I enjoyed this heartwarming story of a young girl who wants to change people's perceptions of her parent's hometown Pakistan. This character is such an inspiring teenager who truly cares about others and desires to make a positive impact in her community. She's assigned a project in her history class where she has to present someone that has made a great impact. She chooses Malala because she wants to share some of her Pakistani culture with her American classmates. Quickly she realizes that her classmate's reaction of pity for how women in Pakistan are oppressed is not the reaction she wanted. She knows that in America there is a negative perception of her parent's beloved country and wants to do everything possible to change it. Amina starts journaling her feelings and with a new classmate that has a mutual love for music ends up writing a song that shows her deep love for her country. At the last minute, she unexpectedly switches her project and speaks about various female heroines in Pakistan, which her teacher is not happy with at first, but admits to her that it showed much bravery. She explains that she didn't want others to just see the negative effects of the Taliban in Pakistan. Instead, Amina wanted others to see how much greatness has come out of the country and culture she deeply connected with during her summer visit. This book has a strong sense of family and community. I truly recommend this book for older elementary students. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

Amina’s Song is the companion novel to its predecessor Amina’s Voice (2017) and is just as moving and powerful.
In this sequel, readers jump back into Pakistani American teen Amina Khokar's world. The book opens as Amina returns to Wisconsin inspired to share the beauty and wonder of Pakistan with her American classmates after her month long holiday trip to Lahore. But her project about Malala Yousafzai only makes Amina's classmates pity girls in Pakistan and she is left questioning her identify as she struggles to be true to her authentic self.

Readers will relate to Amina as she navigates middle school issues and cheer her on as she finds the path that is right for her and where she can share her true self. With it's empowering messages about the importance of family, community, literacy, and identity, Amina's Song is the perfect book for teachers looking to expand their diverse curriculum and classroom libraries.

Great Tween Book Selection for grades 4-7!

We first met Amina Khokar, a middle grader living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in Amina's Voice. She's a Pakistani American and even though she has perfect pitch and a beautiful singing voice, she also had crippling stage fright. With the support of family, especially her uncle Thaya Jaan visiting from Pakistan, and friends, Amina was able to ultimately perform in public.

Now, Amina and her family are spending their summer vacation visiting family in Lahore, Pakistan. Amina has fallen in love with the country and has become very close to her cousin Zohra, Thaya Jaan's daughter. Just before they leave Pakistan to return home, Thaya Jaan challenges her to "show people in America the beauty of Pakistan. They don't know this place like you do now." How, Amina wonders, is she supposed to the that?

Back home, Amina and her friends are starting 7th grade, but to her disappointment, no one seems interested in hearing about her trip to Pakistan. However, when her history teacher gives the class an interactive learning assignment on the first day of class, Amina may have just found the outlet she needs for carrying out Thaya Jaan's challenge. Students must pick a person from history who has made a positive contribution and thoroughly research them, to the point of becoming the person they pick by the end of the term.

Amina is excited to pick Malala Yousafzai, but when she presents her initial report to the class, it isn't her accomplishments that the class focuses on, but rather the oppressive conditions by the Taliban in Pakistan with regard to women and girls. Again, Amina is disappointed and frustrated. What can she do to help people know the Pakistan she loves so much?

Meanwhile, Amina meets Nico, a new kids in school who is also very much interested in music and has a real talent for mixing to create different sounds. Encouraged by her music teacher, Ms. Holly, Amina has been playing around with composing songs to express herself. She's been keep a diary of her thoughts and feelings for a while, recognizing that her experiences have changed her, but unable to express them quite the way she wants. Could a song be the answer with Nico's help?

On top of that, Amina learns that her uncle Thaya Jaan has become ill again and will require delicate heart surgery. Seventh grade is proving to be a year of changes, challenges, identity questions and more for 12-year-old Amina Khokar, all of which makes for a very satisfying sequel.

