The Weight of Our Sky

Published in 2019, The Weight of Our Sky is a young adult historical fiction novel by Hanna Alkaf. It is Alkaf’s first novel, and she has since written more, which she calls “unapologetically Malaysian books for kids and teens” (Alkaf, Hanna. “About.” Hanna Alkaf). The novel won the Freeman Book Award, is a CBC/NCSS Notable Children’s Book in Social Studies, and was included on the Just One More Page Recommendation List. Alkaf’s novel takes place in Kuala Lumpur—where Alkaf has spent time living—during the 1969 race riots, which were sparked by tensions between Malay and Chinese racial groups vying for political power. Melati, or Mel, the protagonist of the story, must navigate the riots and search for her mother while fighting with her Djinn, a conceptual manifestation of Mel’s OCD, or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. The novel follows themes of The Stigma and Reality of Mental Health, The Importance of Love and Friendship, and Race and Identity in a Society Divided Along Racial Lines.

This guide uses the 2019 Salaam Reads, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing edition of the text.

Content Warning: This novel contains graphic violence, depictions of mental health concerns, and racist or discriminatory language.