These books – a mix of styles, format, fiction and memoir for kids, teens, and adults – all made me think about the differences and commonalities, from going to a Catholic school when not Catholic to thoughts on a life devoted to reading and reflections on the role of history in our lives.

Hail Mariam by Huda Al-Marashi. Kokila, 2026. ISBN 979-8217112968. Read from a library copy. Ebook and eaudiobook available from Libby.

Rising sixth-grader Mariam Hassan is horrified that her parents have decided that she will attend a nearby Catholic school instead of public schools. Not only will she have to leave all her friends and wear a uniform, but there are pictures of Jesus everywhere. Paintings of a prophet are sacrilegeous enough, but on the crucifix in the front of chapel – where she has to sit for a service every day – Jesus is nearly naked. Obviously she shouldn’t look – but how can she not look when it’s so big and right in front? How can she be the shining example of what Islam can mean to her teachers and classmates? It’s also hard to make friends when most kids have been at the school since kindergarten, and many have parents or even grandparents who went to the same school. Also, she’s expected to write everything in cursive, which wasn’t taught at the public school. Things are already hard with all these changes and more when her beloved little sister, Salma, gets suddenly seriously ill. Is any of this Mariam’s fault? Is there anything she can do with prayers or religious observations to make it better?

I absolutely read this because of the tag line on the top – “The only Muslim girl in her Catholic school. Send prayers.” I was the only Lutheran student at a Catholic school in first and second grade myself – maybe not as vulnerable an age, but an age when all my classmates were studying for First Communion, while I would have to wait for far-away sixth grade. I had a lot of sympathy for Mariam with the religious and friend-making difficulties. I hadn’t known about the plot line with the sick sister, which made the story heavier than I was expecting it to be. It was still handled well, and I liked the representation having an older sibling who needs to step up to help when everyone in the family is worried about a sick child. I also enjoyed seeing the Hassan’s existing ties to the Iraqi immigrant community, and absolutely her wrestling with matters of faith.

Every Day I Read:53 Ways to Get Closer to Books by Bo-Reum Hwang. Bloomsbury, 2025. ISBN 978-1639737796. Read from a library copy. Ebook and audiobook available on Libby.

This slim book by the author of Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop, which the cover tells me was an international bestseller, has 53 thoughtful essays from a devoted reader. Each contains a single idea ranging from “Read Bestsellers” to “Read Difficult Books” to help one improve one’s relationship with books. Each is only a few pages long, but enough to remind readers of the profound effect that reading has to change our lives – to broaden our thinking, help us through rough patches, and connect us with others. The author reads a lot more serious literature and classics than I do, yet I still relished my time seeing books through her eyes. She laughs at herself for the number of books she packs for vacations but doesn’t read, only to devour books set in other countries when she’s back home. She wonders if she should have adopted some other, more productive hobby, coming to the realization that she’s reading for personal growth and pleasure both. The book design is also perfectly cozy, with the lovely wrap-around cover art and little cat art at the head of each chapter. This would be perfect for fans of Anne Fadiman’s Ex Libris.

Four Faces of the Moon by Amanda Strong. Annick Press, 2021. ISBN 978-1773214535. Read from a library copy. Ebook available on Libby.

Four Faces of the Moon is a book based on a stop-motion animated film, which in turn is based on the story of Amanda Strong’s own ancestors. We classified it as a teen graphic novel, but as it has full-page pictures rather than panels, it feels more like a picture book meant for an older audience. The narrator, who is Métis, tells the story of dreams she has after her naming ceremony (at age 14). Each of these dreams goes a generation further back, telling the story of her ancestors and their struggles against settlers and the Canadian government to stay alive and to maintain their way of life and the buffalo. The striking mixed-media art looks like stills from the film, with modeled figurines for characters, floating historic photographs, and painted backgrounds – though I feel I’m oversimplifying the complexity of it. This is a quick but moving and important read, though I’d be interested in seeing the film, too. It would tie in very well with Red River Rose, which covers some of the same events.