The Strongest Heart

I saw The Strongest Heart by Saadia Faruqi on a list of new books and got it from the library since I've read other books by the author. The book description says, "Mo is used to his father’s fits of rage. When Abbu's moods shake the house, Mo is safe inside his head, with his cherished folktales: The best way to respond is not to engage. Apparently, his mama knows that too—which is why she took a job on the other side of the world, leaving Mo alone with Abbu. With Mama gone, the two move to Texas to live with Mo’s aunt and cousin, Rayyan. The two boys could not be more different. Rayyan is achievement-driven and factual; Mo is a 'bad kid.' Still, there is a lot to like about living in Texas. Sundays at the mosque are better than he’d expected. And Rayyan and his aunt become a real family to Mo. But even in a warm home and school where he begins to see a future for himself, Mo knows that the monster within his father can break out and destroy their fragile peace at any moment…"

This was a great read. The story immediately pulled me in, and I was really rooting for Mo. He had a heavy life he was carrying with both parents being difficult in different ways, so I was so grateful for his aunt and cousin that gave him some stability and made the read more bearable. I thought the book did great character development/growth and taught some important lessons about mental health conditions. The author's note at the end also shared that the book was based on the author's own experiences growing up, and I always appreciate authentic books like this.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)