Anxiety and depression can often be frequent visitors for those in the middle grades. Deena isn’t sure what to do about the knot in her stomach. It’s there when her parents argue about money or when facing the realities of school. She often can’t find the right words to say.
Deena does have good friends and artistic skills to make it through each day. What if she used her creative art work to help her parents out? She does exactly that by creating a logo and website for her mom’s home based business– selling beautiful clothes from Pakistan.
Business improves, but her nausea and feeling unsure of herself worsen. School and parental support are the outlets she must depend on.
Deena’s first person narration flows smoothly through 44 chapters. It’s a quiet story but one that could result in some great discussion about the effect anxiety can have on one’s life, and what you can do about it. For Deena it’s talking to a school psychologist and making sure her parents know what she has been going through emotionally.
DRAWING DEENA is a powerful story and deeply personal for the author. It will appeal mostly to girls but boys might also enjoy the tale, especially those interested in art.
BOOK BIRTHDAY: February 6, 2024 PAGE COUNT: 240
FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: DRAWING DEENA by Hena Khan
- Deena’s parents learn from her that there is no shame in asking for help. An important reminder that “It takes a village to raise a child.”
- A nice sidelight was learning about Pakistani traditions, culture, and language embedded in the story.
- Deena is inspired by Salma, an artist she meets through her mother’s business. A mentor can play an important role in providing inspiration and a new voice to help process one’s thoughts.
- The use of social media showed a realistic look at how we are often controlled by its use. Another beneficial theme was the pressure girls often have about outward appearance.
- Deena’s voice came through loud and clear by book’s end. It will make you smile.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hena Khan has been publishing books for children, including many that center Pakistani American and Muslim characters, for over two decades. She writes award-winning books in a multitude of formats, including picture books, middle grade fiction, pick-your-path adventures, and graphic novels. Her stories are often centered around her culture, community, friendship, and family, and draw from her own experiences. Hena’s bestselling novels include Amina’s Voice and More to the Story. She is also the author of the Zayd Saleem Chasing the Dream, Zara’s Rules, and Super You! series. Hena’s acclaimed picture books include Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, Under My Hijab, and It’s Ramadan, Curious George. She holds an MA in International Affairs from The George Washington University, has served on the board of We Need Diverse Books, and is a member of the Children’s Book Guild of DC. Hena lives in her hometown of Rockville, Maryland.
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Always in the Middle... 
A lot of kids deal with depression and anxiety and could relate to this story. Learning about Pakistani culture is a plus. Thanks for sharing it this week.
What a wonderful review, I’ve been meaning to read this and now am even more excited to get to it. Happy MMGM
Such a n important story for teens, where anxiety and depression are rampant. I haven’t read anything by Khan for a few years. This one does appeal to me. If teens don’t receive help it will move into adulthood. So glad you reviewed this story.
This sounds like it has a lot of important messages for kids. It seems Deena is a great character who will touch young readers and help them figure out their own problems. I especially like that her parents learn from her and that she finds a mentor. Great things for kids to know about. I will look for a copy of this. Thanks for your review.
I’ve seen so much praise for Hena Khan’s books, and as a former anxious kid and current anxious adult, I will always relate to protagonists like Deena. I love that she’s able to find her voice throughout the story, and that the plot weaves in things like money, social media, parenting, and mentor figures—this sounds like a really rich snapshot of Deena’s journey. Thank you so much for the thoughtful review, Greg, and enjoy your week!
This sounds interesting. It does worry me about what social media can do to us. I will have to check this out.
Woohoo! My library actually has this one.
Sounds like a perfect book for this age – so many things kids have to deal with, and social media pushes a lot of expectations.
This looks like a good book. We adults can learn from her ways of coping with anxiety, too!