Stereotypes

The word “stereotype” refers to a judgment made based on physical appearances or other expectations of a specific person or event. In this novel, a girl named Shirin is at yet another new high school where she faces those judgments from students and teachers because of her ethnicity. The novel delves into other kinds of stereotypes as well, including how Shirin judges others and how those judgments can change.

The novel takes place less than a year after the 9/11 attack on America in 2001, which is part of reason Shirin faces stereotype-judgments. The attack created a heightened fear of anyone representing the Muslim faith. Shirin chooses to wear a hajib, though it has little to do with religion and is merely her choice to keep her hair hidden away from public view. For most, the hajib is a symbol of the Muslim faith which prompts them to...