Barakah Beats by Maleeha Siddiqui (author)

A story about finding your voice and fitting in. 12-year-old Nimra Sharif has spent her whole life in Islamic school, but is about to embark on middlel school and is feeling nervous. Nimra is desperate to fit in but finds the popular kids avoid her because of her hijab, and her best-friend Jenna isn’t the same at school. So when she is invited to join the school’s popular band, Nimra is unsure what to do. She has been taught that music isn’t allowed in Islam, but it is an opportunity to make new friends and win back the graces of her best-friend Jenna. What will Nimra do?

• A junior Jenny Han
• Perfect for fans of Netflix’s Julie and the Phantoms
• Brilliantly-written, full of music, with a message of ‘fitting in’ at the heart of it

Praise for Barakah Beats: A Summer/Fall 2021 Indies Introduce Pick A Junior Library Guild Selection “Superb! Nimra is a joy to cheer for in a nuanced story that will leave readers thinking about how to navigate complex ethical choices” – Alex Gino, award-winning author of George“Equal parts fun and serious, Barakah Beats is a lovely story that will resonate with countless kids growing up between two cultures and faiths. Nimra is just the heroine middle-school readers are searching for”. – Saadia Faruqi, author of A Thousand Questions“Finally! A story about a young Muslim girl trying to fit in while also staying true to her values, beliefs, family, and culture. Sweet and relatable – I couldn’t put it down!”- Huda Fahmy, creator of Huda F Are You?“This book should come with a warning label – you won’t be able to stop reading once you start! I tumble-down fell in love.” – Wendy Wan-Long Shang, author of Not Your All-American Girl (co-authored with Madelyn Rosenberg) “This lively, heartfelt book hits all the right notes.” – Rajani LaRocca, author of Red, White, and Whole“If you love an irrepressible heroine and the story of underdogs stopping at nothing to be seen and heard, Barakah Beats is a must-read. The Muslim rep is beautiful and important—pure joy for any reader. The raucous rhythms of Nimra’s story bursts through from every page. I’m a Barakah Beats stan for life!” – Stephan Lee, author of K-Pop Confidential