A heartwarming and relatable story that tackles the struggles of a young girl named Deena.. I loved how personal and authentic the book feels, allowing me to connect deeply with Deena's emotions and experiences. The way the author explores Deena's artistic talents as a means of self-expression and helping her family is inspiring. The characters are well developed and admirable. The story teaches important lessons about seeking help during tough times and finding beauty in our struggles. I highly recommend this heartfelt and inspiring read to everyone.

Every now and then I enjoy letting myself read a middle-grade book; they're fun and creative. I also like how much more culturally relevant a lot of middle grade stories are allowed to be now, as opposed to when I was a kid - when the choices were much more limited. Children have so many more options, and it gives me a lot of happiness to say that Drawing Deena is a good one among them. That and the topic of anxiety and art it focuses on is a perfect blend for me.

Deena, in and of herself, a well fleshed out character with a good handle on the portrayal of struggles with mental health. It never turns into complete ‘inspiration dopamine’ like a lot of other stories that discuss this topic. Deena is given enough control and obstacles, but does not fall victim to the mentality of all her struggles disappearing. She really has to repetitively control her anxiety, and learn to grow with it - as opposed to ‘get over it.’

Overall I enjoyed this story so much!

So there are a lot of reasons why this book resonated with me and made me cry for younger me, but foremost among them was the very clear cut, if never fully named, eldest daughter syndrome our main character Deena suffers from. Idk if it's even a thing in certain cultures, but the expectation she faces to pretend that everything is okay, to soothe her parents by pretending that their choices are her choices, really cut me to the bone.

It's not a spoiler to say that Deena manages to overcome this. The 21st century, particularly in America, is much kinder to children with mental health issues than it was when I was growing up. Watching young Deena learn to take agency over her own mental health was inspiring, even for an old like me, but especially for an old who wants her kids to grow up without all the unnecessary mental anguish I went through at their age.

The story itself revolves around Deena Rahman, a middle schooler who loves art but who worries that her parents' constant fighting over money will lead to their divorce. She's also under pressure to keep her grades up while helping with her mom's dress business. Her mom is something of a complainer, constantly moaning about the price of things, including Deena's much needed dental care. Deena, unsurprisingly, takes this to heart, blaming herself for requiring a mouth guard and secretly wanting extra art classes. Her beloved younger brother, meanwhile, pretty much gets to ask her to do all sorts of chores for him but only reluctantly reciprocates (this is a common theme in Hena Khan's books. I love that the main characters adore their kid brothers but I personally find these younger brother characters irritating.)

When Deena gets the idea to promote her mom's boutique on the Internet using her own artistic skills, she isn't prepared for the changes it brings. Most concerning to her, however, is the strange turn in her relationship with her best friend and cousin Parisa. Deena's mom figures it's just jealousy, but Deena isn't so sure. With her friendships falling apart and her parents still fighting, will Deena be able to hold everyone together, even tho it sometimes feels like she can't eat or breathe from worrying about them all?

I was pretty lucky in that my panic attacks only hit me in college, so I knew what was happening to me and could work through it (my poor professor, tho, had apparently never seen one before and was almost more distraught than I was, as we were sitting in her office when the worst one struck.) Deena's own experiences with anxiety felt absolutely visceral, as did her struggles with eldest daughter syndrome. So it was wonderfully vindicating for her to manage, with the support system of school and an older artist in her own community, to stand up for herself and say, "Yes, I have anxiety. Yes, I want to get better. Yes, I want therapy." Like, the passage where her mother asked the school counsellor how much treatment would cost and Mr Lin told her it was free had my entire body unclenching with relief. While a cynical part of me notes that 21st century mental healthcare in America still only centers productivity, it is still so much better than it used to be.

On the face of it, Drawing Deena is a pretty straightforward story of a young artist with anxiety who learns how to enact positive change. But it's also a book that eschews tropes of girlish pettiness, that encourages artists to question their own work and its messages, that matter-of-factly chronicles the life of a Pakistani American family as entirely commonplace. Most of all, it encourages the kind of healthy conversations that children with eldest daughter syndrome are too often discouraged from having. These are all valuable topics to explore for readers of any age.

This is definitely my favorite of Ms Khan's books so far. The messages it conveys are as layered and nuanced and powerful as the self-portrait Deena finally creates, and I loved every moment I spent reading it.

Drawing Deena by Hena Khan will be published February 6 2024 by Salaam Reads and is available for pre-order from all good booksellers, including <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15382/9781534459915">Bookshop!</a>

I would like tо thank Netgalley for providing me with an ARC copy оf this book. The cover photo оf the book іs sо nice and beautiful that I was instantly attracted towards it. 

The writing skills оf the author are flawless and the character оf Deena іs sо relatable and realistic. It was like I am reading about myself through a story. It іs a wonderful book that tackles important issues.