In Amina's Voice, most of the conflicts in Amina's life were external, but in Amina's Song, they are more internal, having to do with who she is and is becoming. Though Amina is changing and growing up, she narrates her life with the same open honesty as in Amina's Voice, even when things aren't going as well as they could. And she is still somewhat flawed, which makes her a very interesting character. I felt she is a more confident girl and I liked especially liked seeing the changes she goes through, even challenging some of her mother's control. I have to admit, the way she handled the history project and her uncle's challenge surprised me and at first seemed so out character, but then I also cheered her on for it, even if her teacher was not receptive.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Amina's Song and wondered if there might be a third novel in the making, since this one left a few loose ends that could be tied up nicely. Meanwhile, I highly recommend this to fans of Amina's and to those who haven't met her, though I might consider reading book one first. There are references to it in Amina's Song, but they are made clear in Amina's Voice.

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an eARC gratefully received from NetGalley

Do you have opinions about a country based on the ‘bad news that you hear about that country? Will you be open-minded enough to visit that country?

Amina’s Song by @henakhanbooks is a companion book to Amina’s Voice but can be read by itself. Amina is afraid to visit Pakistan, the country where her parents were born and raised. She listens to the terrorist attacks in Pakistan on the news and fears that her life could in danger. When she visits Pakistan to meet her extended family, Amina is surprised that it is peaceful and she has a lot of fun with her cousins. When it is time for Amina to return to the US, her dearest Uncle makes Amina promise that she will tell her friends the good things about Pakistan.

When Amina returns to school, her History teaches gives an assignment to impersonate a philanthropic person whose achievements are known throughout the world. Amina chooses Malala Yousafzai and reads everything about her. But, her first speech about Malala makes her classmates fearful about Pakistan. Will Amina be successful in changing her friends' opinions about Pakistan?

This novel also brings to light issues such as community service, stage fear, and friendship between boys and girls. It is a simple and sweet book about Islam and life in Pakistan and US through the eyes of a middle school girl.

Thank you to @netgalley and @simonkids for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Category: middle grade fiction
Age: 8-12
Publication Date: Apr 2021

When Amina returns to America from her family trip to Pakistan, she's full of excitement to tell all her friends about her wonderful new experiences. But life back at home didn't stop while she was away. Things happened, people moved on, and Amina is dismayed to find out not everyone is as enthused to learn about her new experiences as she thought they would be! When she's given a class assignment to research an important person who's changed the world, Amina chooses her hero, Malala Yousafzai. But when everyone can only focus on the terrible aspects of Malala's story, Amina realizes she needs to do something to teach others about the vast range of experiences and achievements of Pakistani women.
I enjoyed this heartwarming middle-grade story which was told in a genuine, authentic voice. I love how Amina grasps hold of the challenges before her and tackles them in a smart and insightful way, strengthening her identity and making new friends along the way.

A beautiful book with a great message. Be yourself. “Amina’s Song” gives an authentic portrayal of what’s it like growing up in between two cultures. This is a perfect read for middle-schoolers, many of whom have friends from different cultures, yet so little is written about the experience in contemporary literature or any other genre for that matter. 5 stars!

A very sweet follow-up to Amina's Voice! I think, compared to the last one, less happened plot wise, but I think I loved that this was a slice of life story.

I enjoyed this book even more than Amina's Voice, the first in this series. The story blends Pakistani and American culture well and authentically portrays the inner conflict of the protagonist trying to find her place as she straddles both cultures. I found it interesting, entertaining, informative, and above all, hopeful. I love that the author, through Amina, takes great care to showcase the complexity of Pakistani culture, reframing the view for readers who may previously only have heard a "single story" about what it means to be from Pakistan, especially as a woman. All this packaged in a very enjoyable, accessible middle grades novel that will appeal to upper elementary and middle school readers. Highly recommended!

I really loved Amina's Voice and this sequel was just as relatable! As a Pakistani-American myself, I found that Amina's struggles with trying to juggle her identity were really relatable. Her struggles with trying to find this balance of being friends with people who don't completely understand while also trying to keep up with cousins in a completely different time zone made me feel really seen. I also really appreciated the talk about wanting to speak urdu but finding it difficult when your relatives don't really treat you seriously when you try to practice, especially because in pakistan it's "cooler" to speak English now.

