Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours I’m excited to share my thoughts on We Are Big Time by Hena Khan and illustrated by Safiya Zerrougui! Special thanks to the TBR team for having me on tour and to Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Click the banner above or here to check out the other incredible bloggers on the blog tour!

TL;DR: I knew I was going to enjoy We Are Big Time but I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did. There is so much to appreciate about this graphic novel and the wholesome, heartwarming story it tells about finding your place and believing in yourself. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a diverse coming-of-age sports-centred story about the underdogs! These girls will win your heart and the art will have you feeling like you’re sitting courtside cheering the Peace team on as they play their best game.

This was a short but impactful read and there was nothing about it that I didn’t enjoy. While Khan brought these characters’ stories to life through wonderful writing, the illustrator, Saffiya Zerrougui, did an incredible job making these characters feel alive through the art. The way movement and expressions were portrayed was so dynamic and added so much to the story!

Aliya is a fantastic main character. She’s got some growing to do but her struggles were relatable and I loved her family’s dynamic. The good-natured sibling teasing, the hilarious and embarrassing family stories, the showing of love through food, the safety and warmth they gave each other… It was so comforting! Plus, as someone who grew up moving around a lot, making those sudden moves in my teen years was incredibly difficult and I related to Aliya’s worries about starting in a new high school. She initially struggles to adapt to her new environment but with the help of Peace Academy’s girl’s basketball team, she slowly embraces the change and the new challenges it brings. She’s passionate about basketball, especially as a young BIPOC Muslim woman and despite having misgivings about what she brings to the team, she never gives up. I loved her drive and determination!

Something that I also really appreciated was how the religion and culture, plus the difficulties the players faced were brought up and discussed. I was worried that this would be a read that focuses on the struggles, racism and discrimination these young women experience playing school sports, and while this was a part of the story, it didn’t overshadow the positive. Sadly, what they experience, especially as young Muslim women, is a reality that Muslim people face often but those experiences do not define them and I love the way it’s presented here. I also thought that the cultural exchange that happens between the girls and their coach, as well as through the media as the story progresses was beautiful! I had no idea this was based on a true story but that makes it all the more empowering.

Overall, a fantastic read for readers young and old, but it’s perfect for the reader group it’s targeted for. I would highly recommend it and without a doubt, it’s one of my favourite middle-grade graphic novels to date! 😍

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Do you have We Are Big Time on your TBR or does it sound like something you’d enjoy reading?

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