We are currently reading Amina's Voice by Hena Khan. This book provides a window into the experiences and perspectives of a Muslim American 6th grader. I think it's a fantastic story, and I've loved listening to the students analyze the characters, their relationships with each other, and the challenges they face.
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Last week we talked about the structure of Amina’s Voice. We learned that the protagonist – Amina – confronts conflicts and challenges.
The students identified a series of conflicts (and potential conflicts). These conflicts included:
1. According to Thaya Jaan, how are things going for people who live in Pakistan?
2. Why hasn’t Amina’s family visited Pakistan for several years? Try to come up with reasons that are mentioned in the book and reasons that may not be mentioned in the book.
3. What is Thaya Jaan’s belief about teaching children to speak Urdu? Do you think his belief is reasonable or unreasonable? Explain your reasoning.
The students identified a series of conflicts (and potential conflicts). These conflicts included:
- Amina’s uncle – Thaya Jaan – will arrive from Pakistan and visit the family for three months. Thaya Jaan was described as a perfectionist. Several of you predicted that this could lead to conflicts with Amina and the other family members. You also predicted that he might have different perspectives about Islam.
- Amina’s best friend, Soojin, seems to be changing in various ways (she may even want to change her name). She is exploring a potential new friendship with Emily, who has been unkind in the past. Amina feels threatened and scared that she could lose her best friend.
- The Thaya Jaan Subplot -
2. Why hasn’t Amina’s family visited Pakistan for several years? Try to come up with reasons that are mentioned in the book and reasons that may not be mentioned in the book.
3. What is Thaya Jaan’s belief about teaching children to speak Urdu? Do you think his belief is reasonable or unreasonable? Explain your reasoning.
4. Ask a member of your group to read the first and second paragraphs of page 87 out loud. It seems like Amina’s feelings towards Thaya Jaan are becoming more complicated. How do you think the relationship with Thaya Jaan will evolve as the book continues?
5. During the “food scene” (pages 88-92), does Amina seem more stressed or less stressed about the potential conflict with Soojin and Emily?
- The Soojin/Emily Subplot -
6. Emily likes Justin. How does Amina feel about Justin?
7. Why do you think Soojin and Amina have such different responses to the “Justin news”? (pages 96-97) Does this conversation seem realistic or unrealistic to you?
8. How does Mustafa respond when Imam Malik scolds him for skipping class and hanging around the boys who were smoking. Do you think that Mustafa is being completely honest in the way that he responds? Why or why not?
- The Mustafa Subplot -
8. How does Mustafa respond when Imam Malik scolds him for skipping class and hanging around the boys who were smoking. Do you think that Mustafa is being completely honest in the way that he responds? Why or why not?
