Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Recommendation: Grade 7/8
"Call Me Al" is a 2025 Red Maple Nominee. Ali Khan is in the eighth grade. Ali and his family are Muslims who moved to Canada from Pakistan. In Pakistan, Ali's father was a doctor and his mother was a teacher. In Canada, Ali's father's qualifications are not recognized, so he drives a taxi and attends school. Ali's mother is the superintendent of the building they live in. Ali's family made a lot of sacrifices to move to Canada and Ali feels a lot of pressure to do well in school, so he can become a doctor one day. As Ali is getting older, he is taking more notice of the racism that surrounds him. This racism even comes from his best friend, Zach. Ali discovers a new talent when he begins using poetry to explore the things that trouble him. This is an excellent story that allows the reader to better understand the challenges that newcomers to Canada face. The book also helps readers to better understand the harm their words can do. I highly recommend this book.
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