You Must Be Layla

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Looking outside and in, Layla will need to come to terms with who she is and who she wants to be if she has any chance of succeeding. You Must Be Layla features a protagonist and story that are pivotal in today's Australian lit, but a few things fell short for me. Nonetheless, I think this is a good story for kids who want an accessible and approachable story about confidence, ambition, and prejudice. this warm, humorous account of a larger-than-life Sudanese girl navigating a posh Australian school is an engaging read for 12-plus. Imogen Russell Williams, The Guardian Unfortunately, there were two main problems with this for me. The first is that the writing is...it's awful. It's really awful. It feels like a draft rather than a finished book. It's unpolished, the conversations don't feel authentic, and there are so many pop culture references and slang words in it that it will feel out of date within two years. And honestly, that makes me incredibly sad because this had the potential to be a game changer. A community school, ISM doesn’t have a lot of funding for extra equipment and opportunities and when she meets private school student, Adam, in the park, she begins to realise that she may need to branch out. Adam attends Mary Maxmillion Grammar (MMG) a private and very exclusive school that has everything you could imagine, including a workshop with all kinds of equipment that Layla could use to bring her beloved inventions to life. Layla loves to make jewellery at home – the precision of threading beads and creating patterns appeals, but she would love the opportunity to make so much more.

This reads a bit more of older middle-grade than young adult, and I think the themes and issues explored in this book are more fitting of older MG.

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The pace of the story was just right — although the last chapter felt like an unnecessary sprint race, which I ended up forgiving. It is a perfect “get-me-out-of-my-slump” read.

Yassmin Abdel-Magied's You Must Be Layla is a tonic, and a terrific debut for 11+. Its narrator is (like its author) a Sudanese girl who has won a scholarship to a posh Australian school. Bossy, smart and brave, she has to face the students who have it in for her as the only Muslim. Underneath its buoyant humour is a timely wisdom about finding friends in an alien culture. Amanda Craig, New Statesman Yassmin's broadcasting portfolio is diverse: she presented the national TV show Australia Wide, a podcast on becoming an F1 driver and created Hijabistas, a series looking at the modest fashion scene in Australia. Yassmin is a regular contributor to the BBC, Al Jazeera, TRT and Monocle 24, and has co-hosted The Guilty Feminist. Oh boy. I had such high hopes for this book because I have nothing but respect for Yassmin Abdel-Magied. Also, the protagonist is in year 8, which is almost unheard of in YA and I was super excited to have a book coming out for the younger end of the YA audience. And there was a reasonable amount about this that I enjoyed - a teenage girl who's interested in STEM, the struggles of being a Sudanese Muslim at a private school that's very white, and the difficulties of being a 14 year old girl full stop.I think Layla is a great protagonist - a girl who is confident in her own ability, feels vulnerable when faced with conflict and self-doubt, and also explores feelings of anger when faced with injustice. A lot of her emotions were very real. In her first fiction book for young readers, writer, broadcaster and award-winning social advocate, Yassmin Abdel-Magied, gives us the inspiring and hopeful story of Layla. A Sudanese teenager in Australia, Layla is curious, adventurous and determined to learn anything and everything she can about the world. Her family moved to Australia from Sudan when her mother, a doctor, was offered a position at a Brisbane hospital, and things have been very different ever since. The introduction of Layla’s family and friends was one of my favourite moments whilst reading. I adored meeting these characters and seeing their relationship dynamic, a strong sense of family and love is consistent throughout the text. This aspect also displays Layla’s characteristics beautifully, she is an optimist, with a strong sense of mind and passion and tries to always remain happy. Layla herself, I found as an inspiring character whose narration made me smile and motivated me to look on the bright side, no matter the situation. Firstly, Magied is a Muslim and knows that the actionsher Muslim character is undertakingare forbidden. She is also aware that it is forbidden to be gay. Therefore, why is a Muslim author promoting the idea that it's acceptable for Muslim teenagers to have a very intimate friendship with a boy and accept qawm Lut as the norm? Layla wins a scholarship to an impressive high school. On her first day, wearing a long skirt and a headscarf, Layla certainly stands out. Some of her fellow students (and teachers) make assumptions. And Layla doesn’t always help herself: speaking before thinking through the consequences can get you into trouble, even if you don’t look different.

