This book really is perfect for Angie Thomas and Elizabeth Acevedo fans. It has a strong young female character who is finding her place in the world. She deals with racism and prejudices on a daily basis at school, a world away from her life at home. She carries more than any ordinary teenager, witnessing her father's death at a young age, and fleeing a war-torn country, she's trying to carry on her father's legacy on top of trying to help her mother and family out at home whilst being a top student. She would be a powerful role model for any YA reader.

Hanan is a young Somali refugee, living in London. She attends a grammar school with the aim of becoming a doctor, while her twin brother attends the local sixth firm college. When the retired (white, British) school caretaker is killed by a Muslim, racial tensions begin to tear the school community apart.

Although I quite enjoyed the book, I found some parts of it slow and a little unbelievable. The head teacher appeared weak and racist and I had a hard time believing that the policy he tried to introduce to the school would even be considered. This was perhaps a necessary vehicle in order for Hanan to make her speech at the and was a way for the author to highlight discrimination but it felt unnecessarily biased against Muslims. The other incidents of racial discrimination in the book felt far more authentic. I would have liked there to be more anger over the incident where a Muslim boy was the victim of crime not the perpetrator and this lack of anger and outrage weakened the story.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

For once, the book is exactly what the blurb says. It is stunning, the key points are there, and the events unfold.

But wow! how well this is told. The author has grabbed Hanan’s point of view and made it your own, whatever colour, creed or leaning you are. It’s the most beautiful, warm, fierce, family-friendly (maybe not under tens) encounter you could ask for. And that’s with a schoolgirl who may have little in common with you. But that’s only on the surface. Underneath you discover that there’s no difference in our basic values and ambitions. Work hard, make friends, work towards the exams, make your family proud of you.

Ayaa Mohamud has done a splendid job with presenting Hanan and her troubles to us. This had me on the edge of my seat, so great suspense as well as story-telling. I’ve read several Somali refugee in the UK stories now, and I still can’t imagine how they come across so settled and well-balanced after all they’ve been through. Maybe it’s the code of conduct that Hooyo – mother in Somali – instills into the family. I’ve ranted before about UK Refugee policies, so I’ll leave that out. Just go and read it, and support any refugees you can. They need our support and understanding.

YTYKM follows Hanan's struggles of being a minority in Britain, the issues with an expectation to ‘integrate’ and the tenacity of Muslims.

I am so thankful YTYKM is out in the world now. I don’t know why I expected the extent of Islamophobia to be dulled down but I assure you its portrayal of that and racism in Britain was striking. The prejudice Muslims face on the daily and our determination despite it wasn't made palatable. It was honest and I appreciate that.

Familiar as the racism was, I was actually shaking with anger at certain scenes and characters. At times, Hanan’s quiet tolerance was frustrating. But I was proud of her eventual character development as we witness the growth of her hurt manifest into fight. I’m also appreciative how some of the side characters’ compliance was addressed – because silence is compliance and that is never okay.

On a personal note, it's incredibly irritating when adults in an educational setting burden minority students with the responsibility of educating the ignorant and providing solutions to issues that shouldn’t be there in the first place.
Hanan's speech was an appropriate response to this. Minorities owe society nothing in exchange for safety and accessible opportunities, we don’t need the responsibility of tolerating aggressors. Imagine my satisfaction when Hanan concluded “I don’t owe anything to any of you… The fact is my being doesn’t belong to any of you”. Also the part on issues with the idea of integration 👏🏽👏🏽 absolutely, Hanan.

Finally, I understand the apprehension to pick up books that claim to accurately represent Muslims, but in this you can really see the author's effort into presenting the Muslim community as a proud, beautiful space to be welcomed into. Somali culture was also worked into the novel in such a fluid way that I found myself slowing down and appreciating the little details amongst the scenes that had me shaking. Give this one a go, please 💛

You Think You Know Me took me straight back to high school - the friendships, the undercurrents and the feels! Then it brought me right back to 2023 Britain. The here and now of racism, Islamophobia, gangs and knife crime.

I’ve never read anything with Somali characters and desperately wanted to look up the words, names and places to immerse myself in the family’s background.

This is such an important book, it should be in every school library. Huge congratulations to Ayaan Mohamud for unapologetically getting these issues on the page.

Working with predominantly Muslim females, I knew I had to read this book (and share it with my students) as soon as I could. A stunningly written story that shows in full the harsh nature that many of my students face every day.

