The Secret Diary of Mona Hasan

Mona learns to find her voice over the course of a year that sees her immigrating from Dubai to Canada in this novel for fans of Front Desk by Kelly Yang.

Mona Hasan is a young Muslim girl growing up in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, when the first Gulf War breaks out in 1991. The war isn't what she expects -- "We didn't even get any days off school! Just my luck" -- especially when the ground offensive is over so quickly and her family peels the masking tape off their windows. Her parents, however, fear there is no peace in the region, and it sparks a major change in their lives.

Over the course of one year, Mona falls in love, speaks up to protect her younger sister, loses her best friend to the new girl at school, has summer adventures with her cousins in Pakistan, immigrates to Canada, and pursues her ambition to be a feminist and a poet.


Author: Salma Hussain
Publisher: Tundra Books (NY)
Published: 05/03/2022
Pages: 296
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.60w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9780735271494
Audience: Ages 9-12

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 05/01/2022
Publishers Weekly 06/20/2022
School Library Journal 07/01/2022 pg. 58