(With Signed Bookplate*) The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf (Hardcover)

Synopsis

A music loving teen with OCD does everything she can to find her way back to her mother during the historic race riots in 1969 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in this heart-pounding literary debut.

Melati Ahmad looks like your typical movie-going, Beatles-obsessed sixteen-year-old. Unlike most other sixteen-year-olds though, Mel also believes that she harbors a djinn inside her, one who threatens her with horrific images of her mother’s death unless she adheres to an elaborate ritual of counting and tapping to keep him satisfied.

A trip to the movies after school turns into a nightmare when the city erupts into violent race riots between the Chinese and the Malay. When gangsters come into the theater and hold movie-goers hostage, Mel, a Malay, is saved by a Chinese woman, but has to leave her best friend behind to die.

On their journey through town, Mel sees for herself the devastation caused by the riots. In her village, a neighbor tells her that her mother, a nurse, was called in to help with the many bodies piling up at the hospital. Mel must survive on her own, with the help of a few kind strangers, until she finds her mother. But the djinn in her mind threatens her ability to cope. 

Q&A

First of all, we would like to congratulate you in publishing your debut novel, THE WEIGHT OF OUR SKY. What is the story about?

The Weight of Our Sky is the story of Melati Ahmad, who looks like your typical Beatles-obsessed 16-year-old except for one thing: She wrestles with a Djinn in her head, who threatens her with gruesome images of her mother's death unless she appeases him with a series of complicated counting and tapping rituals. When Mel finds herself separated from her mother amidst the chaos of the 13th May 1969 race riots in Kuala Lumpur, it will take all the grit, courage and Beatles songs in her arsenal to overcome the violence on the streets and her own escalating anxieties to make her way back to the one person she can’t afford to lose.

Where did you get the inspiration for the story and to write? 

When it comes to writing, whether for fiction or nonfiction, I'm always most intrigued by omission: What stories we AREN'T reading, whose voices we AREN'T hearing. The May 13th riots have fascinated me since school days, when they were covered in two or three sterile paragraphs. I think young readers deserve to know more about our history, even in a fictionalised account like this one.

How do you get a publishing contract with Simon & Schuster. This is no easy feat especially a new author and not from the US or UK. 

You'd have to ask my editor this question! There's no magic formula, no easy way to say "this is how I did it;" I wrote the best book I could, did as much research as I could, followed guidelines, asked for advice, immersed myself in the YA writing community, and prayed for good things. And no matter what happened, I just kept writing, which is the most important thing.

Are we expecting a movie adaptation in the works? ;

-) Not that I know of, but I certainly won't complain if it happens!

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Salaam Reads / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (February 5, 2019)

Language ‏ : ‎ English

Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1534426086

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1534426085

Reading age ‏ : ‎ 12 years and up

Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 830L

Grade level ‏ : ‎ 7 - 9

Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces

Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches

About the Author

Hanna Alkaf described herself as a storyteller, doodler, and a full-time wrangler of two tiny humans.

Hanna graduated with a degree in Journalism from Northwestern University and has served her time as a content creator in B2B online marketin, a senior writer at Marie Claire and the communications manager at Teach For Malaysia.

At age 18, she wrote her first work of fiction, a short story that was selected for publication in a local anthology. Then, at age 30, she penned The Tryouts, which went on to win the inaugural DK Dutt Award for Literary Excellence, and which appears in the companion anthology Champion Fellas.

At the end of 2016, she started a young adult novel, the very first one she’d ever attempted and by 2017, she had a literary agent and a book deal. And now you can buy that book, THE WEIGHT OF OUR SKY, in bookstores all around the world.

