Budhos, Marina. 2006. ASK ME NO QUESTIONS. New York: Anteneum Books For Young Readers. ISBN 9781416903512
2. Plot Summary
Naidra and the her family are not legal citizens of the United States. They don't want to be deported, so they decide to seek asylum in Canada. "And in my head, words keep drumming: special registration, deportations, green card, residency, asylum" (1). The family relocated from Bangladesh, but for some reason their has always been a kink in them becoming legal citizens. Ever since 9/11 things have become more complex. When they stop at the border Naidra's dad is arrested and held for questioning. Her mom decides to stay with the father and the girls are sent back to stay with their uncle until everything can be figured out. Naidra and her older sister Aisha are supposed to act normal and wait for their parents return. Aisha cannot handle the pressure and falls to pieces. "Soon Aisha is barely going out. She sits in Talima's room and stares out the window" (93). It is up to Naidra to save her family.
3. Critical Analysis
This book is recommended for grades 7-10. There are no illustrations in the novel. The setting takes place in Canada, Vermont, and New York City. The plot of the story is the journey of the two sisters to find a plan to free their parents and make their family citizens of the United States. The theme of the book is about growing up and making a difference. The story is told from the point of view of Naidra the youngest sister.
These are the cultural markers in the book that help the reader identify the culture the characters come from. "Ma and Aisha look a lot alike: They're both fair skinned and thin..." (5). The characters skin color is described in book to let the reader know what the characters look like. The culture is recognizable by the names of the characters, tales of where they are from, religious practice, names of clothing, and foods. The two girls names are Aisha and Naidra. They call their parents Abba and Ma. Throughout the story Naidra tells the reader about where her family came from. "My family lived in the part of the world where these is no difference between land and sea. Bangladesh sits on the northeast corner of India called Bengal and looks like a great fan traced with purple-brown veins of rivers" (19). The Muslim religion is mentioned in the text. "Every man over eighteen from certain Muslim countries had to register" (9). The next marker is the traditional clothing the mom wears from Bangladesh. "I notice the pale bottom of her shalwar kameez flutter up around her jacket" (4). The last marker that helps the reader realize what culture this book is about is the food. "She asks Ma is she's low on mustard oil for cooking..." (3). "Then Abba began working as a waiter in a restaurant on East Sixth Street...is lined with Indian restaurants" (8). The language in the book is American, there are no cultural markers. All of the markers in the novel are correct they add up to fit the culture and portray the book as a realistic event.
4. Review Excerpts
BOOKLIST says: "*Starred Review* Gr. 7-10. What is it like to be an illegal alien in New York now? In a moving first-person, present-tense narrative, Nadira, 14, relates how her family left Bangladesh, came to the U. S. on a tourist visa, and stayed long after the visa expired ("Everyone does it. You buy a fake social security number for a few hundred dollars and then you can work."). Their illegal status is discovered, however, following 9/11, when immigration regulations are tightened. When the family hurriedly seeks asylum in Canada, they are turned back, and Nadira's father, Abba, is detained because his passport is no longer valid. The secrets are dramatic ("Go to school. Never let anyone know. Never."), and so are the family dynamics, especially Nadira's furious envy of her gifted older sister, Aisha."
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Following their father's arrest and detention, the teens put together the documentation and make a case that requires the judges to see them as individuals rather than terror suspects. The author explains their situation well, but the effect is more informational than fiction. Nadira and Aisha are clearly drawn characters, but they don't quite come alive, and their Bangladeshi-American background is more a backdrop than a way of life. Still, this is an important facet of the American immigrant experience, worthy of wider attention."
5. Connections
This book would be wonderful to read aloud or have students read on their own to learn about the life of Arab Americans after 9/11.
Other books about Arab American Girls:
Abdul-Fattah, Randa. DOES MY HEAD LOOK BIT IN THIS. ISBN 978043922333
Karim, Sheba. SKUNK GIRL. ISBN 9780374370114
Stratton, Allan. BORDERLINE. ISBN 9780061451126
No comments:
Post a Comment