Culture 6: Inclusive Literature - ASK ME NO QUESTIONS

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA:

Budhos, Marina Tamar. 2006. ASK ME NO QUESTIONS. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9781416903512

PLOT SUMMARY:

Nadira and her family are illegal aliens from Bangladesh, and after 9/11, their world is turned upside down as the United States government enacts stricter rules against Muslim immigrants. Nadira’s family is afraid of being discovered, so the feel forced to flee to the Canadian border to seek asylum. When Canada turns them down, Nadira’s father is arrested at the border. Nadira’s mother stays behind to be with her husband and sends Nadira and her older sister, Aisha, back to New York. The teenage girls live in fear of having to leave America as well as what might happen to them if they are discovered. In the end, Nadira must switch roles with her strong, confident, “perfect” sister in order to prove that her father has been wrongly accused due to a case of mistaken identity. Nadira reunites her family again as their appeal for residency is finally granted.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

The characters in the story serve as cultural markers for immigrants from Bangladesh. The names of the characters, such as Nadira and Aisha, are authentic cultural names, and Aisha even makes a point throughout the story to remind others of the correct spelling and pronunciation of her name. The nicknames and forms of address used throughout the story also reveal some significant cultural markers. The terms “Abba,” “Ali-Uncle,” and “Ma” draw the reader into a piece of the culture of Bangladesh. The appearance of the characters is also significant to the authenticity of the story, and the contrast between Aisha’s and Nadira’s appearances establishes individual differences within the culture as well. While Aisha is described as “fair skinned and thin” with “frizzy hair,” Nadira is heavier and feels like an outsider in her own family at times. The clothing worn by the characters is equally significant. Aisha and Nadira embrace American clothing easily, while their mother maintains more traditional clothing styles for their culture such as a “shalwar kameez.” Eventually, their mother does transition to American clothes, signifying the family’s final transition to permanent life in America.

Food is also significant to the story, and Budhos again does a good job of contrasting two extremes as far as food is concerned. Traditional food items from Bangladesh, such as “moori,” “polao,” “luchis,” and spiced potatoes, are mentioned throughout the story. In contrast, American foods, such as sodas, Dunkin’ Donuts, and McDonald’s, are some of Nadira’s favorite foods. This contrast in foods reveals to the reader Nadira’s affinity for the American lifestyle. Interestingly, Nadira’s mother develops a habit of watching American cooking shows, revealing her slower transition to the American culture.

Language is another cultural marker for the story. While the girls speak English fluently, their mother is nervous about her limited English skills. Over time, their mother gains confidence in her ability to speak English as she begins to find her place within American society.

Budhos does an outstanding job of showing the reader how important American culture is to Nadira and her family. Although they are immigrants from Bangladesh and still embrace their culture and heritage, the idea of being Americans and living the American dream is extremely important to them. The characters of Nadira and Aisha make it clear to the reader that they are more comfortable living in America than they would be in Bangladesh, a place they hardly remember. Endearing characters, an exciting plot, and fascinating cultural dynamics combine to make ASK ME NO QUESTIONS an outstanding look at a family’s struggles to gain citizenship in the country of their dreams.

REVIEW EXCERPTS:

From BOOKLIST starred (December 2005):
“The teen voice is wonderfully immediate, revealing Nadira's mixed-up feelings as well as the diversity in her family and in the Muslim community. There's also a real drama that builds to a tense climax: Did Abba give funds to a political organization? Where has the money gone? Will Immigration hear his appeal? The answer is a surprise that grows organically from the family's story. Readers will feel the heartbreak, prejudice, kindness, and fear.”

From HORN BOOK starred (Fall 2006):
“Budhos's moving, quietly powerful novel explores the post-9/11 pressures on fourteen-year-old Nadira's Muslim family, Bangladeshi immigrants who have lived productively but illegally in New York for eight years. When they seek asylum in Canada and her father is detained at the border, Nadira realizes it is up to her to prove his innocence and hold her family together.”

From LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTION (August/September 2006):
“Nadira's conflicted feelings, Aisha's meltdown, and the dynamics of the Muslim community as it faces the suspicions and bureaucracy of the immigration system are movingly conveyed through the narrator's voice. This book is a well-written and needed counterpoint in the body of September 11th literature. Many innocent, hard-working immigrants have experienced prejudice and fear, and this novel does an excellent job of telling their story. Highly Recommended.”

CONNECTIONS:

2008 ALA Notable/Best Book

YALSA Best Book for Young Adults

Have students create a diary and write from Nadira’s perspective throughout the major events in the story (being turned down at the Canadian border, her father’s arrest, her sister’s troubles, her father’s release, and finally achieving residency).