What I really loved about this book is just how willing to work Amina is. She really goes above and beyond to show her culture and is okay with wearing shalwar khameez at school dances. I wish I had had this as a kid because I wouldn't have been so reluctant wearing traditional clothes in predominantly white spaces! Her old and new friendships were so wholesome and her love of music and communication was so pure! Getting to see a new friendship especially with a boy that had no romantic pretense was honestly so refreshing! I truly love all of Hena Khan's writing and look forward to what she does next!

A sweet slice of life story. This sequel could definitely stand on it's own, but Khan does a great job of weaving the first book's plot into the events of this book in a way that feels natural. I hope we get another installment in Amina's story soon!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3847579288

Amina’s story continues, first as she visits her uncle in Pakistan. The descriptions of her visit there are vivid and make me want to see the sights for myself.

It’s on Amina’s return home and going back to school that the story really picks up. She continues to deal with some of the issues of the first book, as she and her friends continue to grow and change in their interests.

I really like that Amina’s friendship with a boy is just that—a friendship, not a romance. I really hate the pressure on kids to find a “boyfriend” or “girlfriend” so young, and this book resists the urge to pair kids off.

Amina’s development in the first book has not magically solved all her problems (yay!), and she continues to struggle at times with the spotlight and with learning to express herself.

Again, Khan gives us a window into a culture that may not be familiar to all of us. That is the beauty of books—they allow us the opportunity to experience new cultures and new ideas, and, in the end, become more empathetic and more understanding.

Who might like this book:
Those who want to learn more about cultures other than their own. Those who like coming of age.

Possible objectionable material:
Friendship drama.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I read AMINA’S SONG at the perfect time– just when I needed a warm, fun story of community and family and belonging. I loved the chapters showing Amina with her family in Pakistan. The descriptions of the market, the rooftop, and the food all made those scenes come to life. I also loved Amina’s relationship with her cousin Zohra and her uncle.

I also loved the way the story followed her faith and her connection with her mosque and the ways she and others sought to help refugees who had just come to America. That generosity and welcoming warmth was really sweet.

As with AMINA’S VOICE, this story also focuses on Amina’s internal journey. She feels caught between her love for America and Pakistan and at a loss for how to explain and show that love to the people in her life on each side. I love that her path led her to compose her own music and challenged her to find ways to speak up, both in her class project about Malala and in her friendships.

All in all, I’d say this book is another winner. It’s got a strong faith-positive message, and a beautiful celebration of community as well as a thoughtful, brave heroine in Amina. Readers who enjoy multicultural stories or are looking for books that celebrate community will definitely want this one on their shelves.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Opinions are my own.

This book is the second book in a series. I read the first book and enjoyed it, this was a nice follow up where Amina’s voice left off. Amina came back from visiting family in Pakistan torn between the family she left there and her friends here in America. As she figures out how to bridge the gap between the two with her music. It was a nice follow up to the last book.

5 stars! I loved this book even more than the first one. The first part of the book describes Amina's time in Pakistan with her family and the connections she makes there. While she was nervous about visiting there, she ends up forming a strong friendship with her cousin, who becomes the sister she never had, and uncle, who becomes a beloved mentor. One of the things he asks that she does is share the beauty of Pakistan with her friends. When she returns to the states, she struggles with the misconception her classmates have about Pakistan as well as the fact that her best friends are not as excited by her trip as she was. Ultimately, Amina has to find her voice so that she can share both who she is to her friends and family, as well as her love of Pakistan in part to break down barriers and show how we are more alike than unalike. This book also talked about friendships, including friendships between boys and girls, and that it does not have to be romantic or weird. I really appreciated this #ownvoice book and it made me want to visit Pakistan and see some of what she loved about it. In fact, some of what she loved about Pakistan is what I love about Taiwan. I also liked that one of her best friends is Korean and that another one of her best friends who used to make fun of them for "ethnic" foods has grown to love and appreciate other cultures. Highly recommend this one, both for middle schools and anyone else who appreciates learning about other cultures and/or religions.

