Just a Hat

De: S. Khubiar

Narrado por: Ramiz Monsef

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.

©2023 Shanah Khubiar (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

Unique coming-of-age story!

"Just A Hat" by Shanah Khubiar is the vivid and evocative coming-of-age story of young Joseph Nissan, a Persian-American Jewish teen whose family had immigrated to the U.S. to escape the Shah of Iran's police. The multi-layered story features Joseph's school life, home life, and life in general in his small Texas town at the start of the 1979 Iran Hostage Crisis.

The main character is Youssef (or Joseph as he is known at school) Nissan, a 13-year-old transplant from California, living in Hazel, Texas (somewhere outside Dallas) with his Baba and Maman, who had years earlier fled their home in Iran just ahead of the Shah's police. Besides navigating the emotional minefield of middle school, he's on the cusp of manhood, studying for his Bar Mitzvah and slowly changing his relationship with his parents. He's frequently mistaken for Hispanic; his best friends are Mateo and Roberto Ybarra, and there are no other ethnically Persian families (or Jews) in the entire county, so he is unique to the area's residents.

Joseph struggles with wanting to do the same things other kids do and still respect his parents' wishes, especially his father's. Still, their culture and, sometimes, religious restrictions present a conflict. He's quiet, studious, and academically adept. Joseph has a healthy temper that he must constantly work to control. His nemeses in the town are two cousins, Larry and Brian Edmondson, who are revealed later to have their own interesting backstories, who generally make Joseph's life miserable at school and in the neighborhood.

In Texas, football is a common denominator, a great equalizer that brings diverse groups of people together, creating otherwise unlikely allies (and hitting people is considered a legitimate and acceptable practice.) Joseph makes the fortuitous decision to join the football team where he shows a lot of promise. I enjoyed how Joseph observed the "tells" of the two Edmondson cousins that telegraphed their moves on the field and how he used it to even out their relationships with one another.

The story includes details of Joseph's culture and religion, with celebrations attended by extended family from across the country or Israel. The discussions of the extensive preparations for his Bar Mitzvah were eye-opening and informative, as was the talk about the political situation back in Iran that had prompted many of the characters to immigrate to the U.S.

Joseph's life is further complicated by his crush on a classmate, the daughter of a disapproving and narrow-minded Christian pastor. Baba, who knows the tough path such an alliance would pose even if the two kids were older, does not support the friendship either. The confrontation between the two fathers is frighteningly intense but Joseph sees a side to Baba that he's never seen before: one that he'd been worried was absent. It was so satisfying to see father and son open up at different times during the story and reveal their secrets to each other. And I loved when Maman revealed that she, too, had hidden depths. (I would have thrown a hissy about those apples.)

Ramiz Monsef narrates the Audible audiobook and is one of the best at this craft. His voice is warm and welcoming, using subtle changes in tone, accent, and pitch to differentiate this broad cast of characters that include male, female, young, old, and native English, Spanish, and Farsi speakers. The production is just great.

With its wonderfully relatable characters and unique coming-of-age story, I recommend JUST A HAT to readers of young adult fiction.

Mankind IS better together

Shanah Khubiar's Just A Hat delivers a unique coming-of-age narrative set in conservative small-town Texas in the late 1970s. The book's strength lies in its vivid descriptions of the community, school activities, and people's interactions, which are brought to life through realistic dialogue. These elements and the characters' relatable emotions make for a powerful listening experience. The narrative explores the struggle to accept those who are different. This theme is as relevant today as it was then. Not only does it invite readers to empathize with the character's experiences, but it also provides a thought-provoking framework.

The broad array of characters in Just A Hat provides an excellent cross-section of racial and religious backgrounds, making Joseph's journey complex yet poignant. Joseph Nissan is a first-generation American Jew whose parents escaped from Iran with their lives. He is studying for his bar mitzvah, achieving high grades in school, and wanting acceptance. Most of his friends are high achievers, and other students assume he is Mexican. Being kind and helpful to others is one of Joseph’s most endearing qualities. Sadly, it is also the one characteristic that puts him at risk physically and emotionally, forcing him to make tough choices that many of us can relate to.

Just a Hat is an excellent read, yet Ramiz Monsef's audio narration added an unexpected, more sincere dimension. The audiobook mode was masterfully delivered, with perfect tempo, pauses, and accents, which increased the relatability of the situation for Joseph and his family.

Readers who want to expand their perspectives on the history and values of people of different ethnicities and religious backgrounds will find Just A Hat an outstanding slice of reality. This story speaks to a broad audience, from young to mature adults. Hat’s off to Shanah Khubiar for showing a path to recognizing bias and accepting differences. Prepare to be intrigued, amused, and deeply moved by the emotional journey this audio rendition will take you on.

character driven and poignant

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.

Unforgettable and important story

This book. I don’t know where to begin my gushing about Just a Hat, which is quite possibly my favorite book of the year so far. Maybe I start with 1978, Hazel, Texas.

Small-town Texas. 1978 and every other year of our Lord. Sigh.

I enjoyed returning to the seventies and recalling things like biking to the 7-11 and friends who joined resources wondering, “what would they buy with their pooled seventy-eight cents?” I remember the expense of a long-distance phone call and not having a quick and easy way to communicate with my parents if my plans changed or I ran into trouble. But if not for these little reminders the author dropped along the way, the novel could very well be set in current times. The narrow-mindedness of ill-informed folks and their prejudices, stereotyping, and anger and fear of anyone who is “other” sadly persists in small-town Texas and beyond.

“Rage. Control. RAGE.”

Author Shanah Khubiar has written some magnificent characters who just pop from the page. The emotions of the main character, nearly-thirteen-year-old Joseph, are palpable. As he tries to take control and adhere to his father’s teachings, Joseph learns to channel his anger into throwing a football, and here again, Khubiar slides in a reality of pretty much any year in Texas: football is king and often times, is the great equalizer.

Kids will love that there are curse words in other languages (Hebrew & Arabic & Farsi), and those reading with their ears will learn the correct pronunciations. To that point -- the author doesn’t shy away from using all the horrible, derogatory terms that ignorant people used…and continue to use. Hate words. I think it’s the right choice to include them because it lends authenticity to the story and the shock of hearing them reminds the reader how powerful words are, then suggests:

“Let words change us and make us better people.”

The audiobook narration is outstanding, and Ramiz Monsef’s performance perfectly complements Khubiar’s writing. Hearing Monsef voice the characters and pronounce words that were unfamiliar to me added an additional layer of realism to Just a Hat and made the story unforgettable. Pacing was perfect and I listened at 1x speed. Top-notch recording quality, too. Blackstone Audio never disappoints.

I highly recommend Just a Hat to readers of all ages because it’s not only a well-written, entertaining story that’s colored with humor and heartbreak, but it’s also a reminder that we must continue fighting the same battles to overcome hate, prejudice, and biases that persist.