In her highly anticipated graphic novel Huda F Wants to Know, author Huda Fahmy delivers a heartfelt and humorous follow-up to Huda F Cares?, exploring the emotional rollercoaster of her junior year in high school. When Huda’s parents announce their divorce, the carefully laid plans she had for her future are thrown into chaos. With her grades slipping, a fractured friendship, and a deep sense of uncertainty about what comes next, Huda embarks on a journey of self-discovery and resilience. In this interview, we sit down with Huda Fahmy to dive into the inspiration behind her latest work, the challenges of capturing such a personal story, and how she hopes her readers will connect with Huda’s struggles and triumphs.
In Huda F Wants To Know?, we see Huda’s life take a big turn when her parents announce their divorce. What inspired you to explore this deeply emotional and relatable topic in a graphic novel?
I experienced a really stormy home life growing up, where the threat of divorce and the possibility of our family fracturing was always looming. I was in my early 20s when my parents finally divorced so by then I had come to terms with every worst-case scenario and was old enough to handle it. But I never forgot the fear, anger, and grief I felt as a kid whose parents were going through—to put it mildly—really rocky times. I wanted to write about it to help me unpack some of what I went through and to hopefully help other kids who might find themselves going through the same thing.
Huda is a character who starts out with a clear, ambitious plan for her life. How did you approach portraying the shift in her worldview as her plans fall apart due to the divorce?
Junior year it’s such a busy year for teens. With all the applications they have to fill and college entrance exams they have to take, along with driver’s tests, crushes, new relationships, changing friendship dynamics…it’s a LOT. And still, Huda feels like she has it all under control. It’s not until this news of her parents’ divorce drops that she feels she can no longer manage. It is the one thing that is totally beyond her ability to control, and that sends her into a tailspin. Readers can see her worldview shift as she isolates herself, closes herself off from her best friend, retreats into her own mind and at one point this is all interest in the things she wants felt she could control.
The graphic novel deals with a lot of complex emotions like grief, guilt, and confusion. How did you balance these heavy themes with the humor and lighthearted moments that Huda is known for?
Throughout the series, Huda the character has always dealt with tough subjects by using humor as a coping mechanism, which is what I grew up doing as well. I think a lot of kids can relate to laughing through the pain and sometimes it helps to make these tougher topics seem less intimidating. On the flip side though, watching Huda laugh through the pain could mean she’s not allowing herself to fully process her emotions, which is why it was necessary to have her turn to therapy for help.
The story focuses on Huda’s struggles with her family, faith, and sense of self. How do you think these themes resonate with young readers, especially those who may be going through similar challenges?
I hope young readers will see this story as a mirror, reflecting their own struggles and possibly offering a way to navigate through. I also hope it acts as a window into how other cultures might deal with these universal themes.
Huda’s relationship with her best friend is tested in this book. How did you explore the dynamics of friendship and conflict in this context, and what message do you hope readers take away about relationships?
Because of her grief and depression, Huda begins isolating herself from both family and her closest friend, Nabz. Nabz, who is in therapy and may be more cognizant of what Huda is going through than Huda would like to admit, offers a shoulder and an ear. But this doesn’t make Nabz immune from hurt when Huda chooses to turn her sharp tongue on Nabz. Huda eventually recognizes the error of her ways and reaches out to apologize. I hope readers see that even the closest relationships have moments where one or both parties make some bad choices. Being able to communicate and admit when you’re wrong is something about relationships everyone should take away from this story.
You’ve created a character who is deeply connected to her Muslim faith and community. How does Huda’s relationship with her culture and religion evolve as she navigates the emotional turbulence of her parents’ divorce?
She hates how divorce and mental health are culturally stigmatized even though her religion normalizes both and offers practical ways to approach each situation. She realizes there’s nothing she can do to control what others think of her, but when she meets a mental health specialist, she finds she can focus on herself and finding ways to manage her stress and anxiety.
