Hail Mariam

An Iraqi American Muslim tween contends with growing pains upon transferring to a Catholic middle school in this moving novel by Al-Marashi (First Comes Marriage, for adults), per an endnote informed by the author’s childhood. Though sixth grader Mariam Hassan feels uneasy about her new school, her parents disregard the youth’s emotions, instead encouraging Mariam to impress her classmates: “If you are good, then people will think good things about the Arabs and the Muslims.” She resolves to run for class president but encounters tension upon learning that popular peer Lauren is also running, a realization that exacerbates Mariam’s fears of being unable to make connections as the only Muslim student. When she’s chosen to portray Mary in the school’s upcoming Christmas play, what seems to Mariam like a surefire way to boost her popularity sours after Lauren points out that Islamic tenets around representing prophets could prevent Mariam from participating. The discovery that Mariam’s beloved younger sister has a mass in her lung adds further complications to the plot of this nuanced children’s debut, which features memorable characterization and realistic moral dilemmas. Depictions of interfaith collaboration—Mariam suggests reading a passage from the Quran during the Christmas production to “show how similar our stories are”—add texture to evergreen topics about belonging and overcoming hardships with support from family and friends. Ages 8–12. (Feb.)