The horror of this story is that it isn't fiction. I mean, it is fiction, obviously; this family, this school, this specific set of circumstances doesn't exist. But the situation - the things Muslims and especially Muslim girls face in the world today - those are achingly real.

Ayaan is obviously writing from knowledge, which adds a wonderful tone to the book and a great variety of characters. Not for this book some stock 'good' and 'bad' people; here there are all shades and colours, making for a fantastic read (if tough to get through in spots).

I cheered, I cried (several times), I gasped, I was enthralled. This book needs to be in every school and class library, studied in English classes, and given to every teenager as part of the starter kit. Fabulous.

(I would have liked the glossary at the front instead of the back, but that's a minor thing.)

You Think You Know me is targeted at the YA market, it’s been a long, long time since I fitted into this category!!! But don’t let that put you off it’s a powerful, heartbreaking and beautiful written piece of fiction. The book looks at what it’s like to be a young British muslim experiencing and dealing with islamaphobia.

Hanan has always been a ‘good girl’ accepting of her role as the school's perfect Muslim poster girl. She ignores the racist bullies, the comments and the jibes, she lives by her mother’s favourite saying “ A closed mouth is gold - it helps you get home in one piece’. But her friend is murdered and every Muslim is to blame, violence, hatred and blatant racism rear their ugly heads. It’s time for Hannah to make her voice heard and to challenge prejudice and to speak up against hate and fear.


I found Hanan’s story unfortunately a familiar one, it’s one faced by many young Muslims living in the UK today. Her story made me desperately sad, and angry at the prejudice and abuse she suffers on a daily basis. As you learn more of Hanan’s family background and experience of fleeing Somalia, you admire the resilience, and the strength of character of this incredible family. You Think You Know Me is simply written but that’s doesn’t mean it doesn’t pack a punch, it’s thought provoking, and a powerful story that explores the hurt, fear and stereotyping that surrounds the Muslim community.

An absolutely amazing debut.

Hanan is a sixth former in a prestigious school, she's got dreams for herself and wants to follow in her late father's footsteps and become a doctor.

She's kept her head down since she's started at this school as she has never felt that she fitted in, a hijabi black Muslim, one of 3 in the whole school, she has a small close knit group of friends who accept her as she is. But suddenly something terrible happens and all eyes are on Hanan.

This starts a chain of events which make life harder for Hanan and her friends, inside and outside of school.

The author slips backwards into the past/ mentioning how they got to England and the terrible event surrounding her father's death. Hanan's mother works every shift she can get leaving Hanan to look after her siblings and grandmother.

I think the author mentions that this book was part autobiography and honestly at times it broke my heart. As a refugee child carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, this story shares the trials and tribulations of not only trying to assimilate but also upholding her culture and religion and not apologising for who she is.

The author gives Hanan a voice that not many girls in her position would be courageous enough to have. It talks about the depth of pain and unfairness that she goes through being a black Muslim female and how she and her family are perceived. I loved Hoyoo and her grandmother. Strong female characters.

Well done to Ayaan Mohamud for representation of a group of people that are not really well covered in books. Some parts were really hard to read but she did an excellent job of sharing what the word looks like from the eyes of Hanan.
A definite 5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

A powerful testimony of respect, freedom and tolerance, to learn not only to accept who you are but to make other people accept it too. A beautiful homage to Somalian culture, and family, and being okay to be different.

You Think You Know Me sets the world on fire through its passionate reclamation of the power of one’s voice and speaking out against prejudice and hatred.

It is sadly rare to see a practising Muslim main character, but the representation here is much appreciated. I loved how her religion guides her through moments of crisis and provides a resource for her to draw on. It is a natural and central aspect of her life. However, Mohamud does not shy away from depicting the sickening reality of Islamophobia and anti-refugee rhetoric Hanan faces. There are scenes that will infuriate you and they reflect our reality all too well. As Mohamud makes clear, tokenistic representation and half-hearted ‘inclusion’ is not enough. Hanan cannot be used as the perfect Muslim poster girl, allowing the school to congratulate themselves on their ‘inclusiveness’ and ‘diversity’ without addressing the racist bullying she and other students face daily.

