Hijabi Girl 

Authors:Hazel Edwards & Ozge Alkan  Illustrator: Serena Geddes  Original Publisher: Bookpod: NEWS FLASH   "Hijabi Girl' 1(Making Friends) ,2 and 3 will be re-published and distributed internationally by  Ali-Gator Publishing in late 2021  Larrikin Puppeteers WIN  Best Kids' Show 2021 and touring for Artour in 2022

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'Making Friends' in Hijabi Girl series with co-author Hazel Edwards. Photo credit:  Say_Heidi

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Larrikin 'Hijabi Girl' puppets; Photo credit: The Puppet Creation Lab & Puppet Tribe. 

SCBWI Aust & NZ feature 'Hijabi Girl' as a 2021 success story of illustrator member Serena Geddes. 

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What is the story about?

* Feisty girl in a hijab.

* Respect for other cultures and overcoming FEAR of the unknown.

* Creative problem solving.

* De-mystifying 'labels'.

* Making friends even when different.

* Skills and confidence via sport.

8 year old Melek always finds answers. Some are under her super hijab.  

For others she needs the help of newcomer Tien who draws fantastic worlds as an escape, dress-ups-guru Lily or even soccer-mad Zac who NEVER agrees with her. Melek wants to start her own Aussie Rules girls' football team.

Unable to find a book character in a hijab for the Book Parade, Melek writes her own, with illustrations by awesome Tien.

Their classroom has Fab Science projects,a Rainbow Reading Chair and a Corridor of Characters. Plus Zac's Reading Rat.

Melek solves all problems, even rescuing Zac in the pool. And luckily her fashionista mother designs club colour-coded hijabs for footy fans. 

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NEWSFLASH!   Larrikin Puppet Musical WILL happen, Post-Pandemic!

Details https://www.larrikinpuppets.com.au/hijabi-girl-a-musical-puppet-show/

Covid Adaptable Larrikin Puppeteers nominated in 'The What’s on Kids 2021 Awards' for the Best Kids Activity Business Covid 19 Adaptation Award & Best Local Kids Live Show.Public voting NOW.

Larrikin Puppeteers Elissa and Brett reveal the technical challenges and genuine love of puppetry.  

Youtube Interview by French-Canadian Puppet channel 

And  in mid 2021   'Hijabi Girl  1,2 and 3 'will be republished in a new format by Ali-Gator Publishing 

Larrikin Puppets' 'Aussie Rules' Footy Puppet for the fictional 'GoAnnas' team in 'Hijabi Girl' 

Meanwhile enjoy 'Dance Like a Unicorn' with Larrikin Puppets. 

And below, meet the 'Hijabi Girl' puppets.

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‘Miss ‘ the Teacher from Larrikin Puppeteers ‘ Hijabi Girl the Musical’. Designed by USA theatre concept artist Margie Salvatore & built by Brisbane puppet builder Deb Bowen Saunders of HOOZATT to be performed soon by Elissa Jenkins of Larrikin Puppets. How wonderful for the solitary creation of a character by a writer to travel in this way into puppet theatre...

Reviews

muslimreads review.pdf  'Melek is such a refreshing Muslim girl character,she is both bold and kind.'

Buzz Words    review by Anastasia Gonis.pdf '...excellent cultural resource...

kidsbook review .pdf...  by Coral Vass   ...a refreshing look at diverse mix of cultures. 

Good Reads  '...    More kids books like this please.pdf   George Ivanoff

Good Reads. '.  ' All the differences make no difference'.pdf..' Joanna's review.

Re-Vu.pdf  5 stars 'talks of friendship among cultures, where difference is embraced not rejected...'

Dr Virginia Lowe   'This is a significant book' .pdf

Reading Time.pdf (The Children's Book Council of Aust) ...gives hijab-wearing students a go-to 

costume for Book Week.

