Ten Things I Hate About Me facts for kids

Ten Things I Hate About Me is a popular young adult novel. It was written by Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah. The book first came out in Australia on October 1, 2006. It was published by Pan MacMillan Australia. This book won the 2008 Kathleen Mitchell Award for Excellence in Young Adult Writing. It was also a finalist for the 2008 Redbridge Book Award.

Like many of Abdel-Fattah's books, this novel talks about important topics. It explores challenges faced by people from different backgrounds. It also covers many common teenage issues.

What the Story is About

The main character is Jamilah Towfeek. She is 16 years old and lives in Sydney, Australia. Jamilah is Lebanese-Muslim. However, for three years, she has hidden her true identity at school.

To keep her secret, she dyes her hair blonde. She also uses the name Jamie. She wears blue contact lenses too. Jamie is starting year ten at Guildford High School. Students there often stick to their own groups. The popular students sometimes tease others. They especially pick on students who are not Anglo-Saxon.

Peter Clarkson is the most popular boy at school. He is known for teasing others. He also plays funny tricks in class. Peter often makes fun of Timothy. But Timothy does not seem bothered by Peter's words. He always has clever comebacks. Timothy is also the only one who stands up to Peter.

Jamie's Secret Emails

One day at school, Jamie is bored. She gets an email from someone named John. They start writing emails to each other. Jamie shares all her deepest secrets with John. She tells him about her mother. Her mother died when Jamie was nine.

Jamie also shares her hopes and dreams. She talks about her frustrations. Her father is very protective. He has strict rules about her going out. Jamie also lists the "Ten things she hates about herself."

Friendships and Identity

At the same time, Peter starts to notice Jamie. Jamie and Timothy are paired for a school assignment. Jamie feels torn. She is proud of her heritage. But she also wants to fit in with the popular group.

She is surprised by how comfortable she feels with Timothy. It is easy to talk to him. Soon, she becomes good friends with Timothy. She likes him for his personality.

Throughout the book, Jamie struggles. She wants to accept who she truly is. But she fears being teased or rejected by her classmates. Jamie also deals with other teenage problems. She tries to get along with her protective father. She wants to go to her school dance. She also looks for a job. And she learns to accept that her father will get married again.

Other Stories in the Book

This book also tells other smaller stories. Jamie tells her friend Amy about her Muslim background. By the end of the story, they become best friends. They leave their other friend, Liz, behind. Liz stays with the students who are not accepting of others.