Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero

Cameron begins building the robot with LEGO Mindstorms pieces, and Madison names the bot Miss Trashy. The anti-Muslim hate diminishes Yusuf’s excitement. He feels like the titular girl in Neil Gaiman’s novel Coraline (2002)—as if he’s entered an upside-down world. Officer Strickland can’t find evidence against the Patriot Sons, but they lose their petition, so construction for the Islamic Center can legally resume.

During Sunday school, Sameena Aunty claims God never gives a person more than they can handle, but Yusuf questions the precept. Sameena Aunty yells at Yusuf, and Amma screams at Sameena Aunty and calls out her oppressive teaching methods.

Cameron convinces Danial, Yusuf, and Jared to dress up as Santa Clauses for Halloween and go trick-or-treating. Danial claims it’s haram (forbidden by Muslim law), but Yusuf argues it’s only “frowned upon.” Danial dresses up, and he and the other boys have fun.

Sneaking out of the house for Halloween and dressing up as someone else makes Yusuf feel like a “new man.” Danial agrees, calling Halloween “epic” and Cameron “cool.” During lunch, Danial shares his biryani with Cameron, and Jared says Ethan’s dad abused him the day he got into a confrontation with Yusuf in the locker room. Mr. Grant doesn’t want anyone to “bully” his son. Jared relays his grandmother’s belief that people only hate strangers—it’s difficult to “hate” a familiar person.

In the hallway, Ethan and Sammy rush by Yusuf and harass Saba, a girl from Sunday school who wears a red hijab. Ethan tells her no hats are allowed in school, and he pulls it off. Saba screams and cries. Yusuf confronts Ethan and calls him a bully. The crowd of students cheers for Yusuf, and a teacher appears, wondering what’s going on.

Yusuf tries to focus on writing code for Miss Trashy, but he can’t stop thinking about Saba. Mr. Parker says no one will come forward and say they witnessed Ethan pull off her hijab. Saba doesn’t feel like talking—she wants to be left alone.

Aleena has asthma, and she’s coughing and having trouble breathing. Amma and Abba take her to the hospital while Yusuf watches the store. Danial and Sameena Aunty come to the store with food. Sameena Aunty says Saba is still upset. She calls pulling off a girl’s hijab an act of “violence, almost.” When Sameena Aunty was in high school, someone called her a terrorist and pulled off her hijab.

Rahman’s ninth journal entry is dated November 23, 2001. Silky is missing, and Rahman comforts himself with Muhammad Ali’s motto, “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” (270). During the Thanksgiving meal, Farrah tells Rahman to stay inside or he might “disappear” like a Muslim student in her class. After the meal, Rahman’s family serves food to unhoused people at a church.

Aleena is better and has a new inhaler. At bedtime, Yusuf tells her a story about a dragon named Ethan. Cameron’s dad fixes Abba’s store, so now Yusuf is certain that Cameron and his family are good.

During social studies, the students discuss the hijab, and Miss Terrance, pronouncing hijab as “hee-jab,” asks Yusuf to explain its significance. Yusuf doesn’t want to serve as a “spokesperson” for Muslims, but he tells the class that Muslim women and girls wear a hijab because they believe strangers shouldn’t see their hair. Yusuf says pulling off a person’s hijab leaves them “naked.”

After school, Ethan kicks a boy, Julio, and calls him Julia. Yusuf stands up to Ethan, and Ethan goes away. Danial thinks Yusuf should follow the people in the Islamic stories who stay quiet and pray, but Yusuf cites stories about the Prophet Muhammed and his followers routinely helping people.

As Yusuf writes code for Miss Trashy, he feels like the 19th-century Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh. Tony creates a practice board, and Miss Trashy completes the course in 9 minutes and 26 seconds.

Jared worries that Danial will convince Yusuf to stop being his friend because of Jared’s relationship with Ethan. Yusuf calls Danial a “pessimist” and confirms his friendship with Jared.

For Thanksgiving, Yusuf and his family drive to Houston. Yusuf’s cousin gets straight As, but he’s not as helpful around the house as Yusuf. Uncle Rahman is still in Seattle. He was there for a professor conference, but he’s staying longer because of a woman.

Rahman appears and speaks to Yusuf about his journal and Muhammad Ali. Rahman admired Ali for his ethics. Due to his opposition to the Vietnam War, the boxing industry banned him. Ali sided with justice, earning the nickname “the Greatest.” Rahman tells Yusuf not to worry about things. Rahman made it through 9/11, so Yusuf should be able to make it through his hardships.

In the cafeteria, Ethan asks about the other kids’ Thanksgiving. He clarifies that he’s only speaking to “Americans,” claiming that “Mooz-lims” don’t observe the holiday. Cameron says Ethan wants to provoke him, and Danial urges Yusuf to stay quiet.

Fed up with his friends policing his behavior, Yusuf eats in the library with the librarian, Mrs. Levy. They discuss 9/11, and Mrs. Levy affirms that Yusuf is a decent person from an honorable family. Mrs. Levy’s family is Jewish, and people called them “dirty Jews.” Some of her grandfather’s family died in the Holocaust, in part because people didn’t say or do anything to stop the genocide.

After school, Amma takes Aleena, Jared, and Yusuf to the park. Jared says his mother came home for Thanksgiving, but she seemed different. Yusuf invites Jared to his house again, but Jared declines. Mr. Grant doesn’t want him to hang out with Yusuf.

In social studies, Miss Terrance insists that Yusuf read his report out loud. Yusuf’s paper begins on a personal note. He’s lived in Frey all of his life, yet people act as if he and his family don’t belong there. Citing the parade for the 9/11 victims, Yusuf says people should be as respectful to the living as they are to the dead. He mentions the Holocaust, and he argues that people can’t ignore mistreatment. If no one confronts bullies, they become stronger.

Rahman’s 10th journal entry is dated November 27, 2001. A priest visits Rahman’s home and says he wants to connect all the different communities. Abba turns the priest’s goal into a joke, but the priest is serious.

On December 4, Yusuf turns 12 years old. Aleena gives him one of her Barbies, and Yusuf promises to be an excellent “mommy” to her. Amma gives him a book about handmade robots before taking him clothes shopping and to an elegant cafe.

Later, Danial gives him a micro:bit, but Cameron doesn’t have a present for Yusuf, because he isn’t wealthy like Danial. Cameron reads the notes left in Yusuf’s locker and admits that he received similar notes in elementary school. Danial asks why Yusuf saves the notes, and Yusuf says he wants evidence. The boys discuss assimilation; Yusuf dislikes the concept because “it sounds like you have to give up everything that makes you, you” (314).