Zara Hossain Is Here

Starred review from February 1, 2021
Pakistani Muslim Zara, an openly queer senior in Corpus Christi, Texas, handles not only being Muslim in post-9/11 America, but also being an immigrant. Contrary to assumptions, Zara's family is wholly accepting of her bisexuality. Instead, it's her girlfriend Chloe's Christian family that's having a hard time coming to terms with their daughter's sexuality. Zara knows how to navigate the racism of her Catholic school classmates, but when bully Tyler starts harassing Maria, a new student from Colombia, she can't stay silent--and Tyler wants revenge. After the family awakens one night to find a racist message defacing their garage, Abbu, Zara's father, immediately heads to Tyler's house, certain he is the perpetrator. In a twisted set of events, Abbu is shot by Tyler's father, winding up in a coma while facing criminal charges for trespassing. The incident does more than just rattle the family: It directly threatens Abbu's employment, their immigration status, and the notion that the U.S. could ever be a safe home. Khan unapologetically tackles prejudice in its various manifestations--anti-immigration, homophobia, Islamophobia--while simultaneously engaging openly with the complexities of accountability. The myriad forms of oppression the most vulnerable face in our society intersect in the character of Zara, challenging readers to ask what it means for some to feel at home in a country whose systems feel built to exclude them. A vivid account exploring issues many immigrant teens face. (Fiction. 13-18)

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April 1, 2021

Gr 8 Up-High school senior Zara Hossain would prefer to be preoccupied with the cute girl in her social justice club instead of the nasty student at school who hurls racist comments at her. Zara's nervous to mention the hateful behavior to her parents, especially as she and her family are anxiously awaiting the green cards they've been promised for years-which should be arriving within months. Soon tensions escalate and violence erupts, forcing Zara to wrestle with the emotional, legal, and political consequences of the incident. This is a heart-wrenching look at Dreamers and immigrants who establish lives in the United States that highlights what they leave behind, what they risk, and how living with an uncertain future can take a toll. Zara's loving family and friends-the network the Hossains have formed during their years in the United States-are a highlight, making the choices Zara is faced with all the more heart-wrenching. This is an unblinking examination of identity, home, and where a bisexual Pakistani teen without a green card might fit in. VERDICT This emotional look at belonging and identity will make readers consider what it means to be home. Perfect for fans of Erika L. S�nchez and Mitali Perkins.-Elissa Bongiorno, Washington, DC

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Starred review from April 1, 2021
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* On the surface, Zara Hossain's life appears as normal as that of most 17-year-olds: she has two incredibly loyal friends, parents who love and support her (even after she comes out as bisexual), and a girlfriend who shares her sentiments. But underneath, the strain of uncertainty wraps around Zara and her parents, all Muslim Pakistani immigrants who've been waiting for their green cards for eight years. Worse yet, Tyler--the star football player at her school in Corpus Christi, Texas--is openly racist, and when his discriminatory remarks escalate to vandalizing the Hossains' home, it leads to a violent confrontation. Before they know it, Zara's family not only faces a health crisis, but their immigration status and the life they've sought for so long is in limbo. First, let's bask in the utterly refreshing fact that this Muslim, desi, non-hetero protagonist is accepted by her parents for a change--that's huge! Coming off the emotional heels of The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali (2019), Khan pulls from her own immigration experience to convey how taxing the process is and how a criminal charge can send everything tumbling. The intensity of the Islamophobia the family experiences is viscerally described, and that, coupled with strong character relationships and succinct writing, establishes Khan as a powerful rising voice in YA.

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