The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Khan, Hena. Amina’s Voice. Salaam Reads, 2017.

Amina’s school, Greendale Middle School, is holding an end of year play. Amina’s best friend, Soojin, is trying to convince Amina to sign up for the solo vocal finale, but despite Amina’s incredible singing talent, she is too shy to perform. Soojin talks to Amina about her upcoming American citizenship ceremony, and about how she wants to change her name to something more western. Amina hates the idea of Soojin changing her name, but Amina’s inability to express her opinions causes her to politely nod her head as Soojin speaks.

Throughout the school year, Amina and Soojin go through their classes together, and Amina goes to Sunday school at a local mosque, where her parents decide to sign her up for a Quran prayer recitation competition with her brother, Mustafa. Amina’s father announces that his brother, Thaya Jaan, will be visiting Amina’s family from Pakistan for the first time ever. Amina’s father warns the family that they need to respect the Islamic customs that Thaya Jaan is used to upholding. This intensifies Amina’s personal struggle with identity, because she is unsure whether her Muslim faith allows her the cultural opportunities, such as pop music, that America has given her.

As the days progress, Amina develops deep concerns about Soojin’s growing friendship with Emily, who bullied Amina and Soojin years ago. In the absence of Amina’s support, Emily’s encouragement of Soojin’s imminent name-change brings Emily and Soojin together, and Amina starts to worry that she is losing her best friend.

Thaya Jaan arrives in America a couple of weeks before Amina and Mustafa are scheduled to perform in the Quran recitation competition. Amina’s parents are frantic as they try to create the most wholesome meals and richest atmosphere to ensure that Thaya Jaan feels comfortable. However, Thaya Jaan expresses his disappointment at the fact that Amina and her brother do not speak Urdu, and he laments Amina’s love for singing pop music. Regardless, Thaya Jann helps Mustafa and Amina rehearse for the competition, but Amina begins to resent Thaya Jaan because of his lack of support for her musical endeavors.

At school, Emily and Soojin are becoming closer friends, and Amina starts to become more tolerant of Emily’s presence. However, Amina accidentally reveals a secret that Emily had told her a couple of days ago, so Emily and Soojin become furious and leave Amina alone. Over the next few days, Amina is plagued with guilt, and she tries to apologize, to no avail.

Before the sun rises one morning, Amina wakes up to the sounds of her frantic parents speaking on the phone with the Imam of their local mosque. Amina discovers that some vandals had destroyed the mosque, and the repairs would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. In the face of this tragedy, Amina longs for the Quran recitation competition that she once dreaded, and she is worried that she will not have her friends’ support because of her inability to keep a secret. However, when Amina brings her family to tears by playing a heartfelt piano melody, she realizes that there is hope.

At a community meeting hosted at Greendale Middle School, various community members volunteer their time and resources to help rebuild the mosque. In addition, Soojin’s church offers to host the recitation competition, so the Imam of the mosque becomes motivated to host an annual interfaith carnival. Furthermore, Soojin and Emily forgive Amina in light of the tragedy.

At the Quran recitation competition, Amina musters up the courage to perform in front of a crowd from the first time since second grade, and her brother wins the competition. During the interfaith carnival after the competition, the community’s spirits have been raised. Amina’s music class is scheduled to perform their play at the carnival, and although Amina originally did not want a singing solo, she asks her teacher for one. The novel ends with Amina’s powerful voice cascading through the crowd.