The Kindest Red: A Story of Hijab and Friendship

by Ibtihaj Muhammad, S. K. Ali, Hatem Aly (Illustrator)

Overview

The sequel to the acclaimed New York Times bestseller The Proudest Blue shows the power of friendship and kindness, from Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad.

It’s picture day and Faizah can’t wait to wear her special red dress with matching hair ribbons, passed down from her mother and sister. Faizah’s teacher starts the day by asking her students to envision the kind of world they want, inspiring Faizah and her friends to spend the day helping one another in ways large and small. 

But when it’s time for sibling pictures, Faizah realizes that she and her older sister, Asiya, don’t match like her classmates do with their siblings. With help from her classmates inspired by Asiya’s hijab, Faizah finds that acts of kindness can come back to you in unexpected ways.  

From Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad and fellow bestselling, award-winning creators S.K. Ali and Hatem Aly comes a heartfelt exploration of friendship, faith, and the joy of spreading kindness wherever you go.

**Spend more time with Faizah and Asiya in The Proudest Blue, where the story starts; and The Boldest White, where the story continues!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780759555709
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	01/10/2023
Series:	The Proudest Blue , #2
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	25,834
Product dimensions:	10.20(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Ibtihaj Muhammad is the first American woman in hijab to compete for the United States in the Olympic Games. She is also the first female Muslim American woman to medal at the Olympic Games, winning a bronze medal in the saber team event. An award-winning author, activist, and entrepreneur, Ibtihaj has written a memoir, Proud, as well as picture books included The Proudest Blue, and inspired the first hijabi Barbie, in her likeness. She invites you to visit her online at ibtihajmuhammad.com.

S.K. Ali is the award-winning and bestselling author of a number of books for children and young adults, including Saints and Misfits, The Proudest Blue (coauthor), and Once Upon an Eid (coeditor and contributor). She lives in Toronto with her family and invites you to visit her online at skalibooks.com. 

Hatem Aly is the illustrator of many books, including The Inquisitor's Tale (a Newbery Honor Book). Hatem was born in Egypt and currently lives in New Brunswick, Canada, with his wife and son and their many pets. He invites you to visit him online at metahatem.com 

Editorial Reviews

A Children's Book Council Librarian Favorite

* “Helping others looks fun and rewarding in this sweet tale that empowers readers…. A loving and lovely celebration of the many ties—sisterly, friendship, communal—that bind.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“This cheerful multicultural book, brimming with optimism and hope, will make a lovely read-aloud or bedtime story.”—Booklist

Praise for The Proudest Blue:

*On 12 state award lists!*
 "Inspiring.... The lovely, playful illustrations by Aly capture the spirit of imagination and sisterly solidarity in the face of bullying."—New York Times Book Review

* "Memorable and inspiring.... Triumphant and true."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "A lovely blend of emotional lyricism and closely observed everyday life."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "Aly's ink-wash-and-pencil illustrations settle and soar along with the language.... This story, as both window and mirror, inevitably educates, but more important, it encourages pride in and respect for hijab through a tale of two sisters, their bond strengthened by faith."—Booklist, starred review

* "This excellent story about identity, visibility, and confidence, touches on rites of passage, bonds between sisters, and bullying and is unapologetic in tackling misconceptions and demanding equality."—School Library Journal, starred review

"Hatem Aly's ink-wash and watercolour illustrations perfectly complement the lyricism of Muhammed and Ali's moving text."—The Globe and Mail

“A joyous tale of strengthening community by lifting up one another …the message is perfect as well as vital for elementary children. An exuberant follow-up to The Proudest Blue.” —School Library Journal
 

From the Publisher

03/17/2023

PreS-Gr 2—The Proudest Blue was a tale of family; this new book radiates outward, creating a vibrant landscape of mutually compassionate acts. Muhammad and Ali use the backdrop of school picture day to demonstrate the strong bonds between friends who serve, as Faizah creates her ideal "kind world" by helping members of her class. But instead of veering into The Giving Tree-like territory of self-sacrifice, this story shows how Faizah still needs help through a dark moment herself. This gentle exchange of love goes both ways, creating a joyous tale of strengthening community by lifting up one another. Ali's vibrant illustrations perfectly enhance these messages, most assuredly in spreads where friends twirl together, focusing on what connects them rather than what drives them apart. It may prove long for very young readers, but the message is perfect as well as vital for elementary children. VERDICT An exuberant follow-up to The Proudest Blue, this should join that one on the shelves.—Cat McCarrey

School Library Journal

★ 2022-12-14
The creators of the bestselling The Proudest Blue (2019) return with a tale of siblings, friendship, and acts of kindness.

For picture day, Faizah wears a red dress that belonged first to Mama and then to her older sister, Asiya. Asiya does Faizah’s hair in puffs, Faizah pins Asiya’s hijab, and, with kind words from Mama, off they go to school, where Faizah finds she matches with her friend Sophie, who has light skin and red hair and is wearing a dress with red roses. Brown-skinned Ms. Ramirez asks the students to imagine the kind of world they want and to draw and label it. Faizah draws a kind world, and Sophie draws a superhero world. Then, at recess and throughout the day, they use their superpowers to make the world kinder, helping other kids and brightening their days. By picture time, everyone in class is smiling. But when it’s time for sibling photos, Faizah is upset to realize that, unlike the other sibling pairs, she and Asiya don’t match. Can her friends find a way to help? Helping others looks fun and rewarding in this sweet tale that empowers readers by showing them their actions can result in a world everyone would want to live in. This much-needed positive representation of a loving Black Muslim family is set within a diverse community, depicted with Aly’s characteristic expressive energy and charm. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A loving and lovely celebration of the many ties—sisterly, friendship, communal—that bind. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews