We Are Big Time by Hena Khan, illustrated by Safiya Zerrougi

 

When I say I LOVE this graphic novel... I really mean it! Because I don't love reading middle grade. But, I want to know what students are reading and I want to be able to recommend books I know they'll love. We Are Big Time landed on my NetGalley list because I absolutely loved the cover. I didn't realize than Hena Khan had also written Amina's Voice, which I have previously reviewed. I honestly think Khan has evolved and this story was perfect. It was punchy and real in all the best ways. I didn't realize that the graphic novel was inspired by a real life team of Muslim basketball players. I like fictionalized versions like this that pay homage to real people. Khan and Zerrougui knocked it out of the park! 

Aliya is a relatable character on so many levels, from dealing with the trials of high school to moving at a crucial time! We Are Big Time is a feel-good story that highlights the difficulties of coming together as a team while also dealing with existing as a person of color in the U.S. The ridiculous questions that Aliya and her teammates got from interviewers are real questions that athletes, entertainers, scholars, writers of color have all received at some point, as if it's impossible that they can be successful and Black or successful and a Muslim woman. I like that the author didn't sugar coat this aspect of the story or shy away from it. As an educator, I love how Khan approached the character of Coach Jess--she's a great example of how to be culturally sensitive as an authority figure.

I am not an art expert, nor am I an artist--but I love everything about graphic novels as a literary artform. The art in We Are Big Time is warm and lovely--the action is both lively and aggressive, which is what makes basketball a fun sport to watch (and I'm not even a sports person). The style and color choices feel right. I especially loved the scenes of Aliya at home with her family--they look so comfortable and homey! I especially appreciated the detail of Aliya's cat socks (omg, so cute). I think the color scheme sets a positive tone without being distracting. The linework is crisp and more mature that something like The Baby-Sitters Club, which often feels very juvenile visually. I really felt like it was a great mix of looking appealing while also conveying a realistic, serious story through a medium that will appeal to the intended audience. I am a huge advocate for talking up the literary merit of graphic novels and will verbally spar with anyone who thinks that graphic novels aren't real reading. The planning and effort that go into drawing and then organizing panels requires as much thought as planning out the prose of the great American novel (this is my hill. I will camp on the hill. I will die on the hill.). I think We Are Big Time is the perfect graphic novel--nuanced but accessible and visually appealing to a wide audience.

I am planning on purchasing it for my middle grade library. While the main character is fifteen and a freshman in high school, the story is very middle school appropriate. Honestly, it is a feel good everybody level read that would work in high school or upper elementary.