I received an advance review copy from Netgalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

i was so happy to see that amina and her family's story was going to continue in this book! once again, hena khan has created an atmosphere of family, childish wonder, and culture. seeing amina and her thaya jaan's new relationship after the challenges they both faced in amina's voice was so satisfying and refreshing. a lovely and warm read overall.

I really enjoyed this book, first because Amina visits her relatives in Lahore, which I've had a wonderful time doing in the past as well! Actually my cousin from Lahore is named Amna!
Secondly I'm really happy that Amina talks about other female heroines from Pakistan besides Malala during her class presentation. I liked learning about these other cool feminists and I'm sure the middle grade readers will as well.

"Amina's Song" is a fantastic followup to "Amina's Voice."

After returning to Wisconsin from a summer trip to visit her family in Pakistan, Amina is struggling with feeling like an imposter in both worlds. Amina's struggle to find her identity is super relatable, and I love her relationships with her family and friends.

Highly recommended for 4th/5th grade and middle school kids.

side note: I find it extra charming that Amina lives in Greendale, WI and hangs out at Southridge Mall and goes to Kopps for frozen custard with her friends -- that is the land of my teens, and I loved the references.

This story is one that I think many young people and even adults will be able to relate to a lot. A story about belonging and being the child of parents who immigrated to a different country for various reasons and now you’re in between two worlds. A story about how even though there can be many differences in being from different cultures there are also many things that can bring us together.

Reading this book reminded me of how I felt when as a young teen I went to Pakistan for a holiday and while I loved it, I couldn’t shake that feeling of not quite fitting in and yet being born and raised in the UK, sometimes I still feel like I don’t quite fit in. That sense of not quite belonging in either place because you are a combination of both cultures and also how you may even reject one culture to be able to belong in the other. Amina doesn’t want to wear salwar kameez or take Pakistani food to school for lunch because it would make her stand out and yet her white friend can bring kebabs without feeling like that. There were so many scenes like this in the book that really hit home for me and how I had felt growing up.

How when the only thing you see about countries you’re family is from is how “backwards” and “violent” they are it can make you want to distance yourself from it yet that isn’t the truth of things and people being violent is a universal thing no matter where you are from. As Amina learns about Malala and tries to show the beauty of Pakistan through her she is faced with people only seeing how a group of people hurt a young girl when all she wanted was to get an education. How people pity girls from there but don’t see how the same thing is happening in their own countries albeit in different ways. That there are incredible people all over the world. I just truly loved how Hena wove all this into the story and showed how beautiful countries like Pakistan can be.

I really liked how Amina has an internal conflict but is determined to show how beautiful her heritage and culture is. It felt so real and relatable and also woven into the story of friendship and family and loving each other despite differences.

At the end when Amina shared the stories of some of the many incredible women from Pakistan and their incredible achievements, it was wonderful to see and seeing people’s reactions go from pity to awe. In the west we are rarely told positive stories of people living in places like Pakistan and I love how Hena tackled this problem through Amina’s story.

This book is one I related to deep in soul and I am so happy to see these stories being published where we can celebrate our heritage and culture instead of being ashamed by it. It’s a wholesome story of love between family and friends and how despite being worlds apart you can still be connected to each other.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Books for the review copy of this book. I really enjoyed Amina’s Voice when it came out, and was very excited to get the opportunity to read this one. It did not disappoint. The book begins with Amina and her family visiting their extended family in Pakistan where Amina realizes how little she knows of the culture and language. Through the book, Amina discovers more about herself, her prejudices, and her values. It is beautifully written and full of hope. I highly recommend reading Amina’s Voice first, but then grab this as well!

I loved the continuation of this story! The representation is so important and I love how Amina's confidence builds from the first book.