Final Post

“Overnight, we, the invisible people, became visible. We became dangerous. We became terrorists, people with bombs in out luggage, poison in our homes.” (p.151)

This made me think about what’s happening now. Some people still think Muslims and Arabs are all terrorists and that they are very dangerous. But it’s not true. Like Aisha said, “I understand there are bad people in the world.”(p.152) But there are also a lot of good people in the world. Just because you look like the people who blew something up, doesn’t mean you were in on it and you’re going to blow something up. I also like how she says that they became visible overnight, because it’s true. Right after September 11, people of a certain race were suspected. Some people looked Muslim or Arab, but they were a completely different race.

I also really liked how Aisha said, “I tell none of this to make you pity me.”(p.152) She just wants to get it out there. So people can know what her family has been through. And what a lot of people go through. So people can know what the government does to people who are illegal. That not everyone who is illegal, is dangerous.

I really liked this book. Especially how it turned out. Not everything was perfect, but it worked out pretty good for everyone. I also really liked Aisha’s speech. Did you guys like the book? Did you like Aisha’s speech? What did you think of the end?

Chapter 16

"It's as if Ma and Abba were still in Bangladesh riding in a flat bottomed boat in the night, and Aisha was the magic girl who lived above the dark tree branches and lit the way, leading us down the complicated bends. Now all the stars are no more than rubber stickers pasted on a ceiling; they've come unfastened and they're whirling around one another, not sure which will settle where." (p.137)

When I read this it made me think about how Nadira seems like the older sister now instead of Aisha. It also makes me think about how Aisha and Abba have kind of given up. Until Nadira says that Aisha needs to be stronger. Like when she says:

"You gave up because everything stopped being easy. Just because you couldn't conquer this thing like you always did. I think, Aisha, that you're always thinking about doing or saying the right thing." (p.147)

Aisha used to be the one that Abba was proud of and always said the right thing, but now she's falling apart. Nadira is picking her back up and helping her to not give up. I think that Nadira and Aisha will be able to get through this.

Chapter 15

“We go downstairs and she leads me to the bus stop. She does all this like she’s been doing it for years. I keep waiting for her to pull back or to ask me to translate something.” (p.129)

I thought it was awesome that Ma has grown so strong. She used to not speak English well and ask Nadira and Aisha to help her. But now she is so confident. Something about staying in the shelter and meeting all these strong women has changed her. She has had to be strong because of Abba being in jail and not being able to be with him. She has learned more English and is trying to do everything she can. When Nadira came into the shelter, Ma was on her bed and she looked sad, but I think that was just because she didn’t know what happened to Nadira. I thought it was funny that the guard called Ma the Purple Lady With the Sing-Song Voice. The purple coat has really done her some good at the shelter. Most everyone knows her and likes her and she’s happy. Besides that Abba is in jail and she’s not with her family. It must be weird for Nadira though, because her mom always held back and never really liked going outside in public. And now she’s confident and knows exactly where she wants to go. Maybe that purple coat has given her that confidence she needed.

Chapter 13 and 14

"A clump of pigeons is resting on the telephone wire. They flutter up into the sky, the wire bouncing up and down. For the first time I feel like I can run, fast. And I run all the way to the bus." (p. 119)

This is when she was going on the bus to go meet Tareq at Dunkin' Donuts. I thought it was awesome because she felt like she could run and usually she feels fat and slow. I think she felt like running because she was excited that she could help her Abba and maybe because she was anxious how Tareq was going to help her. When I read chapter 13 I wondered what Tareq would do to help. Before when he gave Nadira his number to call him if she ever changed her mind about needing help, he talked about getting green cards, but not in the usual way. But then I went on to chapter 14. He's going to help her by taking her money to buy a green card or something. When he shows her the gun in his glove compartment, she has no reaction, but when she sees the gun just laying there in the house they go into, she freaks out. She gets scared and decides not to go through with whatever Tareq was going to do to help. She tells him that she can't do it and she runs away into the darkness. I thought it was kind of stupid to runaway and she has no clue where she's going.

"Then I run again, blindly, into the dark streets."

I thought that quote connects with the first quote I have. Both chapter 13 and 14 end with Nadira running. First she's running to catch a bus to meet Tareq. And then she's running away from Tareq and we have no clue where she's going. And I also wonder if she has the money or has she already given it to Tareq?

Chapter 12

"This is the first time I've ever done this, but I put my arms around my sister. She feels as if she's all bones, and she's shaking. I don't know what to say. So we sit like that for a long, long time." (p.113)

I picked this quote because it made me think of Nadira and Aisha as actual sisters. Before they seemed so distant and apart, but at this moment, they seem like sisters. Nadira also seems like the older one because she is holding Aisha in her arms. It makes me think that it's cold outside because Aisha is shaking, but it also shows that she is scared and sad, like she's crying. I like the ending when she says they sat there for a long time, the way it says long twice makes it seem long. I like how Nadira says Aisha feels like all bones because she's so skinny and Nadira isn't that skinny, and she always brings up how fat she is, which I think is sad. At the beginning, with the first sentence, it seems awkward the way she wrote it. I think it is awkward because she never really puts her arms around her sister, which we call hugging.

