THE PROUDEST BLUE A Story of Hijab and Family

American Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad narrates her fictional story about new beginnings and family bonds. Faziah is full of pride when she sees her sister Asiya wearing the hijab for the first time at school. But soon, bullies have Faziah practicing early lessons of self-acceptance. Muhammad narrates with particular thoughtfulness when Faziah responds to her classmates' first taunts with a whisper and then a shout. The brightness of the book's illustrations does not translate to audio per se, but the overall emotion of Faziah's experience is clearly conveyed. The music that bookends the narration sets a hopeful tone. Many listeners will hear their own stories echoed in this one and find courage and resilience in this #ownvoices production. E.A.N. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2019]