Review: Drawing Deena

By Hena Khan

New York: Salaam Reads, in imprint of Simon & Schuster, 2024. Fiction. 232 pages.

Deena is Pakistani American girl who has a lot of things to worry about. She wants to help promote her mom's Pakistani clothing business, improve her changing friendships, and pursue her interest in art. Though her parents are supportive, Deena worries about her family finances, and whether she and her brother Musa will be able to pursue their passions. These concerns lead to clenched teeth and early-morning nausea, so Deena learns how to identify her anxiety and manage her feelings.

This book is perfect for aspiring artists, kids experiencing anxious feelings, and anyone who might relate to a story about growing up. Hena Khan writes in a way that feels real and relevant to kids, showing the stress of dentist appointments, normal ups and downs in friendships, and the best parts of being yourself. Deena's voice is honest and I loved hearing about her art projects and inspirations. This is a well-written, vibrant story that I enjoyed. Kids in middle grades, Desi kids, and children dealing with familial financial stress may also find something to relate to in Deena's story.

Comments

Painting for Peace in Ferguson

Painting for Peace in Ferguson By Carol Swartout Klein Treehouse Publishing Group, 2015. Nonfiction. When the city of Ferguson was overrun with so much hate and despair that homes and businesses had to be boarded up to protect property, citizens of the community decided to bring a message of hope by painting the boarded windows. Klein’s rhyming text supports the photographs of the hundreds of artists and volunteers and their artwork as they bring the messages of peace, hope, love, and that by being united they can make a difference. A great book to show children how a community rallied to make a positive change and that even a small gesture can make a huge difference. A great discussion opener on how we should treat each other.

Dragon Run

Dragon Run by Patrick Matthews Scholastic, 2013. 336 pgs. Fantasy Al Pilgrommor is excited for Testing Day, when he will receive his rank, a tattooed number on the back of his neck, and a path forward to his future occupation and life. He feels confident because his parents were fours on a scale of seven, but he is worried for his friend Wisp who doesn't have much of a chance of scoring above a two at best. But when Al is scored a zero, he not only has no prospects, he may lose his life as the dreaded Cullers are unleashed to kill him and his family to purify the land's bloodlines. Al's world is ruled by dragons--the lords and supposed creators of humankind--so he thinks that even if he survives, he will have to make his living as a beggar or thief. But when Al sticks up for his Earther friend in front of Magister Ludi, he is drawn into the struggle of a secret organization hoping to destroy the Cullers, and perhaps the dragons them...

Review: We're All Gonna Die-Nosaur!

We’re All Gonna Die-nosaur! By Kon Tan New York: Disney Hyperion, 2025. Intermediate. 157 pages. Pterry (the “p” is silent) pterodactyl is a worry wart. Pterry is worried about flying (he doesn’t how to fly yet), dinosaurs going extinct (he had a scary dream), and how to protect his family (he has a little brother who hasn’t fully hatched from an egg yet). Even though there is a lot of feels for Pterry, this is actually quite a funny book. Pterry tries to learn how to fly with kites as his “training wheels” and his brother who is inside an egg is quite the adventurer. This is a funny, heart-felt comic-like intermediate fiction book that will be great for many readers. If kids love dinosaurs, this book is for them. If kids like funny graphic novels, this book is for them. If kids want to read something about facing fears and doing things even though they don’t always want to, this book is for them. Plus, even though Pterry does a lot of things on his own, he still has s...

Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Search This Blog