Yasmin In Charge, by Saadia Faruqi, illustrated by Hatem Aly

 Faruqi, S., & Aly, H. (2019). Yasmin in charge. Picture Window Books, a Capstone imprint. 

Yasmin in Charge, Saadia Faruqi, illustrated by Hatem Aly, was much more complicated to place into a specific category. While I was torn between the book being Level Two, Level Three, or a Transitional Book, I ultimately decided it was a Level Three. It bears some of the hallmarks of being Level Two, such as the fact that, unlike a Level Three, the illustrations are integrated with the text. It also has some similarities to a Transitional Book, such as episodic, compelling chapters and direct sentences, and more complex words. However, it is clearly a Level Three upon thorough examination. Another thing that tripped me up when trying to categorize this book was the fact that the library I got it from places it among the chapter books, with a J Fiction Label, rather than in the easy reader section with a label reading JF Faruqi, which indicated to me it might be a Transitional Book rather than an Easy Reader. This book features lines of no more than six words, a wide yet controlled vocabulary, and a maximum of twelve lines per page. I believe that Yasmin In Charge falls into the category of Level Three. 

Yasmin in Charge uses colorful illustrations that are combined with the text. While a level two book might be moved along by the illustrations, and a Transitional Book might only have black and white illustrations occasionally, Yasmin In Charge features it’s illustrations on nearly every page, and certainly on every two page spread. The illustrations are appealing, and serve to bring the text further to life. 

Another thing that I thought was notable about this book was the fact that there are words that may be unfamiliar to children who are not Pakistani, as Yasmin herself is. In the book, Yasmin and her family make pakistani food and drink that have names that may be challenging to pronounce to some children, such as Chaat, Chai, Biryani and Kebab. Additionally, Yasmin wears a Kameez and calls her father baba. These are all words that may prove difficult for children, but they provide the chance to diversify one’s vocabulary, learn to read more challenging words, and take a glimpse into a different culture. 

Overall, Faruqi and Aly’s Yasmin In Charge is a challenging book that straddles the line between Level Two, Level Three, and Transitional Books. For these reasons, I believe it falls squarely into the category of Level Three.