Thank you to the publisher and the author for providing me a copy through Netgalley!

Based on true events, Hena Khan tells a story of an all-girls, hijab-wearing high school basketball team, and their story of playing together as a team. Fast-paced and vibrant, the illustrations convey the swiftness of he players on the court, and the speed and skill that is required to play the game of basketball. Just as the coach who brought the motto, "More than the score!", Aiyla and her team learn about self-confidence, team work, and staying true to yourself as they play the game of basketball.

This was such a good graphic novel!! It depicts the true story of an all-Muslim girl basketball team at a high school in Wisconsin. It was about perseverance, experiencing discrimination, growing as a person, and how to overcome adversity when it's staring you right in the face. It's also about family and how they can support you when you're going through your difficult high school days.

I would recommend this graphic novel to anyone of any age. It's geared towards young adults, but I feel like all ages would be able to enjoy this.

Thank you Penguin Random House for allowing me to read this e-arc. Happy Reading!!

We Are Big Time is much more than a basketball team, more than an underdog story, more than girl sports, more than hijabs. Khan artfully weaves together a story about girls being themselves and embracing all they are. Once the team gets noticed, reporters try to focus on their religion. The girls band together in not allowing others to stereotype them.
Very expressive art.
VERDICT Valyable addition for school libraries.

This is an amazing work! I absolutely love this graphic novel and as a Muslim myself, I teared up a lot of times reading this. It is inspirational and stays true to the actions of teenage girls at their age. Will recommend this to my students!

We Are Big Time is a middle school graphic novel based on a true story about an all Muslim girls basketball team. It was honest, informative, and focused on real relationships between teammates, coaches and players, teachers and students, and families.

"We are Big Time" is a graphic novel written by renowned children's book author Hena Khan with illustrations by cartoonist and visual artist Safiya Zerrougui. Together the two have created a compelling and humorous story of a girl's basketball team from an Islamic school in the midwest. The story, although fictional, draws from the real story of a team which broke onto the varsity girl's basketball scene in Wisconsin, both challenging stereotypes about young Muslim-American women, and drawing attention for their skills on the court. The main character of "We Are Big Time" is Aliya, who has recently moved from Florida to Wisconsin and is in 9th grade at Peace Academy. Aliya's teammates are a diverse group of women, with varying degrees of basketball experience. Khan does an excellent job showcasing the diversity within the Muslim community and among teenagers in general. All of the girls on the team feel like they are fully formed characters. The new coach, Jess, has never worked with Muslim youth before, so her curiosity serves as a natural avenue for the characters to explain their faith and cultural practices. As the teammates starts to connect, their talent increases, which leads to a bigger spotlight on the girls as representatives of other Muslim women and girls in sports. Aliya and the others learn that they represent themselves first, and that their faith, though important, is just one dimension of who they are. Fans of sports themed graphic novels like "Hoops" will love this story, as will anyone interested in a realistic portrayal of strong women in sports.

Moving is always a big deal in the life of a student. In this story, Aliya moves with her family from Tampa, Florida to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to support her father's job opportunity. Aliya is missing her school, her basketball team, and her very best friend. She is first struck by how big everything is at this new school. Then it is frustrating for her to see how quickly her brother makes new friends while she feels like an outsider. It is not until the PE class starts a unit on basketball that Aliya feels comfortable and makes a possible new friend. Joining a team, one that has never been very good, is hard, yet it gives Aliya hope for a bit of normal in her new school. It is a surprise that there is a new coach added, but since she was a player before the team was willing to learn and practice as much as they can from her. Coach Martinez is tough, but she is also focused on the girls as individuals as much as on the team winning. She wants them to be a team, connect to one another, and bring spirit to the school. Throughout this book I was struck by how well the text (speech bubbles and thought bubbles) by Hena Khan worked wonderfully with the illustrations by Safiya Zerrougui. It is clear that they both felt this story in their hearts and recognized this book was something special. Thank you both, for this book!

I am so grateful to NetGalley for allowing me to review this story. Though I am not often a fan of graphic novels, this one had me from the very beginning. The story of an all Muslim girls basketball team and those who interviewed them was hard to resist. I like the way the story allowed for so many emotions and reactions in illustrations and in the text. I hope someday head scarves will not cause so much discomfort in our world. The team members wanted the focus to be on the sport and their play, not their respect for their own religion. They kept the focus on the sport and their teamwork throughout this whirlwind season and that is to be celebrated. This book is for all students. Those who have changed schools, like sports, like friendship stories, or get swept up in Cinderella stories common in basketball, even at the high school level.

Sports, found family, and high-schoolers all make a winning combination for a good graphic novel. When you combine that with strong character building and beautiful illustrations, there's no way to lose. This was a great read!!!!

We Are Big Time by Hena Khan chronicles Aliya's journey as she joins an all-Muslim girls' basketball team after her family relocates from Florida to Wisconsin. Aliya must navigate the adjustments that come with this move. Although her new school's girls' basketball team is not top-notch, Aliya is thrilled about the opportunity to play. Their coach is knowledgeable about basketball, but less familiar with Muslim culture.

Throughout the season, the team not only hones their basketball skills but also develops a deep understanding of each other. Despite facing challenges, they evolve into an unstoppable force on the court. As their success attracts public attention, the girls seize the opportunity to share their passion for basketball and provide insights into their cultural heritage.

We Are Big Time stands out as an exceptional graphic novel, featuring Aliya as a relatable and inspiring protagonist. The narrative explores themes of resilience, fitting in, and challenging cultural perceptions. This book promises to resonate with readers, and I am eager to recommend it as an engaging and thought-provoking read.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This one was so wholesome and sweet! I definitely teared up! It was even cooler to learn that this was based on a real Wisconsin basketball team. Love!

This incredible graphic novel by author Hena Khan and illustrator Safiya Zerrougui was realistic, fast-paced, action-packed, and officially a must-read for MG and YA readers everywhere!

Based on the true story of an all-Muslim girls' basketball team in Wisconsin, I loved everything about this book. There's something for every reader, including action-packed sports scenes, lessons about being a good teammate/friend, balancing school and life, blocking out the "noise" and focusing on what's important; the list goes on and on!

This graphic novel will be a huge hit when it hits shelves on August 6, 2024! Thank you to Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book to read and review.

“More than the score!”
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Aliya is not excited to move from Tampa to Wisconsin where it’s very cold and everything is new. After Aliya tries out and makes the girl’s basketball team (everyone made it), she starts to befriend girls on the team. When her new coach makes her team co-captain with a senior while Aliya is only a freshman, it throws her. As the team starts to get better, though, they also start getting noticed by news crews and being interviewed. Most of the questions seem to focus on their Muslim religion rather than their basketball skills, but the girls soon learn to block out the noise and play the game they love together.
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There is nothing I didn’t love about this MG graphic novel by @henakhanbooks @safifesse I love that it was inspired by a real all-Muslim girls’ basketball team and how well the story teaches kids about being a good teammate, player, student, winner/loser and an overall kind person. This will be such a hit when it releases August 6!

CW: microaggressions, Islamophobia, racism, anxiety