Ask me no questions by Marina Budhos

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Budhos, Marina.  2006. Ask me no questions. New York: Simon Pulse. ISBN 9781416949206

SUMMARY
Ask Me No Questions is the first person narrative of Nadira, a 14 year old girl whose family entered the United States on a visit visa and stayed after it expired. With the events of the September 11^th  terrorist attacks, men from Muslim countries are required to register with the government. Her family decides to seek asylum in Canada instead of registering, but when they arrive at the Canadian border, they are turned around, and her father is arrested. Nadira and her 17 year old sister Aisha are sent back to Queens, New York, to stay with relatives and continue school, but Aisha does not know if she will be able to attend college and the girls have no idea if the whole family will be deported to Bangladesh. A moving story about immigration, stereotyping and calling a place home. 


CRITICAL ANALYSIS 
When I read Ask Me No Questions I saw a different United States.  Budhos enlightens us to what the United States was like for immigrants, specifically Muslim or dark-skinned immigrants after September 11th, 2001.  We learn about the Patriot Act, Special Registration, Deportation, Green card, Residency, Asylum and other terms that apply to a non-citizen of the U.S. Budhos reminds us that there are those who grow up in the United States, but their ability to stay here is uncertain - "You forget you don't really exist here, that this really isn't your home."

Budhos portrays each characters dilemma realistically and it's satisfying to see the changes that occur with Nadira and Aisha. Budhos writes this story from the heart and her diction is often eloquent - "Abba carries his stories carefully inside him, like precious glass he cradles next to his heart."  However, the ending was entirely too fast and not necessarily believable. That being said, it's an important book to have in the collection for our youth to see a positive representation of Muslims, but an immigrant experience. 

Grades 6+. 


REVIEWS
"...The message drives the story here; the motivations of the characters are not always clear, and the ending may strike some as a bit tidy. But the events of the novel are powerful enough to engage readers' attention and will make them pause to consider the effects of a legal practice that preys on prejudice and fear." Ages 10-14. -- Publishers Weekly

"...Inspiring and timely, this novel explores one of the most difficult issues facing the United States today in a compelling and highly readable way." -- Children's Literature

"...This is a powerful story, especially for those YAs who know something themselves about the immigration situation. Budhos doesn't make heroes of the illegal immigrants, but she illuminates the reasons why families stay here, and she focuses on the childrenwho have grown up in America but who are threatened with deportation because of the mistakes of their parents. She certainly is critical of the Patriot Act and its repercussions on immigrant families and especially Muslim families." -- KLIATT

"...Budhos's descriptive writing style helps the story seem more realistic. Nadira's conflicting emotions are portrayed in such a way that even though teens might not identify with her situation, they can easily relate to her feelings. The topics addressed in this book are very relevant in today's society, and teens will quickly be able to make real world connections. Although not all teens would choose to read this book on their own, it could be effectively used in the classroom." -- VOYA

"...The author explains their situation well, but the effect is more informational than fiction. Nadira and Aisha are clearly drawn characters, but they don't quite come alive, and their Bangladeshi-American background is more a backdrop than a way of life. Still, this is an important facet of the American immigrant experience, worthy of wider attention." -- School Library Journal 


CONNECTIONS
-Scholastic has a website titled "Immigration: Stories of Yesterday and Today" which include immigration statistic and stories.  Meant for younger students: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/

-This is an excellent resource entitled "Immigration Myths." Useful for Reading and Language Arts, Social Studies, and ELL/ESL, it contains Essential Questions, Activities, and Standards to discuss immigration. http://www.tolerance.org/lesson/immigration-myths

-Other books by Marina Budhos: 
     -Tell us we're home. ISBN 978-1442421288
     -The professor of light. ISBN 978-0399144738
     -Remix: Conversations with immigrant teenagers. ISBN 978-1556356100 (non-fiction)
     
-This link contains extensive ideas for discussions and activities on the book. chicagogearup.org/archives/yal/units/ask/clemente/unit-ask.doc ‎