Tag: family

The Jump by Brittney Morris

The Jump
by Brittney Morris
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

From the acclaimed author of SLAY and The Cost of Knowing comes an action-driven, high-octane novel about a group of working-class teens in Seattle who join a dangerous scavenger hunt with a prize that can save their families and community.

Influence is power. Power creates change. And change is exactly what Team Jericho needs.

Jax, Yas, Spider, and Han are the four cornerstones of Team Jericho, the best scavenger hunting team in all of Seattle. Each has their own specialty: Jax, the puzzler; Yas, the parkourist; Spider, the hacker; and Han, the cartographer. But now with an oil refinery being built right in their backyard, each also has their own problems. Their families are at risk of losing their jobs, their communities, and their homes.

So when The Order, a mysterious vigilante organization, hijacks the scavenger hunting forum and concocts a puzzle of its own, promising a reward of influence, Team Jericho sees it as the chance of a lifetime. If they win this game, they could change their families’ fates and save the city they love so much. But with an opposing team hot on their heels, it’s going to take more than street smarts to outwit their rivals.

Cover image and summary via Edelweiss

A Bit of Earth by Karuna Riazi

A Bit of Earth
by Karuna Riazi
Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins

Maria Latif is used to not having a space of her own. But what happens when she feels the sudden urge to put down roots in the most unexpected of places? Karuna Riazi crafts a tender coming-of-age story about friendship, family, and new beginnings. A Bit of Earth is a reimagining of the classic The Secret Garden for readers of Other Words for Home and The Bridge Home.

Growing up in Pakistan, Maria Latif has been bounced between reluctant relatives for as long as she can remember—first because of her parents’ constant travel, and then because of their deaths. Maria has always been a difficult child, and it never takes long for her guardians to tire of her. So when old friends of her parents offer to “give her a better life” in the United States, Maria is shipped to a host family across the world.

When Maria arrives on Long Island, things are not quite what she was expecting. Mr. Clayborne has left on an extended business trip, Mrs. Clayborne seems emotionally fraught, and inexplicable things keep happening in the Claybornes’ sprawling house. And then Maria finds a locked gate to an off-limits garden. Since she’s never been good at following rules, Maria decides to investigate and discovers something she never thought she’d find: a place where she feels at home.

With a prickly main character, a sullen boy, two friendly allies, and a locked garden, A Bit of Earth has everything a reader could want from a retelling of The Secret Garden. Karuna Riazi’s evocative prose is interspersed with poetic verses, illuminating each character’s search for a place they can truly call home. This tender yet incisive reimagining of a classic work will captivate fans of the original—and widen the appeal for a modern audience.

Cover image and summary via Edelweiss

The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim

The Love Match
by Priyanka Taslim
Salaam Reads / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets Pride and Prejudice in this delightful and heartfelt rom-com about a Bangladeshi American teen whose meddling mother arranges a match to secure their family’s financial security—just as she’s falling in love with someone else.

Zahra Khan is basically Bangladeshi royalty, but being a princess doesn’t pay the bills in Paterson, New Jersey. While Zahra’s plans for financial security this summer involve working long hours at Chai Ho and saving up for college writing courses, Amma is convinced that all Zahra needs is a “good match,” Jane Austen style.

Enter Harun Emon, who’s wealthy, devastatingly handsome, and…aloof. As soon as Zahra meets him, she knows it’s a bad match. It’s nothing like the connection she has with Nayim Aktar, the new dishwasher at the tea shop, who just gets Zahra in a way no one has before. So, when Zahra finds out that Harun is just as uninterested in this match as she is, they decide to slowly sabotage their parents’ plans. And for once in Zahra’s life, she can have her rossomalai and eat it too: “dating” Harun and keeping Amma happy while catching real feelings for Nayim.

But life—and boys—can be more complicated than Zahra realizes. With her feelings all mixed up, Zahra discovers that sometimes being a good Bengali kid can be a royal pain.

Cover image and summary via Edelweiss

Saving Sunshine by Saadia Faruqi, illustrated by Shazleen Khan

Saving Sunshine
by Saadia Faruqi, illustrated by Shazleen Khan
Macmillan/First Second

Relatable, funny, and heart-wrenchingly honest, Saving Sunshine is the poignant story of Muslim American siblings learning how to build each other up in a world that is too often unkind.

It’s already hard enough just being a kid, without being teased for having a funny sounding name or wearing a hijab.

