Amal Mohamed Nasrullah Abdel-Hakim, an eleventh grader living in Melbourne, is like any other teenage girl her age: busy with school work, friends and trying to get her crush to notice her. But one thing sets her apart from the other students in her snobby, prejudiced school. She’s Muslim.
Four days before the start of her third term at McCleans Preparatory School, Amal has an epiphany while watching a Friends rerun and decides that she wants to wear the hijab, the Muslim head scarf, full time.
In her journey of faith and self-discovery, Amal faces prejudice that she wasn’t prepared for. She has to put up with teasing and name-calling from her classmates and ostracization from friends and strangers alike. However, she is determined to prove that she is strong enough to wear the “badge of her faith” and to stand up for what she believes.
Does My Head Look Big In This is a witty and entertaining novel that also offers a sensitive look at life and prejudices after September 11th and the difficulties of fitting in while at the same time staying true to oneself.