Chapter 11

"And me, I don't know what to do with myself anymore. I can't figure out how to get us through this–to pick up the thread of working together, to continue our fight. None of it seems possible. Sometimes I'll pull out the file and look at all Aisha and I did, and it feels silly, like a pretend social studies exercise."

When I read this I felt really bad for Nadira. When she was working with Aisha to make everything better, it seemed like it was all going to work, but now... Everything is falling apart. She doesn't feel like talking to anyone or being with anyone. It was working with Aisha too. She was being nice until Nadira found out that it was just because Aisha didn't feel good around other people, she needed her sister. But then Aisha started to drift away. Later on Nadira runs into Lily and helps her with her problems and I thought that was really nice of her. I feel bad for Aisha, but I still don't like her that much. I hope everything works out because even though Uncle is back, he's not totally the same person as before... Can't wait to learn more

Chapter 10

“Taslima raises her cell phone as if it’s some super-bionic zap gun that can make these guys disappear. But they don’t disappear.”

I thought it was funny that Taslima uses her cell phone as a weapon. She said she could call her lawyer and they won't do anything without they're lawyer. But Uncle doesn't listen and says that it would be easier to just go. He looks all defeated like in the sentence when they take him away. I think that Uncle didn't want them to do anything to his family so he just listened to them and let them take him away.

"He dips his head as he's led out the door as if he's afraid to stand too tall."

I thought that sentence was sad. Like Uncle felt defeated even though he brought it on himself. I feel bad for Uncle. But I feel even worse for Auntie because her husband is going to be held like Abba. At the end of the chapter, Uncle is held in jail still while Auntie, Nadira, Aisha, and Taslima go home. Everyone is so tired and scared. This situation feels so real, but so hard for a family to go through. It would be hard for me to go through what they are going through. I just hope everything works out.

Chapter 9

"I taped the chocolate cake show for you," I tell her to make her feel better. "Auntie let me use her VCR."
"Did you get Emeril?" she asks. "He was supposed to do something with crabs."
"I'll get the rerun."
(page 70)

I thought it was interesting that Nadira was trying to make everything better. I think she might have been surprised that it actually worked. But her mom also asked her if she got something else, but she didn't so it made her not as happy. It stood out to me because it was a little part of the book that wasn't sad. It was like a little lift in everyone's spirit. But then it changes right after Nadira hangs up and Tareq comes to talk to them. I think it was a good step for Nadira to try to make her mom feel good. Even though it was a little like Aisha. Aisha was being a little nicer. I think she realized that they are sisters and they need to be their for eachother. Well atleast I think they need to be there for eachother. I'm not sure if Aisha has fully realized that yet. But she's almost there.

Chapter 7 and 8

“We didn’t know. The most important thing. Abba said, was not to stick out. Don’t let them see you. But I think it hurt him, to hide so much.”

I think it hurt him too. He seems to have changed from when he first met Ma. He’s not as confident like when he bragged about Aisha. Aisha gets good grades and she’s one of the goody good girls, doesn’t that mean she’s sticking out? In the next chapter where Nadira and Aisha go to Mr. Rashid’s office, Nadira says they feel like they stick out even with their fancy clothes. I am also wondering why Abba panicked to go to Canada where the stick out. He is now in jail and we have no idea what is happening to him. When Aisha told Nadira to get up, she called her fatso after Nadira said she was feeling bad for what she said to her. Now I think Aisha deserved what Nadira said to her because she’s back to her mean old self.

At the end of chapter 8, Aisha says “I’m scared for Abba.” Nadira said she had finally said what they both were thinking, what was happening to him? Then Aisha starts crying and I start to feel bad for her again. But then in chapter 9(haven’t read it yet), maybe she’ll just say something mean again and I’ll change my mind. Or maybe she has changed for good. Aisha is very confusing. I don’t like her that much, but I do feel sorry for her. I feel more sorry for Nadira though, because she is younger and has to act older and be there for her sister.

Chapter 6

“Strange, nasty thoughts swarm into my head. I’ve never made my sister cry before. It seems impossible. Aisha is too strong, too smart for me.” (page 52)

I thought it was cool that Nadira stood up to Aisha and talked back, giving her some of her own medicine. But when I read more, I wonder if Aisha deserved it. Aisha might not think she is being that mean to Nadira, maybe she thinks she’s being helpful. Aisha is going through the same things as Nadira. Aisha may have more friends and better grades, but at home, their situation is the same. I thought it was sad that Nadira thinks Aisha is too strong and smart for her. And it is never impossible to make someone cry. This moment was a good time to pounce because it’s what Aisha cares about the most. And she is weak right now because of all their family problems. Maybe it was a good thing for Nadira to say those bad things to Aisha, or maybe it will effect what happens in the future. Maybe the future will be good or maybe it will be bad. We will just have to wait and see.