You may visit Hanna Alkaf  in these spaces: Twitter/Instagram/Hanna’s Website

Reading Group Guide

A Reading Group Guide to

The Weight of Our Sky

By Hanna Alkaf

About the Book

Melati Ahmad is a movie-going, Beatles-obsessed sixteen-year-old. But Mel is also plagued by gruesome thoughts: she believes she harbors a djinn inside her, one who threatens her with horrific images of her mother’s death unless she adheres to an elaborate ritual of counting and tapping. She manages to quiet the djinn until the evening of May 13, 1969, when racial tensions in her home city of Kuala Lumpur boil over. The Chinese and Malays are at war, and Mel and her mother become separated by a city in flames. With a twenty-four-hour curfew in place and all lines of communication down, it will take the help of a Chinese boy named Vincent and all the courage and grit in Mel’s arsenal to overcome the violence on the streets, her own prejudices, and her djinn’s surging power to make it back to the one person she can’t risk losing.

Discussion Questions

1. How did you feel when you read the line in the author’s note that said, “This book is not a light and easy read”? Have you ever encountered a book where the author addressed the subject matter before the story began? Why do you think that Hanna Alkaf decided to include this? Do you believe her assertion that “no book is worth sacrificing your own well-being for”? What are some of the reasons it might be important to read a difficult book?

2. What did you know about Malaysia before you read this book? Did this book make you curious to learn more? Were there parts of the book that felt familiar and true to you, despite the fact that you may have never visited Malaysia? Explain your answer.

3. Did you understand what the author meant when she wrote about how history fades into facts? Think about this line: “. . . made to regurgitate in exams and not to stick in your throat and pierce your heart with the intensity of its horror?” How does reading historical fiction compare to reading about historical events in a textbook? Which do you prefer? Did the author succeed in piercing your heart with this story?

4. The author said, “For Muslims, djinn are real . . . they exist for us in ways that they may not for you.” Have you heard about djinn before? How do you feel about them? What was your reaction when Melati first talked about her djinn? Talk about how different cultures have very different views on spirituality or magic, and share any of your family’s beliefs.

5. Why might Melati have felt so anxious about her mother’s life? Think about her circumstances and her father’s death. Why might she have felt responsible for keeping everyone safe? Why might that kind of responsibility feel exhausting?

6. Did you find parts of this story to be hopeful or optimistic? If so, give examples of scenes that made you feel this way. Can you describe any scenes that caused you to feel the opposite?

7. Melati’s friend Safiyah was “perfectly perky,” while Melati was “awkward, vaguely melancholy, and in a constant state of semi-embarrassment.” Which girl do you most identify with? How do you think the girls could be such good friends when they were so different? Explain your answer.

8. Melati’s djinn told her, “Saf is dead. You had the power to save her, and now she’s dead.” Do you agree with the djinn? Could Melati have saved her friend? What could she have done differently, if anything? Is it fair for children to suffer for the choices of adults? Explain your answers.

9. Explain what the author meant by “airy cushions of privilege.” Can you name other time periods and places with violent divisions between racial groups? How about in our contemporary world? What lessons in this book could our society learn from today?

10. Why did Melati feel ashamed and embarrassed when people saw her counting and tapping? How would you feel and react if you saw one of your friends exhibiting this behavior? Why did she decide to lie to her mother after her treatments didn’t improve her struggle? What might you have done if you were in her place?

11. Melati said, “To be different is to be mocked mercilessly. Be unique at your own peril.” Do you agree with her? Talk about how and why that statement might have been true in 1969 Malaysia, and how it may still ring true today. Is it only teenagers who mock those with differences? Do you think it’s possible to change that sentiment? How would you go about doing so? Explain your answers.

12. Discuss Vincent and Frankie and their opposing beliefs about killing and the racial tension in their town. Are you more sympathetic toward one over the other? Do you understand why each boy felt the way they did? How was it that people from the same family could have such different views? What does this say about the complexity of these issues? Why did Frankie help Melati even though he disliked the Malays?

13. When Melati, Jay, and Vince found bodies floating in the water, Melati noted that the scene was familiar to her because of her gruesome visions. Do you think that imagining terrible things can help prepare you for the possible reality of experiencing them? Think about the violent video games, movies, TV shows, and books people engage with, or the way the media covers crime and other tragedies. Do you think it’s better to be exposed to these kinds of horrors, or to avoid them as long as you can? Explain your answer.

