Barakah Beats

Barakah Beats
Maleeha Siddiqui
Scholastic, 2021
277 pages
Grades 5-7
Realistic Fiction

After making her Ameen (ceremony celebrating the completion of Qur'an study) Nimra's parents allow her to transfer from the Muslim private school she had been attending to the local public school. Nimra is fairly confident that it will be fine. Her former class was made-up of three girls of the same culture and religion, but Nimra has her best friend, Jenna, with her to help navigate the foreign waters of public school seventh grade. Almost immediately Nimra realizes that she is in over her head. There are more kids than she was expecting and very few Muslim students. Even worse, Jenna's school friends aren't entirely welcoming and her best friend seems different when she is with the big group. Looking for a place to pray, Nimra stumbles into the band room, where a group of eighth grade Muslim boys, The Barakah Beats, are practicing. Nimra joins in the signing and finds herself part of the group. The problem is, some Muslims, including her parents, think that music and dancing is against Islamic teachings. Further complications arise when Jenna is excited that Nimra is in the group with the cool older boys. Should she stay in to please both Jenna and her new friends or stay true to her beliefs? And what will her parents say when they discover her secret life?

Siddiqui presents a contemporary glimpse into middle school life from a Muslim perspective. Nimra is a very likable and relatable protagonist and readers will empathize with her struggle between social success and family obligations. I appreciate that there is no romance in this story, just an unrequited  crush--and it isn't Nimra's She actually becomes friends with the cool older guys and has the confidence to speak her mind and hold her own space within the band. I also appreciate that Siddiqui presents differing Muslim perspectives on issues such as listening to music and how they can be divergent within a community and even a family. Muslim children will enjoy seeing someone that they can relate to in a current school story and non-Muslim children will understand that even though some of their classmates might dress differently or celebrate different holidays, they still have universal hopes and troubles. Nimra discovers the hardship of keeping secrets and eventually comes clean with both her friends and her family with satisfying results. A bright and straightforward read that gave me an easy distraction in the doldrums of winter.