Saving Sunshine

by Saadia Faruqi (Author) Shazleen Khan (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

From Saadia Faruqi and Shazleen Khan comes a relatable, funny, and heart-wrenchingly honest graphic novel about Muslim American siblings who must learn how to stop fighting and support each other in a world that is often unkind.

It's hard enough being a kid without being teased for 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.

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Publishers Weekly

Starred Review

Tween twins with a strained relationship must overcome their differences to save the day--and each other--in this moving graphic novel by Faruqi (the Ali the Great series) and debut creator Khan. Muslim Pakistani American twins Zara and Zeeshan have been bickering nonstop as they pack for their family trip from New York to Key West, Fla. When their tension--exacerbated by Islamophobic experiences at the airport--reaches a boiling point, their exasperated parents confiscate the twins' phones until they can "figure out how to be friends." Arriving in Florida without their devices, Zara and Zeesh must work together if they want to enjoy their trip and get their phones back. Collaborating on a mission to save a sick turtle allows the siblings to demonstrate each other's individual passions, resulting in newfound connection and understanding. Khan's digital illustrations mimic the free-flowing feel of watercolor; shifts between soft pastels and saturated primary colors evoke changes in mood, and creative angles, detailed expressions, and dynamic paneling portray characters' interactions and relationships. Poignant flashbacks to the twins' tumultuous childhood, as well as their present-day encounters with racism, supplement this stirring and uplifting story of family and identity. Ages 8-12. (Sept.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7--Muslim twins Zeeshan and Zara's mother is recognized as pediatrician of the year, and the Aziz family must travel from New York to a conference in Key West. Along the way, the twins face microaggressions and discrimination from others, while battling an inability to get along with each other due to diverging interests and perceived slights. When their bickering leads to lost phone privileges and they need find entertainment in each other's company, Zeeshan and Zara aren't sure they're going to survive the trip. But a chance discovery of Sunshine, a sick loggerhead turtle stranded on the beach, presents the twins with an opportunity to put their differences aside in order to nurse it back to health. Sunshine's story quietly takes a backseat to the twins' still-evolving relationship. Despite multiple conflicts being present, the tension never comes to a head as they are quickly resolved, while character growth feels believable though perhaps rushed. Although discrimination at the hands of airport personnel is recognized as harmful, microaggressions are largely dismissed, as the twins are urged to avoid anger. The stunning artwork is dominated by soft sea-inspired watercolor blues and greens in the present, while flashbacks are signaled with sepia. A smattering of animal and space facts, representing the interests of the twins, respectively, are shared via fact boxes meant to appear as social media posts. VERDICT A fine addition for collections seeking representation of discordant sibling relationships.--Alea Perez

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Kirkus

Starred Review

A beautiful, realistic, and important story focusing on family and sibling bonds.

ALA/Booklist

A relatable sibling story that approaches tough topics like discrimination with compassion and intention...heartwarming, funny, and bright.

Review quotes

 

Saadia Faruqi
Saadia Faruqi was born in Pakistan and moved to the United States when she was 22 years old. She writes the Yasmin series and popular middle-grade novels such as Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero. Besides writing books for kids, she also loves reading, binge-watching her favorite shows, and taking naps. She lives in Houston with her family. Ani Bushry graduated from the University of West England with a background in graphic design and illustration. She grew up listening to stories her mom used to tell her and always wanted to tell her own. She lives in the Maldives with her husband and cat, Lilo, whom she loves to spoil.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781250793812
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
First Second
Publication date
September 05, 2023
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV008000 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | General
JUV039120 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Prejudice & Racism
JUV013070 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Siblings
JUV029010 - Juvenile Fiction | Nature & the Natural World | Environment
Library of Congress categories
Families
Family life
Sisters
Muslim girls

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