▁their ▁parents , ▁the ▁Mag h reb ▁generation . ▁ ▁Hum or ▁is ▁also ▁characteristic ▁of ▁many ▁be ur ▁works ▁of ▁literature . ▁Ex amples ▁of ▁this ▁light - heart ed ▁tone ▁are ▁w oven ▁throughout ▁Sh ant yt own ▁Kid : ▁in ▁writing ▁of ▁his ▁circum c ision , ▁Az ou z ▁mus es , ▁" in ▁becoming ▁Muslim , ▁I ▁lost ▁a ▁bit ▁of ▁myself , ▁but ▁I ▁gained ▁a ▁red ▁bi ke ." ▁The ▁use ▁of ▁humor ▁stark ly ▁contrast s ▁to ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁rac ist ▁vit ri ol ▁origin ating ▁from ▁French ▁citizens ▁that ▁has ▁been ▁and ▁continues ▁to ▁be ▁directed ▁toward ▁Al ger ian ▁imm igr ants ▁and ▁their ▁descend ants . ▁ ▁Be ur ▁literature ▁also ▁provides ▁a ▁voice ▁for ▁the ▁children ▁of ▁first - gener ation ▁imm igr ants ▁who ▁have ▁roots ▁both ▁in ▁France ▁and ▁Al ger ia , ▁sometimes ▁privile ging ▁the ▁former ▁as ▁does ▁Az ou z ; ▁in ▁explaining ▁the ▁origin ▁of ▁his ▁Al ger ian ▁name : ▁" It ' s ▁because ▁my ▁parents ▁were ▁born ▁in ▁Al ger ia , ▁that ' s ▁all . ▁So ▁my ▁name ▁comes ▁from ▁over ▁there . ▁But ▁I ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Lyon , ▁so ▁I ▁am ▁French ." ▁ ▁Crit ical ▁reception ▁Short ly ▁after ▁the ▁publication ▁of ▁Sh ant yt own ▁Kid , ▁it ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁pr estig ious ▁Prix ▁Sor ci ères , ▁an ▁annual ▁prize ▁that ▁re wards ▁accomplish ment ▁in ▁youth ▁literature . ▁The ▁novel ▁was ▁immediately