In the book, Huda is dealing with academic pressures, social expectations, and a future that seems uncertain. How do you think these pressures reflect the experiences of young people today, especially in a world that feels constantly changing?
Young people today are experiencing so much more stress and anxiety than we ever did growing up. And on top of that, high school on its own is a huge transition period for young adults. We expect so much from these kids and so they expect so much from themselves. The great thing about young adults is that they are so much stronger than we give them credit for and so much more capable at handling big changes even in this constantly changing world. But that doesn’t mean we leave them to handle those emotions on their own.
The graphic novel format really adds to the emotional weight and relatability of the story. How do you decide how much visual storytelling to incorporate, and how do you balance it with the written narrative?
I write all of my graphic novels first in a script like format, and then I begin drawing. Sometimes, as I draw, I realize I can express a moment or conversation better with images, than with words. Sometimes I play with the layout of panels to express an emotion. For example, after Huda and her sisters find out their parents are getting a divorce the panels begin to overlap to show that their world is starting to shift and what used to have order no longer does. The freedom to play with panels as a way to tell a story is one of the things I love about graphic novels.
Huda’s sense of normalcy is shaken, and she wonders if things will ever feel right again. What message do you hope to convey to readers who might also be experiencing a loss or a major life change?
The thing I hope most readers take away from experience and loss or a major life change is to be wary of isolating themselves. Even when they feel like no one else can understand what they’re going through, or they hate being looked at with pity, or they hate having to explain why they’re sad, or they hate having to be “on” all the time—don’t push people away. Tomorrow is a new day.
Huda’s family and community play a big role in the story. What does the concept of “family” mean to Huda in this book, and how does she find support and strength from unexpected places?
Huda and her sisters were raised to always look to each other for company and friendship. Friends come and go, mama would say, but family is forever. So, while Huda does push her family away during her grief, they don’t let her stay away for long. And it’s Huda’s mother who realizes Huda might need some outside help. Way to break generational curses, Mama!
A lot of readers may identify with Huda’s feelings of being overwhelmed by life. How do you think this book speaks to the importance of self-care, seeking help, and asking questions when we feel lost?
In the book, Huda learns that self-care can mean being honest about what she can handle and slow down when things feel too much. And though seeking help might at first be scary, it’s powerful, too. Seeking help might look like opening up to friends, talking to her sisters, or reaching out to a specialist. I hope this book conveys that leaning on others when struggling is important.
In Huda F Wants To Know?, we see Huda trying to get everything under control but realizing that life is messy and unpredictable. How does this theme of control versus surrender play out in her journey?
As Huda grows she learns that trying to hold onto control can backfire and lead to more anxiety and stress. She sees that growth means surrendering the idea of needing to be in full control, accepting that life is constantly changing, and she doesn’t need to have all the answers mapped out to live her life.
How did you approach writing a follow-up to Huda F Cares?, especially in terms of character development and expanding on themes introduced in the first book?
I was nervous writing this follow-up because Huda F Cares? is heavy on themes of building and maintaining strong family bonds, while Huda F Wants to Know? is about approaching family in a non-nuclear way. The same themes of togetherness and tight-knit relationships can still exist even when the family unit looks a little different. This definitely challenges Huda to grow, though. She feels like she’s finally figured out everything about herself and everyone else. So when she’s thrown for a loop it forces her to grow and learn more about who she really is.
What do you hope readers take away from Huda F Wants To Know?—whether they’re going through a tough time, trying to figure out their place in the world, or just looking for a relatable and engaging story?
I most hope that readers find that they’re not alone—if they’re going through tough times or are feeling overwhelmed. There’s so much comfort in knowing someone else has gone through the same struggles and has made it out. And even if readers don’t see themselves in the story, it still gives a peek into the thoughts and struggles and small wins that make us human. It connects us. Sometimes it’s messy, but we’re all trying. In the end, I hope it leaves readers with some laughs and a sense of empathy—whether they relate, or are just along for the ride.
