Listen, Layla
The hilarious follow-up title to You Must Be Layla by Yassmin Abdel-Magied.
I am Layla Kareem Abdel-Hafiz Hussein, the greatest Sudanese Australian inventor the world has ever seen. And if they don't know my name yet, they soon will. Inshallah!
School's out for the summer! And Layla's going to spend it getting her inventions ready for the grand design competition. But when her grandmother falls ill and her family must rush to Sudan to be with her, Layla feels like she's being pulled in many different directions. Family, friends, home, inventions - there's a lot to navigate. With big protests looming in Sudan, could Layla save the day with her revolutionary ideas?
Exploring the diaspora experience, Listen, Layla is an own voices novel for young readers bursting with passion, humour and truth.
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PRAISE
‘Featuring a smart, African, Black, and Muslim protagonist, and a host of interesting and complex characters, this work is recommended for library collections.’
School Library Journal (starred review)
“A rich, multicultural narrative”
‘Abdel-Magied’s second novel for adolescents has strong moral lessons about listening, respecting elders, consideration for others and working as a team…Highly recommended‘
ReadPlus Reviews
‘The dynamic language the author uses in giving Layla voice; the delightful Sudanese linguistic expressions (explained in the Glossary); the descriptions of Sudanese cultural norms, and of the actual Sudanese environment of Khartoum will make this a delight both for readers already familiar with the Sudan and those new to it… Highly Recommended
Africa Access Reviews
‘Listen, Layla is a humorous, exciting, and educative novel that explores the African diaspora experience through the coming-of-age story of an inspiring teenage Muslim girl, which other Muslim girls can see themselves in… Listen, Layla is a brilliant book.’
The New Arab