Huda F Wants to Know?

Starred review from January 15, 2025
Huda has her junior year all planned out--and then her parents' news shatters her world. Egyptian American Huda and best friend Nabz have packed schedules to help propel them into college (Huda is only slightly distracted by a crush). While attending the masjid's weekly halaqa for teen girls, she meets guest speaker Dr. Haifa, Nabz's therapist, who discusses mental health, an issue that goes unaddressed in Huda's family. After her parents announce their divorce, a distraught Huda is sent into a downward spiral, ultimately lashing out at her family and Nabz before recognizing that she needs help navigating feelings of pain, guilt, anger, grief, and fear of change. Fahmy's newest addition to her series about Huda addresses healing generational trauma through the power of acknowledging and validating feelings; Huda's mother clearly perceives her five daughters' different coping mechanisms. With nuance, context, and cultural and religious texture, Fahmy calls out toxic religious positivity and the stigmas surrounding both divorce and addressing mental health in Muslim communities and families. The backmatter includes an author's note highlighting her own experiences facing mental health challenges as a Muslim teen of color and child of immigrants whose issues of identity and experiences of racism compounded to affect her overall well-being. The book lists mental health resources, including general ones and those specifically supporting Muslims and people of color. Fahmy's trademark lively cartoon-style art and humorous asides add lightness to the serious topics she discusses. An uplifting, insightful model for positive change.(Graphic fiction. 12-18)

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Starred review from March 1, 2025

Gr 7-10-Huda's plans for a successful junior year of high school are upended when her parents announce they're getting a divorce. Huda is blindsided by the news, struggling with what it means for her family as well as the stigma divorce holds in their Muslim community. The normally lighthearted Huda pretends she's fine but becomes angry and depressed. At halaqa, where Muslim girls gather for Islamic-centered discussions of social issues, she meets Dr. Haifa, who discusses the importance of mental health and explains how it can be addressed without shame while keeping true to Islam. In time, Huda is honest about her feelings and understands what she needs to do to heal. In this third installment of the "Huda" series, a follow-up to the National Book Award finalist Huda F Cares?, Fahmy explores how in Huda's community, as in many cultural and religious communities, there's skepticism surrounding mental health issues. The narrative addresses this directly, normalizing the existence of the issues and showing that getting help is not shameful. Inclusion of mental health resources aimed at young Muslims assists in erasing the stigma. The art is as engaging as ever, supporting the story to bring a soft touch to serious topics. Most of the main characters are Muslim and have skin tones ranging from light to tan, with more diversity among Huda's schoolmates. VERDICT A captivating graphic novel that shows readers from all communities that it's possible to recognize and address mental health concerns while still respecting cultural values. Purchase for all YA collections, especially where the previous volumes are popular.-Carla Riemer

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