Mohamud ensures her characters are nuanced and given more dimensions that solely filling a ‘tick-box’ for diversity. They are well-rounded and given plenty of development. Hanan is funny, kind and fiercely protective of her friends. Her character arc is the defining momentum of the book, learning to find power in her voice and speak up against this hateful system. There is a lot to be said about the silent and passive bystanders that allow hatred to build and explode in a particular moment in the book that captures your heart. In contrast, you have the heartfelt and fractured relationship between Hanan and her twin brother Hussein. This dynamic forms a key emotional core of the book, as does the exploration of Hanan’s family background and experience fleeing Somalia. The flashbacks to this are traumatic and defining for many characters, seeing why they act the way they do in the present.

You Think You Know Me is an incisive and extremely compelling debut. Mohamud is a talent to keep your eye on.

With thanks to #NetGalley and #Usborne for the advanced copy!

A powerful and poignant piece of young adult fiction that really and honestly grapples with hurt, fear and stereotyping that surrounds the Muslim community. The power here comes through the strong voice of the narrator, her story and her fight.

As a debut novelist, Mohamud is triumphant in a book that doesn't bow to the tropes and trends that seem to tiptoe through so many of the Young Adult offerings at the present time. She writes so eloquently about what it is to find the strength to be intolerant of hate and fear in a community. It's done in such a way that empathy is unavoidable. Hanan is not a sympathetic character however - in the best possible way. She is a character you root for - beginning to end. Fierce. Angry. Right.
Hanan has always been quietly accepting of the 'role' she plays as an example of the perfect Muslim girl at school. Though with ambition and intellect second to none, she ignores bullies and racism often targeted at her. The narrative neatly interweaves her backstory, with non-overwhelming but integral sections of flashback about her and her brother's experiences in Somalia. Older Hanan has a mature voice - a straight talking and emotive voice that oozes with compassion but clarity; sibling bond and love, but a unquenchable realist perspective that is recognisable within the sphere of a teen voice that has not yet found comfort in the 'fear' of second guessing. The story hinges on the relationship of her with her brother, which is written beautifully by Mohamud - really bedded in the honesty that familial ties affords. Nothing sinister, but nothing unrealistic either.
For so long Hanan has relied on staying quiet - but then her friend is murdered and not just one, but the entire Muslim community is 'obviously' to blame.
What follows is a real mediation on grief, adolescence, finding your voice, but also owning your individuality when living in a world of unjust stereotypes. Wether the experience is linked to religion or not, this book has so much to relate to or confirm when it comes to marginalisation and villianising of the innocent. As Hanan stops staying quiet, the world of possibility opens up.

So well pitched at the target reader is this novel, that Mohamud can teach her young audience a lot - but equally they will get from this a sense of self, a sense of being seen, heard and recognition that this difficult era of life is surpassable. And how important that is to young people the world over...
Bravo.

It’s a very clear-cut exposé on many different forms of racism and Islamaphobia in the UK, from hypocrisies in the press (a white murderer is a mentally unwell victim but a Muslim murderer is a terrorist), to everyday bullying Muslim students face. It’s a great insight into Muslim/Somali/refugee experiences and I hope builds a lot of empathy in readers.

It’s great to read a book from the perspective of a young Muslim girl, and will definitely be one I recommend to my students. However, the age of the characters is probably what strikes me the most: seeing children (because that’s what they are) being hurt and others being vicious due to the racism they have learnt from families or elders or their surroundings, clearly shows us the cracks in our society.

*Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review on this book.*

A beautifully written book exploring what it is like to be a refugee and practising Muslim in this country, told through the eyes of Hanan. Hanan attends a prestigious school and is an A* student heading for a medical career. However, there are very few Muslims in the school and her 6 years there have been constantly blighted by prejudice and racism from both students and staff. Mostly, Hanan has kept her head down and survived with the support of a small group of good friends.
However, when things take a turn for the worse, even some of Hanan's friends struggle to stay close. to make matters worse, Hanan's twin brother, Hussein, has been acting strangely and secretively. He has also acquired significant sums of cash all of a sudden.
Throughout the book, Hanan's faith and that of her mother and grandmother, shine through as does the closeness of the family. Hanan is a very real character, struggling with the emotions you would expect in the situations that arise.
As a white person, this was not always a comfortable read but I thoroughly recommend this book as a means to understanding of and empathy for those of a different faith and culture.

Comes with some shocks, racism in many forms.

4.5 stars.

This is a genre I like to see being written. The subject is too important to brush aside and the more readers these titles find, the better.