14. Mama told Melati and Saf that “‘we make our own luck in this world.’” Do you agree with this statement? Give examples of how Melati made her own luck in the story.

15. When Vincent and Melati were almost caught in a trap set by armed attackers, Melati questioned the goal: Why were they targets of a violent act when they were just trying to help? Vincent told her, “‘They don’t see us as people, and they don’t want to. They just know that we’re not them. That’s enough.’” Discuss other instances in the book where this “we’re not them” mentality caused tension, trouble, and war. Do you see this scenario playing out in our daily news or in your community? What might you do to send a different message?

16. The book takes its title from a Malay saying that means “where you plant your feet is where you hold up the sky.” What does this mean to you? Did you agree with Melati when she said, “We make our own sky, and we can hold it up—together”? How did Melati exhibit that sentiment in the book? Do you think it made for a good book title? How does it connect to some of the books’ themes?

17. After Melati persuaded the soldiers to bring Jee to the hospital, she thought, “For the first time in a long, long time, I’m beginning to feel like normal is within reach after all.” Why do you think she suddenly felt confident and powerful in this moment? Discuss how this is an important turning point in the story.

18. At the end of the author’s note, the author said, “Make of this story what you will.” What did you make of the story? Did you sympathize with Melati and understand her struggle with OCD? Did the story help you to understand the complications of racial tensions at that time? Explain your answers.

Extension Activities

1. Research and write a report about the 1969 race riots in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Include information about current racial conditions in Malaysia. How has the situation changed? How does daily life for teens today compare to daily life for teens in 1969?

2. Melati told Vince that music helped to calm her. Research obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and what can help those who suffer from it. Then write Melati a letter of support, offering encouragement and activities you can do together, and sharing what you’ve learned about OCD.

3. Investigate some of the local foods that Melati describes. Then write an essay on Malaysian food and culture, and include some recipes. Consider baking some Malaysian treats for your classmates to try!

4. Reread the scene where Frankie led a mob toward a stalled van, and Melati realized that her mother didn’t know what to do. Why was that scene important to Melati’s character development? Why can it come as a shock to see your parents or caregivers in a position of powerlessness? Rewrite the scene from another character’s point of view. Does it change the impact or outcome of the scene? Does it cause you to view things differently?

5. Identify three important themes in the book. Then write an essay exploring how setting, character, and plot support these themes.

6. The djinn told Melati, “Everybody pays a price for loving you.” With a partner, choose which one of you will agree with this assertion, and which will disagree. Put together your argument using examples from the text, Melati’s state of mind, and her relationship with the djinn.

Guide written by Bobbie Combs, a consultant at We Love Children's Books.

This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes. 

Raves and Reviews

* "This stunning debut from Malaysian author Alkaf filters Melati’s sympathetic internal narrative through a mental illness barely understood and poorly treated for the era, and the setting and secondary characters convey a visceral, nerve-wracking moment in time. This isn’t an easy story by far; an author’s note warns of “graphic violence, death, racism, OCD, and anxiety triggers”—but their inclusion makes it no less essential, no less unforgettable."

– Publisher's Weekly - starred review, November 26, 2018

"Melati’s growing strength gives hope to readers: If she can fight her inner demon and save the day, then they can, too."

– Booklist, November 2018

* "This is a brutally honest, no-holds-barred reimagining of the time: The evocative voice transports readers to 1960s Malaysia, and the brisk pace is enthralling. Above all, the raw emotion splashed across the pages will resonate deeply, no matter one's race or religion. Unabashedly rooted in the author's homeland and confronting timely topics and challenging themes, this book has broad appeal for teen readers."

– Kirkus Reviews - starred review, December 2018

* "At the sentence level, Alkaf’s use of first-person narration expertly (and, in some cases, painfully) places readers inside Melati’s head as she experiences internal and external horrors....Echoing ­contemporary race relations, the subject feels especially relevant. VERDICT Alkaf’s immersive, powerful writing make this a must-purchase for all YA collections."