Layla is full of sass, and overwhelming adolescent impulsivity! She gave me anxiety with some of her antics, which just showed me how this character had developed and I'd become invested. You Must Be Layla is a heart-warming story that will give young readers insight into the lives of migrants to Australia and the struggles with racism and identity that they grapple with. It also explores the pressure that students can be under from their parents to perform at school and how this can play out in very detrimental ways. Layla is a wonderfully warm and vibrant character who will stay with you long after you have finished reading her story. A perfect book to get young readers thinking more about issues in the playground and to the bigger world beyond it. It's a lovely book, about a girl finding her place in an unfamiliar &intimidating context. Pitched at kids, maybe 10-12 ish. With her long skirt and headscarf Layla certainly stands out at her new high school. Everyone thinks they know her, just from a glance. But do they? And does Layla really know herself?”

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Now, given the recent tragedy in New Zealand, there is no better time for children to read books like this one. So how should we react to Muslims who publically promote LGBTQIA+ to Muslims? Firstly do dua that Allah guides them and don't abuse or insult them. Should we promote their books on our bookstagram accounts? Should we give platforms to Muslims who publically promote haram lifestyles because we want to amplify the voices of Muslim women? I know Muslim women want to support other sisters because we know how much Islamophobia we face. If we do that, we will be accountable on the Day of Judgement if people listen to them because we recommended their books or asked them to speak at an event. Instead, promote and support Islamic content creators so you can share in their reward. A speedy read, filled with creative ideas, heart-warming character moments and the concept of knowing who you are. You Must Be Layla follows Layla a young Sudanese-Australian girl about to start a new, fancy private school and the challenges she faces and overcomes. What! Of all creatures, do you approach males and leave the spouses whom your Lord has created for you? Indeed, you are people transgressing (all limits)!' (Ash-Shu'araa: 165-166) However, the story overall fell a little flat for me. The story itself (beyond Layla's journey and growth) wasn't quite compelling, the resolution felt off to me (I felt weird that [1] the resolution of the conflict fell on the onus of the white bully's forgiveness and [2] the best friend's gay character arc felt shoe-horned).

The book explores a variety of topics - bullying, racism, anti-Islam rhetoric and how kids have to grapple with it, ambition, and forgiveness.

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The story follows Layla, a Muslim Sudanese-Australian kid (in Year 8!) who gets a scholarship to a prestigious school that is predominantly white - which is quite different to her old school where most of the kids were Muslim. The book discusses migrant experience, discrimination and inequality in perfect way for readers who are just starting to read young adult fiction. Inspiring themes and messages are communicated throughout, and these are some of the elements I loved which made me so excited to talk about in this review. The family’s culture and beliefs are portrayed and the language, being Arabic, is also incorporated. I discovered and learnt a lot whilst reading, which I really enjoyed and found to be yet another impressive element in this story. Initially, Layla attends the Islamic School of Brisbane (ISB) where there are students from all over the world, includingIndia, Fiji, Nigeria, Pakistan, Lebanon, Jordan, Algeria, Malaysia and South Africa. Most of the students are recent migrants so their families also start to spend time together and become friends, creatinga wonderfully diverse and welcoming community. Layla loves the school and her friends there, especially best friend Dina, but starts to want something more. In her first fiction book for young readers, writer, broadcaster and award-winning social advocate, Yasmin Abdel-Magied, gives us the inspiring and hopeful story of Layla. A Sudanese teenager in Australia, Layla is curious, adventurous and determined to learn anything and everything she can about the world. Her family moved to Australia from Sudan when her mother, a doctor, was offered a position at a Brisbane hospital, and things have been very different ever since.