You Can Do It, Yasmin!

Yasmin #9-12

by Saadia Faruqi, Hatem Aly (Illustrations)

A collection of four more stories featuring Yasmin! Whether she's braving the goalie net for the first time on the soccer field, trouble-shooting a plant problem in the garden with her family, tackling a tricky writing assignment, or managing a disagreement with her friends, Yasmin is always thinking outside the box to come up with creative solutions. Yasmin can do it!

Genres: Fiction, Childrens, Picture Books

96 pages, Paperback

Published February 1, 2020

About the author

Saadia Faruqi is a Pakistani American author, essayist and interfaith activist. She writes the children’s early reader series “Yasmin” published by Capstone and other books for children, including middle grade novels “A Place At The Table” (HMH/Clarion 2020) co-written with Laura Shovan, and “A Thousand Questions” (Harper Collins 2020). She has also written “Brick Walls: Tales of Hope & Courage from Pakistan” a short story collection for adults and teens. Saadia is editor-in-chief of Blue Minaret, a magazine for Muslim art, poetry and prose, and was featured in Oprah Magazine in 2017 as a woman making a difference in her community. She resides in Houston, TX with her husband and children.

Reviews

[Deej]

My friend got me this book for my birthday. Shoutout to my girl priya she got me a book about a Pakistani soccer player, has my heart fr❤️❤️🫶🏼😋

[Becky B]

This is a collection of 4 Yasmin books into 1.
Yasmin the Soccer Star has Yasmin playing soccer for the first time. She is a little scared about playing, but the coach keeps encouraging her, and Yasmin ends up enjoying playing goalie.
Yasmin the Gardener sees spring's arrival and Yasmin helping her father plant a garden. She is allowed to get some flowering plants if she promises to take good care of them. But her plants keep wilting, can she figure out what they need?
Yasmin the Writer opens in school as Yasmin and her class are assigned to write about their personal hero. Yasmin is having a hard time figuring out who her hero is, but maybe her hero has been close by all the time.
Yasmin the Friend is about Yasmin's friends Ali and Emma coming over for a playdate. Yasmin has it set in her mind what she wants to do, but her father keeps reminding her that she needs to ask her friends what they want to do. Can they find something all 3 of them want to do?

Each of these stories are quick, 3 chapter reads. The full color illustrations are done in a fun style. I love having a soccer story for littles starring a girl (we never have enough soccer stories!) and Yasmin expresses many common fears about soccer. The spring story is nice in that it features problems with plants that don't often show up in kidlit. Yasmin is a good little scientist sleuth in figuring out what the plants need. I love who Yasmin picks for her hero. Minor spoiler alert: this would make a great Mother's Day read. And the final story is an important lesson on listening and creative problem solving as important friendship skills.

[Debra]

Great easy chapter book for young readers. This character is lots of fun and the new words to learn are explained in the glossary and it gives a dictionary pronunciation guide, too. Each chapter allows Yasmin to stretch her thinking and try something new. From soccer, to gardening, to writing, and to sharing activities with friends, Yasmin tackles problems and finds solutions while showing her bravery and wit! The illustrations are simply adorable and as bright and engaging as can be, perfect for a book for young readers.

Great character shared by author Saadia Faruqi and illustrator Hatem Aly!

[Ellon]

As with the other two collections, this book includes discussion questions, Urdu words glossary, Pakistan facts, and a craft at the end. I didn’t find this back matter as interesting or fun as the first two collections but it was still useful to the stories ( the questions are my favorite part of the backmatter). The four stories in this collection are pretty strong and Yasmin is as sweet and spunky as ever.

[Heidi Doyle]

I love these short chapter books about Yasmin! She is clever, spunky and kind and she is always learning something new. In each book, she interacts with various friends and family members and the simple lessons are easy for children to understand. The illustrations are bright and colorful, which makes the stories even more appealing.

[Maleeha Siddiqui]

This was my daughter's favorite collection of Yasmin's adventures yet!

[Cheryl]

Cutesy with cute art.

[Lisa D]

What a cute book! Loved it!

[آية]

Super cute story about a Muslim girl going through normal things like soccer, school assignments, gardening, play dates, with an emphasis on family and Islamic values!

[Abby]

5 year old really enjoyed

[Ella Kaleta]

A sweet story about trying and not giving up. Great for young kids and easy for them to relate to.

[Ettak]

Continuing adventures of Yasmin!
Anthology of 4 early chapter books, colorfully illustrated and engaging:

Yasmin the Soccer Star - Yasmin is afraid to try a new sport, but tries with her new coach's help.
Yasmin the Gardener - Yasmin figures out what is needed to take care of her new flowers.
Yasmin the Writer - Yasmin gets through writer's block when she has to write a hero essay.
Yasmin the Friend - Yasmin learns how to cooperate with friends during a play date.

[Jordan Shapiro]

Such a sweet book and made me think back to my childhood when I use to play soccer and had so much fun with my friends!!