– School Library Journal - starred review

* "This stunning debut from Malaysian author Alkaf filters Melati’s sympathetic internal narrative through a mental illness barely understood and poorly treated for the era, and the setting and secondary characters convey a visceral, nerve-wracking moment in time. This isn’t an easy story by far; an author’s note warns of “graphic violence, death, racism, OCD, and anxiety triggers”—but their inclusion makes it no less essential, no less unforgettable."

– Publisher's Weekly - starred review, November 26, 2018

"Melati’s growing strength gives hope to readers: If she can fight her inner demon and save the day, then they can, too."

– Booklist, November 2018

* "This is a brutally honest, no-holds-barred reimagining of the time: The evocative voice transports readers to 1960s Malaysia, and the brisk pace is enthralling. Above all, the raw emotion splashed across the pages will resonate deeply, no matter one's race or religion. Unabashedly rooted in the author's homeland and confronting timely topics and challenging themes, this book has broad appeal for teen readers."

– Kirkus Reviews - starred review, December 2018

* "At the sentence level, Alkaf’s use of first-person narration expertly (and, in some cases, painfully) places readers inside Melati’s head as she experiences internal and external horrors....Echoing ­contemporary race relations, the subject feels especially relevant. VERDICT Alkaf’s immersive, powerful writing make this a must-purchase for all YA collections."

– School Library Journal - starred review

* "This stunning debut from Malaysian author Alkaf filters Melati’s sympathetic internal narrative through a mental illness barely understood and poorly treated for the era, and the setting and secondary characters convey a visceral, nerve-wracking moment in time. This isn’t an easy story by far; an author’s note warns of “graphic violence, death, racism, OCD, and anxiety triggers”—but their inclusion makes it no less essential, no less unforgettable."

– Publisher's Weekly - starred review, November 26, 2018

"Melati’s growing strength gives hope to readers: If she can fight her inner demon and save the day, then they can, too."

– Booklist, November 2018

* "This is a brutally honest, no-holds-barred reimagining of the time: The evocative voice transports readers to 1960s Malaysia, and the brisk pace is enthralling. Above all, the raw emotion splashed across the pages will resonate deeply, no matter one's race or religion. Unabashedly rooted in the author's homeland and confronting timely topics and challenging themes, this book has broad appeal for teen readers."

– Kirkus Reviews - starred review, December 2018

* "At the sentence level, Alkaf’s use of first-person narration expertly (and, in some cases, painfully) places readers inside Melati’s head as she experiences internal and external horrors....Echoing ­contemporary race relations, the subject feels especially relevant. VERDICT Alkaf’s immersive, powerful writing make this a must-purchase for all YA collections."

– School Library Journal - starred review

* "This stunning debut from Malaysian author Alkaf filters Melati’s sympathetic internal narrative through a mental illness barely understood and poorly treated for the era, and the setting and secondary characters convey a visceral, nerve-wracking moment in time. This isn’t an easy story by far; an author’s note warns of “graphic violence, death, racism, OCD, and anxiety triggers”—but their inclusion makes it no less essential, no less unforgettable."

– Publisher's Weekly - starred review, November 26, 2018

"Melati’s growing strength gives hope to readers: If she can fight her inner demon and save the day, then they can, too."

– Booklist, November 2018

* "This is a brutally honest, no-holds-barred reimagining of the time: The evocative voice transports readers to 1960s Malaysia, and the brisk pace is enthralling. Above all, the raw emotion splashed across the pages will resonate deeply, no matter one's race or religion. Unabashedly rooted in the author's homeland and confronting timely topics and challenging themes, this book has broad appeal for teen readers."

– Kirkus Reviews - starred review, December 2018

* "At the sentence level, Alkaf’s use of first-person narration expertly (and, in some cases, painfully) places readers inside Melati’s head as she experiences internal and external horrors....Echoing ­contemporary race relations, the subject feels especially relevant. VERDICT Alkaf’s immersive, powerful writing make this a must-purchase for all YA collections."

– School Library Journal - starred review