Published: April 2021
Series: Standalone (N/A)
Author: Sabina Khan
Illustrator: N/A
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance, Queer, Lesbian, Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Audience (Grade Levels): 9-10, 11-12 (High School)
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5 stars)
Goodreads Link: Zara Hossain Is Here
Triggers: Islamophobia, Bullying, Violence, Racism
Review By: Patricia Ranieri
Publisher’s Summary:
Zara’s family has waited years for their visa process to be finalized so that they can officially become US citizens. But it only takes one moment for that dream to come crashing down around them.
Seventeen-year-old Pakistani immigrant, Zara Hossain, has been leading a fairly typical life in Corpus Christi, Texas, since her family moved there for her father to work as a pediatrician. While dealing with the Islamophobia that she faces at school, Zara has to lay low, trying not to stir up any trouble and jeopardize their family’s dependent visa status while they await their green card approval, which has been in process for almost nine years.
But one day her tormentor, star football player Tyler Benson, takes things too far, leaving a threatening note in her locker, and gets suspended. As an act of revenge against her for speaking out, Tyler and his friends vandalize Zara’s house with racist graffiti, leading to a violent crime that puts Zara’s entire future at risk. Now she must pay the ultimate price and choose between fighting to stay in the only place she’s ever called home or losing the life she loves and everyone in it.
From the author of the “heart-wrenching yet hopeful” (Samira Ahmed) novel, The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali, comes a timely, intimate look at what it means to be an immigrant in America today, and the endurance of hope and faith in the face of hate.
Review:
This was a book I picked up as a part of my mission to include more diverse books in my repertoire. Right off the bat, the author does a nice job of addressing important themes such as immigration, identity, and discrimination, providing readers with an insightful glimpse into the struggles faced by individuals and families in similar situations.
One aspect of the book that I appreciated was the authenticity of the characters and their experiences. Zara, the protagonist, is a complex and relatable character who grapples with her identity as a Pakistani immigrant in America. The portrayal of her cultural heritage and the challenges she faces resonated with me, and I found myself empathizing with her journey of self-discovery.
Additionally, Khan does an excellent job of highlighting the impact of prejudice and Islamophobia on Zara and her family. The discrimination they face feels all too real and serves as a stark reminder of the harsh realities faced by many marginalized communities. Khan incorporates these themes while highlighting the importance of standing up against injustice.
However, while I found the themes and characters compelling, I couldn’t help but feel that certain aspects of the plot were somewhat predictable. At times, the story followed familiar tropes and lacked the element of surprise that I typically enjoy in a novel.
While the book may not have completely blown me away, I still believe it’s worth picking up for its relevant themes and well-developed characters. If you are an educator looking to expand the diversity of your books, this book is a good place to start.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- Social Studies & Civics (Immigration Policy): Use the novel to explore the complexities of the US immigration system. Students can research the differences between dependent visas, green cards, and naturalization, mapping out the multi-year timelines and legal hurdles that families like Zara’s endure.
- English Language Arts (Comparative Literature Analysis): Pair this text with The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas or Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card by Sara Saedi. Have students write a comparative essay focusing on how different protagonists navigate systematic oppression, minoritized identities, and the decision to speak out against injustice.
- Social-Emotional Learning (Standing Up to Hate): Use Zara’s encounters with Tyler to anchor a classroom discussion or workshop on bystander intervention, bullying versus hate speech, and safe ways for students to support marginalized peers in school settings.
