JUST A HAT
By SHANAH KHUBIAR
Young Adult / Coming of Age / Jewish Fiction / Small-Town Texas / 1970s
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Page Count: 254
Publication Date: July 18, 2023
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Action-packed, humorous, and bittersweet, this 1970s-era coming-of-age novel is more relevant than ever–exploring how a second-generation immigrant kid in a new hometown must navigate bullying, unexpected friendships, and the struggle of keeping both feet firmly planted in two very different cultures.
It’s 1979, and thirteen-year-old Joseph Nissan can’t help but notice that small-town Texas has something in common with Revolution-era Iran: an absence of fellow Jews. And in such a small town it seems obvious that a brown kid like him was bound to make friends with Latinos–which is a plus, since his new buds, the Ybarra twins, have his back. But when the Iran hostage crisis, two neighborhood bullies, and the local reverend’s beautiful daughter put him in all sorts of danger, Joseph must find new ways to cope at home and at school.
As he struggles to trust others and stay true to himself, a fiercely guarded family secret keeps his father at a distance, and even his piano teacher, Miss Eleanor–who is like a grandmother to him–can’t always protect him. But Joseph is not alone, and with a little help from his friends, he finds the courage to confront his fears and discovers he can inspire others to find their courage, too.
Just a Hat is an authentically one-of-a-kind YA debut that fuses the humor of Firoozeh Dumas’s Funny in Farsi with the poignancy of Daniel Nayeri’s Everything Sad Is Untrue.
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JUST A HAT is a compelling immigrant coming of age story which puts the reader into the hat, as it were, of Joseph as he navigates life in a small Texas town in 1979.
Joseph felt like he was translating again. He was sorting through what was Iranian, what was Jewish, what was American, and what was Texan. To make sense of what people were doing. Did every kid have to do this? To figure out the world around him, against who he is, where he was born, and where his parents were born. Probably not.
(Punctuation is mine. Pulling quotes from audio books is a struggle!)
Other than the absence of modern technology (Joseph’s family doesn’t even own a TV!), JUST A HAT could easily be set today:
- Teenagers trying to find their place in society.
- Racial and cultural clashes.
- Bullies and bigots haven’t really changed in forty plus years.
Characters:
JUST A HAT has a strong lead character in Joseph. I may not have any similarities with a 13-year-old Jewish boy, but I certainly empathized with Joseph throughout the book. Some scenes which really stand out for me are when Joseph is playing the piano for Miss Eleanor, their neighbor, or when he’s riding his dirt bike with his friends. Joseph’s connection with his cousin Shahla is touching. While they are cousins, their relationship is closer to that of siblings. Their weekly phone calls and time spent together during holidays are tender reminders of more innocent times (and long distance phone bills!). It’s Joseph’s relationship with his father that absolutely tugged at my emotions. I was grateful to see how that relationship progressed by the end of the novel.
The secondary characters are fully formed and gratifying. I adored Miss Eleanor and her teaching Joseph not just the piano but also southern hospitality. I cherished Mr. Ybarra and the other neighbors who showed up to protect Joseph and his mother when the town bigots threaten the family. I even grew to appreciate Larry and Brian, Joseph’s bullies.
Writing:
The synopsis above does a great job of summing up my feelings of JUST A HAT – action-packed, humorous, poignant. I’d add a must-read to that list! Khubiar’s writing is conversational and easy to follow. But it also conveys Joseph’s emotions to the reader in such a manner that I could relate to Joseph and the other characters.
Narration:
I truly believe that Ramiz Monsef’s narration enhanced my enjoyment of JUST A HAT. I listened at 1.25 speed and had no difficulties following along with the story. The audio production was fine listening both with headphones and in my car while driving. The different characters have distinct voices. Monsef’s inflections paired with Joseph’s emotions throughout the novel.
Character-driven, with heartfelt scenes of growing up trying to fit into Texas culture, JUST A HAT is the kind of moving story that we can all use these days. Definitely check this one out.
Thanks to author Shanah Khubiar and Lone Star Book Blog Tours for providing this opportunity to review JUST A HAT. I received the novel free in exchange for my honest review.
Shanah Khubiar is a retired law enforcement officer, and she is now self-employed as a subject matter specialist. She holds a BS and MEd in education from East Texas State University and a PhD in philosophy. A student of her Persian ancestry, she incorporates (Mizrachi) Middle Eastern Jewry into her fiction, examining the historical challenges and triumphs of a different culture and narrative than what usually appears in literature. Khubiar is a sometime resident and always fan of most things Texas.
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WOW! What a review, Lynn. It’s clear that you recommend this read for everyone. Me too — and agree that the audio is next level good. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Thanks, Kristine! Glad you are enjoying it as well!