Hanan is a 'good' student, young woman and Muslim. She's headed for a bright future if she passes her exam for medical school. She's been keeping her head down in her preppy grammar for years so a little longer should be manageable. With a diverse group of close-knit friends, she can let comments and low-level bullying wash over her ordinarily.

But things change after a friend she respected is killed. By a Muslim. Which instantly ignites hot tempers in the neighbourhood, and rash policy changes by her school's leadership. And then, Hanan and twin brother Hussein are the victims of an attack.

This will be upsetting for some readers. Hanan and her family are Somalian, their own beloved father not with them after his murder. So not only do we see the family trying to overcome prejudice and anger in the UK, we see an immigration story and that of a strong family unit with proud traditions. The author doesn't shy away from including phrases of their home language (though I wish I'd realised that there's a glossary at the end!), and you get a feel for their homeland and culture.

There's a lot covered in just the one book and it's well-knitted.

My one qualm really was with the 'town hall' style meeting at the end. I'm unconvinced that school policies are changed in an open forum and vote like this when not every parent may be present. It made a wonderful set-piece, but as a governor myself I'm not certain this is actually how decisions are made in British schools.

However, we have here some powerful characters and stories, aspirational and inspirational protagonists and realistic relationships between friends and family. And a story that stays with you.

For ages 13+. Some graphic violence and racist language.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

For fans of “The Hate U Give”, this is a powerful debut YA novel which confronts the issues of discrimination and Islamophobia within a school setting. Hanan is a model student quietly working hard in her traditional British grammar school. She is resigned to absorbing the taunts and comments that have followed her since arriving from Somalia six years earlier. When someone she knows is murdered close to the school Hanan begins to experience more overt racial prejudice. At the same time, she notices how secretive her twin brother has become. Ultimately, Hanan has to make her voice heard to challenge prejudice and resolve issues of family and friendship. Written in the first person, this is an emotionally-charged book that can, at times, be uncomfortable reading. It is necessary reading however, particularly with the inclusion of the backstory of the war in Somalia. The glossary of Somali words at the end is an added bonus.

You Think You Know Me is a great ya book on the topic of being a young British muslim and experiencing and dealing with islamaphobia. Muslim representation in YA books is sparse and to see Hanan be so practiced in her faith was so refreshing to see. The book itself was well-written for the YA market, though at times I did feel the writing leaned towards the lower YA age range despite the characters being in college, so the writing was a little to simplistic at times and i wish it was a little more hard hitting, which is why I have deducted a star. The plot itself was good, there was some cliche but I feel like it happened at times where it felt natural to the characters in terms of their age.

In terms of the topics of islamaphobia, hate crime and ignorance portrayed, I think it was done fairly well. I related to the characters, to the idea that every muslim has to be the 'perfect' civillian to be treated with basic respect, to the microaggressions portrayed and double standrards.

For a debut, this was done well and I think this would be a good book to introduce into schools to discuss.

The British-Muslim answer to The Hate You Give, You Think You Know Me is a compelling issues-driven YA novel about Islamophobia and standing up against hate speech.

It's a strong debut. Sure, there are moments of melodrama and cliche, but in many ways that's just the YA modus operandi. Hanan and her family are drawn with charm and care, and I loved the use of Somali phrases that made their home seem such a real, warm place. There's a natural flow to the storytelling, the plot is well-paced and Mohamud uses both wit and pathos where needed.

There was a lot in this book that made me angry - in a good way. I wish I had read a book like this when I was at school. In 21C Britain, anti-racism is still something that we need to actively learn, and this is a book that tackles not only overt racism, but also micro-aggressions, and the difficulties POC might face in confronting racist attitudes. Mohamud also captures the nuance of Muslim, refugee experience, which really adds something to the dialogue. I feel like teenage me would have been a better ally for reading this book.

I really enjoyed this book, it was so well written and is a great book for both the young adult and adult market, I didn’t feel like this had to be exclusively marketed at young adults. The writing was great and I really liked the setting and the story idea.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words some text written has been typed in red and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

A superb YA novel which has some strong racism but also elements of kindness, empathy and understanding. It follows Hanan, who was forced from her home in Somalia with her family. She is a gifted student at Grafton Grammar, where she is subjected to racist remarks and excluded by some staff and students. Ultimately this is an uplifting tale which I wholeheartedly recommend.