am in awe of—living in her shoes (if only for the day and half it took me the finish this) was a deeply moving, and eye-opening experience that I won’t soon forget.

You Think You Know Me by Ayaan Mohamud (9781803704500

Ayaan aims to unite and create much-needed empathy and understanding among young generations of readers. You Think You Know Me is a hard-hitting, modern tale of racism and religious duty which speaks out against violence and intolerance. Without realizing, and without much resistance, that’s the kind of person I’ve become. The lunch bell rang ten minutes ago, and I was supposed to go meet my friends, but for some reason I’m still here at this empty desk in this near-empty library, trying to make a dent in this never-ending study list.I participated in a readalong of this book with @tandemcollectiveuk and a bunch of fellow readers. It has been a lovely experience. This will be upsetting for some readers. Hanan and her family are Somalian, their own beloved father not with them after his murder. So not only do we see the family trying to overcome prejudice and anger in the UK, we see an immigration story and that of a strong family unit with proud traditions. The author doesn't shy away from including phrases of their home language (though I wish I'd realised that there's a glossary at the end!), and you get a feel for their homeland and culture.