ReadPlus ...'a fabulous resource for classes to learn about social inclusion,celebrate diversity & 

to explore our multicultural society.'(Rhyllis Bignell) 

Boomerang Books.pdf  (Geo Ivanoff reviewer) '... more kids' books like this please...'

READFORFUN.Hijabi Girl review.pdf '...A wonderful snapshot of life in a modern Australian school...'

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• World premiere of 'Hijabi Girl' classroom script performed at Watsonia Heights Primary.

Watsonia Heights crew painting 'Hijabi Girl' backdrop for premiere.

• London Post Educator Rob Kelly writes about how 'Hijabi Girl' was created across cultures.
• Also  The Hijabi Girl Challenge  in the international Debate Report.

• "Hijabi Girl" Test Readers.pdf   process of trialling at Berwick Lodge & Tamworth

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In the beginning...Co-Authors

Ozge Alkan is a qualified children's librarian.This is her first book.

When Hazel spoke at a literary event ,Ozge requested a 'fun' story of a girl in a hijab,

for Book Week Parades.

 Aware of the cultural challenges, Hazel suggested Ozge wrote it.

Ozge suggested they co-wrote. So they did.

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Launch

At Craigieburn Library April 20th, ALL books were sold and autographed.

'Hijabi Girl' co-author Ozge and fans at Craigieburn Library.(Star Weekly)

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Co-authors researching at the Immigration Museum

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Teachers' Resources

sampling.pdf Free 'tasting' chapter

Resources.pdf

'...best teachers' resources I've seen for this age group...'  Susanne Gervay OAM

Performance Script Hijabi Girl.pdf   Useful in Book Week & for Character Parades.

Co-authors of 'Hijabi Girl' Hazel Edwards, Ozge Alkan & illustrator Serena Geddes.

( Photo courtesy of Hume City Council)

Curriculum relevance:  

• Diversity 
• Identity
• Anti-Bullying
• Creative problem-solving
• Key Learning Areas:   English. Art. Sport
• Creative & Critical thinking
• History Unit: Celebrations 

Why Study This Book?

• Diversity in food, clothing, communities and cultures
• Anti-bullying strategies
• Problem-solving
• Helping others
• Positive depictions of families, friends and other cultures.

Many schools hold Book Parades. Read prior to your Book Week Parade and dress up as characters from 'Hijabi Girl'. Then fiction becomes real.

Hazel recording 'Hijabi Girl' at Vision Australia Studio

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Contrasting Study:

* Hazel's earlier chapter book 'Misfit' about being different in a religious school makes a contrasting study. Crystal, a girl who isn't Jewish in a Jewish school, contrasts with Melek, our hijabi girl who is in a mainstream school. Crystal's sport is hockey.

'What's an ordinary girl doing in a time-warped place where boys wear black lids to keep their brains in?  Crystal doesn't know how she is going to handle it,but it isn't the first time her parents have sent her to an unusual school. She's been to a Catholic school, Micheal's Experimental ,ordinary Fernhill State and to a hippie school. But in this school, all the kids are Jewish.She has to learn to decipher writing that looks like fly -dots and find a way to talk to a whole new set of kids.'

* If you look through a 'crystal' there are many facets.

Now available as Kindle e-book here.

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' Hijabi Girl 'Co-Authors:

Researching at Street Iftar & Illustrator Serena Geddes.

Illustrator Serena Geddes is best known for illustrating the Lulu Bell series and earlier worked for Disney Australia..

Features 

Australian Society of Authors  Collaboration across cultures.

Hume City Council hijabi_girl.jpeg Imagine,Explore,Discuss

International Librarians Network 'Hijabi Girl', the Librarian & the Author

Queensland Writers' Centre: The-two-of-us-diversity-collaboration-in-co-writing-hijabi-girl_.pdf

Fun Youtube clip by Canadian puppets in support of 'Hijabi Girl' project news.

MEDIA RELEASE Puppetry_Challenge_To_Fight_Fear_of_Them_With_Kindness.pdf