It’s even harder when you’re constantly fighting your sibling—and Zara and Zeeshan really can’t stand each other. During a family trip to Florida, when the bickering, shoving, and insults reach new heights of chaos, their parents sentence them to the worst possible fate—each other’s company! But when the twins find an ailing turtle, it presents a rare opportunity for teamwork—if the two can put their differences aside at last.

Cover image and summary via Edelweiss

The Night Before Eid : A Muslim Family Story by Aya Khalil, illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh

The Night Before Eid : A Muslim Family Story
by Aya Khalil, illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh
Hachette/Christy Ottaviano

Celebrate the end of Ramadan with this luminous Muslim family story about faith, history, and delicious foods. 

On the night before Eid, it’s finally time to make special sweet treats: Teita’s famous ka’ak. Zain eagerly unpacks the ingredients from his grandmother’s bulky suitcase: ghee from Khalo Karim, dates from Amo Girgis, and honey from Tant Tayseer—precious flavors all the way from Egypt. Together with Mama and Teita, Zain follows his family’s recipe and brings to life Eid songs and prayers, pharaonic history, and the melodies and tastes of his Egyptian heritage.

This Muslim holiday story, featuring a delicious ka’ak recipe, is a satisfying addition to a joyful and expansive Eid.

Cover image and summary via Edelweiss

Friends Fur-ever by Saadia Faruqi (Must Love Pets #1)

Friends Fur-ever by Saadia Faruqi (Must Love Pets #1)
Scholastic

A new, young middle grade series that combines the heart and friendship of the Baby-sitters Club, with the irresistible appeal of adorable animals!

Pet-sitters for hire!

Imaan Bashir loves dogs, but she doesn’t have one. Yet. If only there were a surefire way to demonstrate her special canine connection to her mom. Then she’d be well on her way to pampering a pup of her very own.

When one of Imaan’s neighbors needs a last minute pet-sitter for her dog, Sir Teddy, a great idea is hatched. Imaan and her friends London and Olivia will step in as pet-sitters! Imaan’s mom will be so blown away by Imaan’s amazing animal abilities that she will beg her to adopt her own dog. Or something like that. . . But the reality of pet-sitting is a little more complicated—Imaan soon discovers that Sir Teddy is a real paw-full!

Cover image and summary via Edelweiss

Nadia and Nadir: Beach-Trash Art by Marzieh A. Ali

Nadia and Nadir: Beach-Trash Art by Marzieh A. Ali
Illustrated by Lala Stellune
Calico Kid / North Star Editions

Nadia and Nadir are a pair of young Muslim-American siblings living in Houston, Texas, with their mom and dad. Like all kids, they enjoy staying busy. Nadia and Nadir are quick to make learning fun in their day-to-day lives. And with grandparents coming to visit and trips to Pakistan in their schedules, the kids enjoy exploring their family’s culture and traditions.

Cover image and summary via Edelweiss

Nadia and Nadir: Hurricane Helpers by Marzieh A. Ali

Nadia and Nadir: Hurricane Helpers by Marzieh A. Ali
Illustrated by Lala Stellune
Calico Kid / North Star Editions

Nadia and Nadir are a pair of young Muslim-American siblings living in Houston, Texas, with their mom and dad. Like all kids, they enjoy staying busy. Nadia and Nadir are quick to make learning fun in their day-to-day lives. And with grandparents coming to visit and trips to Pakistan in their schedules, the kids enjoy exploring their family’s culture and traditions.

Cover image and summary via Edelweiss

Nadia & Nadir Eid Surprises

Nadia and Nadir: Eid Surprises by Marzieh A. Ali
Illustrated by Lala Stellune
Calico Kid / North Star Editions

Nadia and Nadir are a pair of young Muslim-American siblings living in Houston, Texas, with their mom and dad. Like all kids, they enjoy staying busy. Nadia and Nadir are quick to make learning fun in their day-to-day lives. And with grandparents coming to visit and trips to Pakistan in their schedules, the kids enjoy exploring their family’s culture and traditions.

Cover image and summary via Edelweiss

Nadia and Nadir Lunch in the Leaves by Marzieh A. Ali

Nadia and Nadir Lunch in the Leaves by Marzieh A. Ali
Illustrated by Lala Stellune
Calico Kid / North Star Editions

Nadia and Nadir are a pair of young Muslim-American siblings living in Houston, Texas, with their mom and dad. Like all kids, they enjoy staying busy. Nadia and Nadir are quick to make learning fun in their day-to-day lives. And with grandparents coming to visit and trips to Pakistan in their schedules, the kids enjoy exploring their family’s culture and traditions.

Cover image and summary via Edelweiss