 All right. Hello, hello. Pinky and I have another story for you. This one is called The Proudest to Blue. And I actually am wearing a color of blue myself. And here, it's called The Proudest Bluest Story of Hijab and Family. It's written by Ibtihaj Muhammad with Eskay Ali and Art by Hatim Ali. And there's a picture on the first page where you see some people in a store. And they are looking at hijabs. Mama holds out the pink. Mama loves pink. But Eskay Ali shakes her head. I know why. I think Pinky likes pink too. Behind the counter is the brightest blue. The color of the ocean, if you squint your eyes and pretend there's no line between the water and the sky. It's the first day hijab. Eskay knows it. I know it. We are sisters. The next day I wait. A new backpack, new light-up shoes. I feel special. I feel like twirling. Eskay comes out of the house and I stop. It's the most beautiful first day of school ever. I'm walking with a princess, so I pretend I'm one too. But even princesses have to stop across the street. Esya takes my hand and hers says, come on, Fazia. We speedwalk it. 14 steps, 14 lights up to get across. Esya takes me to my line first, hugs me goodbye. I turn to watch her leave, giving a little curtsy to the princess going to the sixth grade area. She's easy to see. Her hijab smiles at me the whole way. My first day hijab is going to be blue too. What's on your sister's head? The girl in front of me whispers. A scarf! I whisper back. I don't know why a whisper came out. I try again louder now. A scarf! A hijab! She whispers. Esya's hijab isn't a whisper. Esya's hijab is like the sky on a sunny day. The sky isn't a whisper. It's always there, special and regular. The first day of wearing hijab is important, Mama had said. It means being strong. I turn but I can't see the blue anymore. I run to the big kid's side. 27 steps to see Esya. I need to give her another hug. I need to see her smile. Fazia? Esya's eyes wonder why I'm here. Are you excited, I ask? About the first day of hijab? She nods, smiling big, and I feel better. So there she is talking to her big sister. Someone laughs nearby, a boy pointing at Esya. Why? Esya's hijab isn't a laugh. Esya's hijab is like the ocean waving to the sky. It's always there, strong and friendly. Some people won't understand your hijab, Mama had said. But if you understand who you are, and then one day they will too. In class I draw a picture. The princesses in hijab having a picnic on an island where the ocean meets the sky. The girl who whispered in line says she likes it. She says it so loud the teacher comes over to see it. I wonder if Esya drew a picture too. Recess time is for five cartwheels in a row. I land the last one near the sixth graders, near Esya and her friends. Near a boy yelling, I'm going to pull that tablecloth off your head. Esya's hijab is not a tablecloth. Esya's hijab is blue, only blue. Esya turns away, her friends turn away. They race to the middle of the schoolyard, their shoes pounding the pavement, playing tag. Mama said, don't carry around the hurtful words that others say. Drop them, they are not yours to keep. They belong only to those who said them. It takes me 48 steps to get away from the yelling boy. After school, I look around. I look for whispers, laughs and shouts. But I only see Esya waiting for me like it's a regular day. She's smiling, strong. We cross the road hand in hand. I can't wait to get home to show Mama the picture I drew. To show Esya that I'm wearing the same hijab in it. Because Esya's hijab is like the ocean and the sky, no line between them. Saying hello with a loud wave. Saying I'll always be here, like sisters, like me and Esya. So that's the last page of the book. But then there's a little story about the author who is actually, and I believe she's an Olympic medalist. This is...Oh, she is a fencer. The Bitaj Muhammad is a fencer and the first Muslim American woman in hijab to compete for the United States in the Olympic Games. So if you want to learn more about her, you sure can. And you also can read this book again if you want, called The Proudest Blue. I hope you enjoyed it.