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Sadia, a Muslim teenager, must decide how far she is willing to go to defend her beliefs when faced with the pressures of life.

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Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children´s Book Award - Winner, Young Adult - Red Maple Fiction Award - Shortlisted

Sadia wishes life in high school was as straightforward as a game of basketball.

Fifteen-year-old Sadia Ahmadi is passionate about one thing: basketball. Her best friend Mariam, on the other hand, wants to get noticed by the popular crowd and has started de-jabbing, removing her hijab, at school every morning. Sadia´s mom had warned her that navigating high school could be tricky. As much as she hates to admit it, her mom was right.

When tryouts for an elite basketball team are announced, Sadia jumps at the opportunity. Her talent speaks for itself. Her head scarf, on the other hand, is a problem; especially when a discriminatory rule means she has to choose between removing her hijab and not playing. Mariam, Sadia´s parents, and her teammates all have different opinions about what she should do. But it is Sadia who has to find the courage to stand up for herself and fight for what is right - on and off the court.

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The gentle way it deals with intense, emotional issues such as discrimination, the immigrant experience and refugee experience and empowerment gives this book quiet power, much like Sadia herself. Quill & Quire

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Nelson, Colleen

Colleen Nelson is a teacher and an award-winning YA author whose previous novels include Blood Brothers and Finding Hope. She lives in Winnipeg.

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