Saints and Misfits

Janna is a modern North American Muslim girl who wears a hijab, does well in school, has friends from many cultures, and works part-time. But, Janna also has a very complicated life – her parents are divorced, she has a crush on a non-Muslim boy, her best friend is being bullied, and a respected member of her mosque tried to rape her and is now trying to publicly shame her. This accurate portrayal of a Muslim girl’s life in the west will appeal to grade 10-12 students. Useful as an independent, literature circle, or class novel and for inquiry projects, it deals with important topics, including sexual assault, social justice, identity, faith, bullying, self-acceptance, and multiculturalism.