Golden Girl
Author(s): Reem Faruqi
From the award-winning, ALA Notable author of Unsettled and Lailah’s Lunchbox, this is a captivating coming-of-age middle grade novel in verse about seventh grader Aafiyah Qamar, a Pakistani American girl who hatches a special plan to help her family but finds that doing what’s right isn’t always easy. For fans of The Thing About Jellyfish and Clean Getaway, this is a heartfelt, soul-searching story with laughter, hope, and lessons learned.
Seventh grader Aafiyah loves playing tennis, reading Weird but True facts, and hanging out with her best friend, Zaina. However, Aafiyah has a bad habit that troubles her—she’s drawn to pretty things and can’t help but occasionally “borrow” them.
But when her father is falsely accused of a crime he hasn’t committed and gets taken in by authorities, Aafiyah knows she needs to do something to help. When she brainstorms a way to bring her father back, she turns to her Weird but True facts and devises the perfect plan.
But what if her plan means giving in to her bad habit, the one she’s been trying to stop? Aafiyah wants to reunite her family but finds that maybe her plan isn’t so perfect after all. . .
"Faruqi's beautifully observed and page-turning novel in verse overflows with compassion, honesty, and hope." —Veera Hiranandani, Newbery Honor author of The Night Diary
"Faruqi proves herself once again a master of middle grade verse novels. Golden Girl is a phenomenal story loaded with heart and hope.” —Adrianna Cuevas, author of the Pura Belpré honor book The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez, Cuba in My Pocket, and The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto
“A story that sends an important message—that people who make bad choices are not bad people.” —Padma Venkatraman, Walter Award-winning author of The Bridge Home
Review(s):
"Seventh-grader Aafiyah's charmed life is not without flaws, but it takes a sudden turn when her father is falsely accused of a crime. As Aafiyah tries to help her family, she ends up making all the wrong choices for all the right reasons and has to face her own challenges in a new way. Faruqi's beautifully observed and page-turning novel in verse overflows with compassion, honesty, and hope."
"Faruqi proves herself once again a master of middle grade verse novels. Golden Girl is a phenomenal story which will engage readers with its unique main character and plot. Faruqi maximizes the impact of her words and gives a story loaded with heart and hope."
“Defying cliche, Faruqi paints an unflinchingly honest portrait of a protagonist who makes mistakes - serious mistakes - and whose heroism lies in her ability to own up to her worst errors and do her best to make amends. A story that sends an important message - that people who make bad choices are not bad people.”
“This novel in verse has all the ingredients of an unforgettable book.”
"Aafiyah’s story is a relatable, real, and raw account of what it is like to be a teenage Muslim girl, and is a must-have on every bookshelf!"
“[Faruqi] writes with incisive sensitivity of a common disorder that gets little attention in youth literature…That Aafiyah’s path forward involves self-discipline and forgiveness will resonate with many readers.”
“This story [has] a well-characterized, flawed heroine and a lot of heart.”
"Faruqi seamlessly weaves in elements of Aafiyah’s Islamic identity while capturing telling details about Aafiyah, her family, and other characters…A story about family, friendship, change, and hope."
“In Aafiyah, Faruqi creates a relatable but flawed protagonist whose road to redemption makes for an engaging, warmhearted story. Readers who enjoyed Hena Khan's Amina’s Voice (2017) or are looking for nuanced portrayals of South Asian Muslim identity will enjoy this selection."
"Faruqi has the ability to infuse so much story and feeling into so few words. Her verse is beautiful, accessible, and relatable."
ISBN: 9780063044753