High school is tough enough without throwing a hijab into the mix! In Randa Abdel-Fattah's brilliant debut novel, Amal, an Australian-Palestinian girl living in a suburb of Melbourne, makes the biggest decision of her life, to wear the hijab, the Muslim head scarf, full-time.

In spite of her parents' gentle warnings and the ostracizing that is sure to come from other kids at her snobby prep school, Amal's decision springs from a deep sense of faith, and she is certain -- well, almost certain -- that she's ready to take this step.

But can she handle the taunts of "towel-head," navigate the wilds of a mad crush, and stay true to herself? Amal is sassy, intelligent, sensitive, and hilarious, and her journey of faith will take readers down an unexpected and very entertaining path.

About the Author --

Randa Abdel-Fattah has her own identity hyphens to contend with as an Australian-born-Muslim-Palestinian-Egyptian-chocoholic. She is an attorney, and active in the interfaith community, as well as the campaign for Palestinian human rights. Ms. Abdel-Fattah lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and their baby daughter.

Great for ages 13-17.