Meet Yasmin Book Review- A Story That Quietly Healed The Inner Child In Me

I couldn’t tell the last time a book had the power to heal the inner child in me. A powdery blue cover with a girl who looked like my daughter and me as a child. A rare occurrence, and yet here it was, in the books aisle of Target. Saadia Faruqi, the author of “Meet Yasmin”, promises a heartwarming tale that follows the adventures of a young Pakistani American girl navigating the problems of everyday life. But does the tale’s promise hold up? Let’s find out as we dive into this book review for Meet Yasmin!

Choosing Print in A Digital World

My daughter and I rarely check out the book aisle at Target. We buy books predominantly via the Kindle store and at the school’s Scholastic book fair every year. Kindle because it’s just easier to get my child reading ASAP, and the Scholastic book fair to not only read but also help the school.

But the day we purchased Meet Yasmin, we had no intention of heading to the book aisle, but Yasmin was meant to make an appearance on our bookshelf.

This gem in the haystack, a gem I recognized as my own, as I saw a little girl on the cover that looked like my very own daughter. I knew we had to buy it.

So what is the book Meet Yasmin about?

Say hello to Yasmin! Meet Yasmin by Saadia Faruqi is a book about a curious, spirited American-Pakistani second-grader who goes on little adventures and solves her life’s little problems. The series of books take emerging, early readers through various aspects of Yasmin’s life in four parts – explorer, painter, builder, and fashionista. In addition, we all get to learn Urdu words and other Pakistani things in bite-sized morsels!

Facts

Age Level – 5-8 Years

Reading Level – K- 2

Page Count – 96

Language – English

Publisher – Capstone

Why Meet Yasmin by Saadia Faruqi Needs A Place On Your Child’s Bookshelf

Some of the things that spoke to us.

Art – Straight off the bat, the thing that struck us the most was the artwork, which is reminiscent of Desi culture, while still being relatable to readers all over the world. Hatem Aly’s art transcends the typical glitter and pink, stereotypical of books featuring a little girl protagonist. The art is bold, fun, and in sync with the transitioning emotions of younger children.

Story – The author keeps the plotline fairly simple. Without spoiling the book for you, it’s a simple problem that occurs in Yasmin’s life, and how one proactive habit might have just helped her solve it. The book has only a few chapters filled with illustrations and text, making it a great choice to transition into chapter books for young ones.

Language – The reading level of this book is perfect for early readers that are able to read 8-10 word sentences and comfortable with punctuation. The sizing of the font and the spacing of art is perfect for transitioning readers to go from picture books (reference: level 2 or 3 of first little readers) to regular book reading. The text is just the right amount to push your child to the next level.

Why Books By BIPOC Authors Matter Now More Than Ever

Meet Yasmin is a great read for elementary school children. But more than being a great read, here is a tale that gently nudged me and my daughter to look at the world of BIPOC authors around us. As an Indian, even though Pakistan was always a stone’s throw away from us, the tensions between our borders did not make it easy to appreciate their culture from up close. A small part of the child in me who wished this growing up had a small win with the Meet Yasmin book.

Reading Meet Yasmin helped me understand why it is important now more than ever for kids to read more books written by BIPOC authors to gain better exposure to other cultures and participate in a diverse culture. Perhaps this post is your sign to have this book featured in a playdate or Kiddy Club Meetup. On the whole, my verdict for Meet Yasmin is a MUST READ for all elementary school kids – boys and girls – to explore emotions, to feel a sense of relatability in terms of problems, and a fun way to learn about Pakistan!