Piece By Piece: The Story of Nisrin's Hijab by Priya Huq Abrams/Amulet Books In this middle-grade graphic novel, Nisrin will have to rely on faith, friends, and family to help her recover after she is the target of a hate crime. Nisrin is a 13-year-old Bangladeshi-American girl living in Milwaukie, Oregon, in 2002. As she […]
It All Comes Back to You By Farah Naz Rishi HarperCollins/Quill Tree Books Two exes must revisit their past after their siblings start dating in this #ownvoices rom-com that is perfect for fans of Sandhya Menon, David Yoon, and Morgan Matson. After Kiran Noorani’s mom died, Kiran vowed to keep her dad and sister, Amira, […]
Beautifully Me by Nabela Noor Illustrated by Nabi H. Ali Simon & Schuster From YouTube and Instagram sensation and body positivity activist Nabela Noor (@Nabela) comes a much-needed picture book about loving yourself just as you are. Meet Zubi: a joyful Bangladeshi girl excited about her first day of school. But when Zubi sees her […]
Amira and Hamza: The War to Save the Worlds (Amira & Hamza #1) by Samira Ahmed Little, Brown Books for Young Readers On the day of a rare super blue blood moon eclipse, twelve-year-old Amira and her little brother, Hamza, can’t stop their bickering while attending a special exhibit on medieval Islamic astronomy. While stargazer […]
My Name Is Bana by Bana Alabed Illustrated by Nez Riaz Simon & Schuster/Salaam Reads A poignant picture book memoir from Bana Alabed, the seven-year-old Syrian girl from Aleppo whose messages to the world have turned her into a global symbol and advocate for refugee rights. “I just want to live without fear.” —Bana Alabed, Twitter, […]
Together by Mona Damluji Illustrated by Innosanto Nagara Seven Stories Press In Together, social justice kids book pioneer Innosanto Nagara teams up with poet and activist Mona Damluji for a stunningly tender and pitch-perfect visual feast that juxtaposes individual action with the power of people acting together. Each of the ten free-verse couplets in the poem […]
Explanatorium of History By DK Penguin Random House/Doris Kindersley Take a roller-coaster ride through the past with this fact-packed and visually stunning children’s history encyclopedia. Discover the major turning points in history, from the evolution and migrations of early humans, to the rise and fall of great empires such as Ancient Rome and the Aztecs. […]
Toufah : The Woman Who Inspired an African #MeToo Movement by Toufah Jallow and Kim Pittaway Penguin Random House/Truth to Power The powerful story of Toufah Jallow, a brilliant and inspiring young woman who, after she was forced to flee her home in The Gambia, bravely bucked taboo and named herself as a survivor of […]
Barakah Beats by Maleeha Siddiqui Scholastic Press Twelve-year-old Nimra Sharif has spent her whole life in Islamic school, but her grandparents – who have never quite seen eye-to-eye with her parents on how to raise her – think it’s time she goes to “real school.” Nimra’s nervous, but as long as she has Jenna, her […]
Journey to the Heart of the Abyss by London Shah (Light the Abyss, Book 2) Little, Brown Books For Young Readers The sequel to London Shah's thrilling futuristic mystery The Light at the Bottom of the World, perfect for fans of Illuminae and These Broken Stars Leyla McQueen has finally reunited with her father after breaking him out of […]
Little Seeds of Promise by Sana Rafi Illustrated by Renia Metallinou The Innovation Press A wonderful picture book from an award-winning publisher that explores identity, the patience of growing things and finding a home in a new place, the connection of scent to memory and loved ones, and the promise that beauty can happen even […]
Room for Everyone by Naaz Khan Illustrated by Mercè López A young boy on a crowded bus discovers that, after some wiggles and giggles, there’s room for everyone in this lighthearted rhyming picture book set in Zanzibar. The dala dala rumbles and roars as Musa and Dada drive off to the shore—but the bus stops […]