Ask Me No Questions

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Budhos, Marina. 2006. Ask me no questions. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9781416949206

PLOT SUMMARY

Nadira and her family immigrated to the US from Bangladesh and working to live the American dream. Until 9/11. With expired visas, the family must try to prove they deserve to reapply for residency or risk being detained or deported.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos is not based on a true story. It is based on many true stories. The stories of come from Muslim immigrants who, after September 11, 2001, had to defend their innocence and detachment from the terrorists who plotted and carried out the attacks.

Budhos gives a thorough introduction to her characters. We learn that Nadira, the narrator, is a quiet, often overlooked, average student with little motivation (according to her relatives). Her sister, Aisha, however, is the star: honor student, loveable, and anticipating a bright future.

Their parents hold to many traditional beliefs such as dress as long as it is convenient. Nadira accounts one time when her sister was laughed at for wearing a scarf, so her mother told her to not wear it—even though head coverings are required for women in their culture. We see a change in Ma throughout the book. At first quiet and submissive, she adopts practices of “Western” women (mainstream dress and independence from her husband) as her strength is tested.

Readers also meet extended family and friends: Ali-Uncle who holds fast to his faith, including taking time for daily prayer rituals; Auntie and Uncle who worry over their proactive daughter, Taslima, and Tareq, a shady fellow with suspicious connections

I appreciate how Budhos varies her characters: not all of them following the letter of the traditions and customs law but also respectful of their beginnings. The characters’ moods balance out—even as they shift through the book. As Uncle gets grouchy, Auntie remains calm; when Abba appears weak and defeated, Ma shows her strength; and most evident, when Aisha breaks, quiet, unmotivated Nadira stands up for her family and wins Abba’s case!

The significance of the events in this book relates directly to the time and location in which it is set. Having this story set in and around New York City is most appropriate. One could assume Muslim families living in rural West Texas would be interrogated less often than those near the attacks of 9/11. The characters move throughout the area in New York, and as far as I am aware, all of the locations described match their real geographic locations. Their interactions with people on the subway, on college campuses, and so on show that the citizens of New York are less worried about the terrorist efforts of a 14 year old girl and her family than the US government seems to be.

Budhos includes cultural details such as the dress and food as well as terms. Nadira and Aisha address their parents not as mom and dad but as Ma (or sometimes Amma) and Abba. As a reader, I was unable to use context clues to decipher some of the non-English words. Many I knew were articles of clothing, so no meaning was lost there. I am unfamiliar with common types of food they mentioned, but I love how Nadira’s favorite snacks are the Chinese red bean bun and American donuts. Even her tastes in food show the diversity in her neighborhood.

Ask Me No Questions would be a great tool for studying character development because all of the main characters undergo a major change. While the major storyline is the family’s attempt to get Abba released from detainment, Budhos keeps her readers hooked with minor plot lines such as Aisha’s future and cousin Taslima’s relationship with her parents. If readers were uninterested in the cultural details, although numerous, included in this text, they would still love the book based on Budhos’s writing style. Even her title allures an audience—it certainly did as students saw the book on my desk! Definitely a keeper!

AWARDS AND REVIEWS

Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year, 2007

Booklist Book Review Stars, Dec. 15, 2005

Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2006

ALSC Notable Children's Books, 2007

James Cook Book Award, 2007

YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2007

Reviews located in the front pages of the book:

“A moving, first person, present-tense narrative…Readers will feel the heartbreak, prejudice, kindness, and fear.” –Booklist, starred review

“A perceptive peek into the lives of foreigners on the fringe.” –Kirkus Reviews

“A thoughtful, riveting tale of post-9/11 America…Beautifully written.” –Chitra Divakaruni, author of Queen of Dreams

CONNECTIONS

Paper Doll Transformation

Create a trifold paper doll (the one with connected arms). Choose one of the four main characters to chart changes in their character from the beginning to the middle to the end.

What Makes an Alien Illegal?

What is the big deal? Why would the INS detain Abba? He’s a good man! What can you find out about US procedures for visas, residency requests, and documentation? Create an online timeline detailing what must be done and within what period of time in order for an immigrant to be considered “legal”.

Through the Eyes of Immigrants*

Through the Eyes of Immigrants is a video documentary that asks Muslim American youth how the events of 9/11 affected them. Pretending you are one of the four main characters and using the events from this book and other research, create a 3-5 minute video documentary detailing how the events of 9/11 have affected daily life for you.

*This assignment serves also as a research unit for students who were too young (or unborn) at the time of 9/11/01 to realize the implications of the attacks.