Drawing Deena іs the kind оf book that makes my heart sing. It's a beautiful story оf a young Pakistani American girl who loves creating art, she faces anxiety with courage and grace. It doesn't shy away from the hard truths, but іt also doesn't make them seem hopeless оr monstrous. It shows how you can empower yourself by taking care оf your mental health and finding your voice through art. It also dives into the rich and complex topics оf friendship, social media, and cultural identity. This book was a joy tо read and I highly recommend іt tо readers оf all ages.

#NetGalley

This was a beautiful story about familial support and mental health. Deena is someone you quickly get attached to, and I loved seeing her grow into herself and take charge of her own life. Like many young girls, even if she's not directly on social media, Deena is surrounded by constant messaging about Western beauty standards. It was comforting to see her rebel against them and affirm that beauty is more than just a filter. I also appreciate that Deena's mom doesn't blame her for her anxiety, and says that if Deena thinks therapy will help, then they'll sign her up for therapy. As an adult, seeing her mom's journey was also a great reminder that our parents are still learning too, and that we can help them be braver and better.

I loved this book because it had talked about a lot of things that middle schoolers deal with on a day to day basis. Deena was courageous and a lot of kids can relate to her. Alrighty I don't want to spoil the book

Deena is a young Pakastani girl who is a skilled artist but afraid to show her true passion because her mother is very big on practical education. She is also concerned because money is tight in her household and her mother and father are always fighting about something. I think this book does a great job touching on a variety of issues that middle schoolers experience and it feels very realistic. Deena is going through all these emotions and the book sets out to teach readers about anxiety but does so in a way that doesn't feel preachy.

Deena wants to help her mom’s boutique business, and when cousin Parisa says let’s use social media they do that. Deena loves art and thinks she’s not good enough to put her artwork on social media, but could she even though she and her best friend were going to go,on social media together. While dealing with these situations Deena has panic attacks and agrees to get help at school. When an artist tells Deena “…find yourself in your art,” Deena begins to feel more confident.

Thank to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC for this middle grade novel.

Though this book seeks to explore some cultural reservations about anxiety (and too about non-academic pursuits), many of these reservations can be found in families of nearly every background. Many students will be able to relate to the anxiety, the family finance stresses, and so much more.

Middle school and family hit naturally with all the smiles and hurdles to touch the heart from beginning to end.

Deena's stressed. At least, that's what the dentist claims. Between no one understanding her love for art, her grades, her friends, and, more importantly, her family and their money struggles, life isn't easy. But there might be a chance to ease both the art and family ends. Determined to help her mother sell her created clothes more efficiently, Deena gets together with her cousin and best friend to set up a few social marketing endeavors. And it's a success! But it's getting to her cousin's and friend's head, which is causing Deena more stress than before. If only there were a way to fix everything.

Deena comes across as an average, middle school girl with very normal problems. She's kind, unsure, and tries her best to cope. Everything about her comes across naturally and spot-on age-wise, making her very easy to connect with, like, and cheer for. Her family is loving and kind but not perfect...just like every family. The back-and-forth between home life, school life, and friends rings with true-to-life problems and situations, while still remembering to bring enough humor to draw those needed smiles of relief. There are more than a few things readers will identify with and see in their own lives, and that in an entertaining and wholesome way.

I appreciate that the author allows Deena to tackle issues in a larger way. In other words, her mother (although not in all aspects) listens to her suggestions and lets her tackle the social media marketing, showing readers that they can accomplish even 'big' projects with determination and work (inspiring). Yet, it stays in reality and shows the borders, and in this case, that help isn't a bad thing. Of course, nothing is easy, and that's also a great message for today's readers.

Then, there's the cultural aspects. These weave in so seamlessly and add a wonderful touch. Deena never thinks about the differences really, but rather, the food, dresses, details and more are simply part of life. Readers learn about the culture...and even more, with art history and such...and that without ever feeling as if there's something to learn. It creates a smooth read with depth in many ways, which is enjoyable to read. I received a DRC and enjoyed the tale quite a bit.

I am grateful for this realist fiction novel because the author understands what it is like to be a middle grader who loves art and suffers from the possibility of her future.

Told in the first person, the main character deals with panic attacks, self-doubt, and stress but her parents are willing to help her instead of thinking children have no reason to worry.

Middle-grade school is not an easy season of a child's life and wanting to be an artist in a family that comes from the mindset of surviving in America after the sacrifices of emigration adds to the stress.

Children who read this book will understand that choosing to become an artist is not just a state of mind or emotion, it implies lots of hard work, constantly improving, practicing, learning new techniques, rewriting oneself, and ways of thinking to improve others and the world around them.

It's great that we get a lot of Van Gogh's facts but that the character realizes that many contemporary women artists deserve a chance and the character too must find her voice.

Still, Deena contributes to her mother's business and I love that her parents contribute to her education with the most important instruments in starting the path of an artist: support, teamwork, acceptance, and motivation. Having the right support of the right people makes all the difference.

The author is right, thoughts can become feelings, and unintended they can be harmful or bring us creative joy.

Thank you, Publisher and Netgalley for this e-ARC.