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More to the Story

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More to the Story
By Hena Khan
New York: Salaam Reads, 2019. Fiction.

13-year-old Jameela is pleased to start the new school year with everything going her way - she has just been named features editor of her school newspaper, she has a promising new friendship with Ali - an English boy who has just moved to Georgia, and she is *mostly* getting along with her three sisters. But then, Jameela's dad is sent abroad for work - meaning he'll miss Eid for the first time ever and Jameela and her family is distraught. Things are just made worse at school when a mistake causes strain in Jameela's relationship with Ali and at home where her younger sister Bisma is diagnosed with cancer. Inspired by Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, this novel deals with a Pakistani American family growing and coming of age together.

As a fan of Little Women, I was reluctant to read a retelling - why try to improve on such a classic? But while this book puts the classic story of the March sisters in a new light, it still has all of the warmth and heart of the original book. These characters read as likable reimaginings of familiar friends. This is a well-executed story that shares valuable lessons without becoming pedantic. A must read for all fans of Little Women.

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