Today we are thrilled to reveal the cover for Barakah Beats by Maleeha Siddiqui. The book cover was illustrated by Javeria M. Talha and designed by Yaffa Jaskoll. The book will be released on October 19, 2021, by Scholastic Press. Pre-order the book here, here, or here.
I can’t afford to be myself. Not in middle school. Not if I want to make new friends.
It’s Nimra Sharif’s first time going to public school—but as long as she has her best friend Jenna by her side, she figures she can take on just about anything.
Unfortunately, middle school is hard. The teachers are mean, the schedule is confusing, and Jenna starts giving hijab-wearing Nimra the cold shoulder around the other kids.
Desperate to fit in and win Jenna back, Nimra accepts an unlikely invitation to join Barakah Beats, a band made up of popular 8th grade boys! The only problem is, Nimra was taught that music isn’t allowed in Islam, and she knows her parents would be disappointed in her. So she devises a plan: join the band, win Jenna back, then quietly drop out before her parents find out.
But Nimra’s lies quickly start to unravel. With Jenna’s friendship hanging in the balance, Nimra has to decide whether to betray her bandmates—or herself.
Barakah Beats is a joyful tale about faith, friendship, and a proud Muslim girl who finds the courage to pursue the things that truly make her heart sing.
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Maleeha Siddiqui is an American writer of Pakistani descent who loves to tell unapologetically Muslim stories for all ages. By day, Maleeha works as a regulatory affairs professional in the biotech industry. She grew up and continues to reside with her family in Virginia. Barakah Beats is her debut novel.
