WORDS WITH...
Huda Fahmy A Muslim American comics artist tackles hard truths with humor in a new graphic novel for young adults BY HANNAH BAE Huda Fahmy
and finding validation. Fahmy, who lives in Houston, Texas, answered our questions about the book via email. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. After writing for adults, how did you tailor Huda F Are You? to young adult readers, especially when it came to handling themes like Islamophobia and racism? It was a matter of putting myself in my old high school shoes. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t difficult every time I went there. I was a sophomore in high school when 9/11 happened, so it’s not a time that I enjoy revisiting. Islamophobia and racism don’t care what age you are, and even the youngest among us find themselves victim to it. It becomes a responsibility, then, to help young readers try to navigate these harsh realities and come out stronger despite them. Also, I’d be remiss not to credit my amazing editors at Dial for helping me keep the tone age-appropriate.
Tears, fears, and a whole lot of humor bubble up in comics artist Huda Fahmy’s Huda F Are You? (Dial Books, Nov. 23), a graphic novel/memoir hybrid for young adults. Hard truths about life as a visibly Muslim woman in America are a mainstay of Fahmy’s work, as seen in her debut, Yes, I’m Hot in This, and in witty webcomics. Here, she depicts a fictionalized teenage version of herself who gropes awkwardly for a sense of self-identity beyond the hijab she wears, with plenty of comedic missteps along the way. Our review calls the book “hilarious, charming, and much needed” for its adept, heartfelt handling of themes like xenophobia, teenage self-loathing, 194
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15 november 2021
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Why was it important to you to reach younger readers? Can I be selfish and say I wrote this book for me? It is the book I wish I had growing up struggling with my Muslim, Arab, American identities. I want young readers to benefit because the struggle with identity is so universal and so looming at this age. I hope that hearing there’s no right or wrong way to figuring out who you are helps relieve the stress and anxiety that often plague young readers. How did you decide to bring a fictional element into this book, as opposed to making the book a strictly nonfiction graphic memoir?
kirkus.com
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