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After a terrorist attack in D.C., the Muslim community all around the U.S. has been reeling from the Islamophobic effects. Sabriya, a dancer, has always found it hard to identify as all three of her identities (female, Black, Muslim), and to get all of her thoughts organized after the attack, she creates a blog with two friends called You Truly Assumed, which soon gains traction. Zakat is an artist and is surrounded by a small but strong community of people she trusts, and she always makes it a priority to fight for them. Farah is living in a low-income home and has recently learned her passion for computer science and code, and she now faces the challenge of visiting a father that she hasn't seen in a long time.
The novel You Truly Assumed is about three teen girls starting a revolution for their people. They stick together and use their blog as a communal space to navigate a post-9/11 world. The book follows the growth of Sabriya, Zakat and Farah, showing them that sometimes the best moments are unplanned, and letting them use their creativity and their voices to express themselves. It also focuses on real-case scenarios of the Islamophobia and xenophobia that Muslim people experienced after terrorist attacks. I liked how the author portrays young girls trying to make a change in their environments because it encourages others to stand up for what they believe in. Not only does it deal with harsh topics such as these, but it also deals with love, family, belonging and friendship. I think this novel provides great perspectives of different types of people going through the same thing while coming together and learning from their lives. This novel encompasses the feelings of new beginnings and activism. - Tanya H., Sunset teen volunteer
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