ALA Booklist (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Fahmy started her comics on Instagram, and the short format has clearly helped her hone her tight comedic timing, which is all over her latest offering, a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age comic about a girl finding her way in high school. Moving to Dearborn meant not being the only hijabi teen in her school, but what exactly is Huda's identity beyond her headscarf? In her signature loose, expressive cartooning style, Fahmy deftly balances humor and seriousness; while chronicling Huda's often comical journey to pinpoint a passion, she doesn't shy away from the micro- and macro-aggressions she endures from other students and one particular teacher, who satisfyingly gets her much-deserved comeuppance after months of antagonizing her many Muslim students. The specific context of Huda's story is sure to resonate with Muslim teens, but the pitch-perfect jokes and search for a way to stand up for herself without standing out too much is something lots of teens can relate to. Hand this to readers who like slice-of-life gag comics or character-driven graphic novels about discovering one's true self.

Kirkus Reviews

Fahmy's fictionalized graphic-novel memoir explores the complexities of identity and what it costs to be pleasing.When Egyptian American Huda and her family move to Dearborn, Michigan, she finds that suddenly she is far from being the only hijabi in her school. At a loss, Huda realizes that she has always adapted to accommodate others instead of finding her own interests. Although she fears that her personality was defined by being different due to her hijab, she also doesn't fit in with the hijabi athletes, gamers, and fashionistas at school or with her masjid peers, since her parents previously emphasized cultural assimilation. Even her position as the smart sister in her family is challenged as Huda faces academic challenges and a teacher who is hostile toward Muslim students. Fahmy comedically captures Huda's embarrassing moments, conflicting desires for validation and acceptance, and the sarcasm she uses as a coping mechanism when facing everyday Islamophobia, xenophobia, bigotry, and microaggressions. Neither does the author shy away from reflecting on Huda's internalized Islamophobia, self-hate, and moments of cowardice as she grows and learns. Background Muslim characters show different skin tones and female characters wearing different styles of hijab as well as those who do not. The full-color artwork shows stylized, cartoon-style figures whose minimalistic features emphasize the emotions shown by their facial expressions. A variety of lettering styles signals background commentary, humorous asides, sound effects, and more.Hilarious, charming, and much needed. (author's note) (Graphic fiction. 12-18)

School Library Journal (Wed Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2021)

Gr 7 Up Fahmy's ( Yes, I'm Hot in This ) semiautobiographical comic tackles growing up and carving out identity. The author, a Muslim and Egyptian American, describes how as a teen she transferred to a new high school in Dearborn, MI, where she went from being the only student who wore a headscarf to just another hijabi. Realizing that now she blends right in, Huda suddenly feels as though she has no personality (and no friends for that matter), so she decides to find herself and try out the various hijabi cliques at her school: the athletes, the gamers, and the fashionable "hijabonistas." While figuring herself out, Huda also deals with fitting in with her Muslim community; she also encounters an Islamophobic teacher who gives bad grades to all of the Muslim students in her class. Although some of Huda's experiences are specific to a Muslim teen, her attempts to adjust her personality and interests to fit in are universal experiences that all readers can relate to. Huda uses spare, almost stick figurelike, cartoons to illustrate her story, which is told with easy-to-follow panels. Though her artwork is simple, it brims with emotion, enhancing the storytelling of this warm, reassuring tale. VERDICT Centering on a marginalized character attempting to find herself, this is a tale that will resonate with young people seeking to carve out their own identities.Shazia Naderi, Bethpage P.L., NY