Chapter 6

“Strange, nasty thoughts swarm into my head. I’ve never made my sister cry before. It seems impossible. Aisha is too strong, too smart for me.” (page 52)

I thought it was cool that Nadira stood up to Aisha and talked back, giving her some of her own medicine. But when I read more, I wonder if Aisha deserved it. Aisha might not think she is being that mean to Nadira, maybe she thinks she’s being helpful. Aisha is going through the same things as Nadira. Aisha may have more friends and better grades, but at home, their situation is the same. I thought it was sad that Nadira thinks Aisha is too strong and smart for her. And it is never impossible to make someone cry. This moment was a good time to pounce because it’s what Aisha cares about the most. And she is weak right now because of all their family problems. Maybe it was a good thing for Nadira to say those bad things to Aisha, or maybe it will effect what happens in the future. Maybe the future will be good or maybe it will be bad. We will just have to wait and see.

Linking Awesomeness

Marina Budhos is the author of Ask Me No Questions. I really like this book. It's really good.

I think it's cool that Nadira likes maps. I don't really have a opinion about maps, but for Nadira they're like fantasy places. Maps hold the information to navigate places even if you've never been there. Nadira like the maps because she can pretend she's there and go to those places on the maps in her mind.

Chapter 5

“Either they speak like I’m a little baby who can’t understand the stupidest thing, or they gaze at me with the weight and sadness of the world behind their eyes, making me feel so confused I wish they’d just shut up.”

When I read this part in chapter 5, I felt really bad for Nadira. The adults either think of her as a little baby or an adult. She seems to take on more responsibilities than Aisha even though she is younger. I also like how Marina Budhos described the eyes of the adults. She always explains everything with detail and the similes always make sense, but I would never have thought of it that way.
This reminds me of when my dad’s mom died and he cried; he never cries. When my parents looked at me, I got really confused and scared because I was little and I didn’t know what they were trying to tell me with their eyes. I just wanted them to stop.
I also like how Nadira said she would wish they’d just shut up. I think that shows that she is speaking up more even though she doesn’t say it aloud; she is thinking it. I think if she told them to be quiet because she was trying to do her homework, that would be a step towards speaking up.

Connections and thoughts about our AMNQ blogs

Dennyce made a very good connection between Juana from AAHM and Nadira from AMNQ.
When I read that part, I thought the same thing about how Juana always brushed her mom's hair and Nadira takes care of her mom too. Very good connection Dennyce.

Sarah Rabin chose to write about the same kind of quote I wrote about. My point of view is different from Sarah's. The quote from the book Sarah chose was:
"Still, no matter where our borders, this is a land where the earth melts into the sea and back again;"-Page 19
She thought that it was "a really good connection of the world. It shows that no matter how hard we try to fight it, we still are one planet at the end of the day." I thought that it was weird to say that there is no difference between land and sea because that doesn't make sense. Sarah has some really good points, but mine and her points are a little different.

I agree completely with Alissa, she talks about Nadira and Aisha's relationship and I think she made some very good points.

I also agree with Maya. She says that she hasn't read that much, so we don't know if Nadira is right and Aisha isn't that nice of a person or maybe she is.

I think everyone is really getting into this book. We are trying to disect everything that's happening, showing that we are interested in this book and we want to know what's going to happen.

Chapter 3 and 4

I picked this quote from chapter 3 to write about:

"My family lived in the part of the world where there is no difference between land and sea."
(page 19)

I'm not sure how many times something like this is said in this book, but in chapter 3 and 4, it says a lot about Nadira's family living in a place "where there is no difference between land and sea." I don't really get how you can live in a place like that. I guess if the river or lake or something always flooded, then you wouldn't know where the lake/river ended or began. I hope she explains more about why there's no difference between land and sea. I understand that it flooded, but is that why you couldn't tell the difference between land and sea? She talked a lot about her family and what the women did and what the men did. She talked a lot about the land and sea, but it wasn't clear why there was no difference. I am enjoying this book though, it's very interesting and I wonder what will happen next.

Interesting Sentences

"You forget. You forget you don't really exist here, that this isn't your home." (page 8)

I like these sentences because there's a short sentence that is the beginning of the next sentence. The sentence is really well written and shows how Nadira felt about America (New York). I was wondering why she forgets. I was thinking that she forgets because she wants it to be her home, but it's not. I like how she says that you forget because it's true. You are so busy with your life that you forget that your home is not where you are living now. I wonder why Nadira forgets. I mean it can be her home, she just has to accept it as her home.