Saadia Faruqi – författare

Set against the backdrop of Karachi, Pakistan, Saadia Faruqi’s tender and honest middle grade novel tells the story of two girls navigating a summer of change and family upheaval with kind hearts, big dreams, and all the right questions.

Mimi is not thrilled to be spending her summer in Karachi, Pakistan, with grandparents she’s never met. Secretly, she wishes to find her long-absent father, and plans to write to him in her beautiful new journal.

The cook’s daughter, Sakina, still hasn’t told her parents that she’ll be accepted to school only if she can improve her English test score—but then, how could her family possibly afford to lose the money she earns working with her Abba in a rich family’s kitchen?

Although the girls seem totally incompatible at first, as the summer goes on, Sakina and Mimi realize that they have plenty in common—and that they each need the other to get what they want most. 

This relatable and empathetic story about two friends coming to understand each other will resonate with readers who loved Other Words for Home and Front Desk. 

At a time when we are all asking questions about identity, grief, and how to stand up for what is right, this book by the author of A Thousand Questions will hit home with young readers who love Hena Khan and Varian Johnson—or anyone struggling to understand recent U.S. history and how it still affects us today.  

Yusuf Azeem has spent all his life in the small town of Frey, Texas—and nearly that long waiting for the chance to participate in the regional robotics competition, which he just knows he can win.

Only, this year is going to be more difficult than he thought. Because this year is the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, an anniversary that has everyone in his Muslim community on edge.

With “Never Forget” banners everywhere and a hostile group of townspeople protesting the new mosque, Yusuf realizes that the country’s anger from two decades ago hasn’t gone away. Can he hold onto his joy—and his friendships—in the face of heartache and prejudice?

In this engaging and moving middle grade novel, Saadia Faruqi writes about a contemporary Pakistani American girl whose passion for journalism starts a conversation about her grandmother’s experience of the Partition of India and Pakistan—and the bond that the two form as she helps Dadi tell her story.

When her grandmother comes off the airplane in Houston from Pakistan, Mahnoor knows that having Dadi move in is going to disrupt everything about her life. She doesn’t have time to be Dadi’s unofficial babysitter—her journalism teacher has announced that their big assignment will be to film a documentary, which feels more like storytelling than what Maha would call “journalism.”

As Dadi starts to settle into life in Houston and Maha scrambles for a subject for her documentary, the two of them start talking. About Dadi’s childhood in northern India—and about the Partition that forced her to leave her home and relocate to the newly created Pakistan.

As details of Dadi’s life are revealed, Dadi’s personal story feels a lot more like the breaking news that Maha loves so much. And before she knows it, she has the subject of her documentary.

From the acclaimed author ofThe Strongest Heartcomes a stirring new novel from the perspectives of three very different kids who are navigating the waters of fear and friendship through the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey in Texas.

Its a humid summer in Houston, Texas, and Yasir is dreaming of being soccer team captainif only he could get the team bully, Cody, off his back, and maybe impress his sort-of-crush, Mona. Meanwhile, Mona is turning her nightmares into art, and Cody's home life feels as tense as the storm literally brewing down the coast.

When Hurricane Harvey makes landfall, the three kids could hardly be called friends. But as their regular lives fall apart and rising floodwaters pull them together, Mona, Cody, and Yasir will need to work as a team if they want to survive. The hurricane will churn up their deepest fears and cement their bond foreverif it doesnt tear them apart.

For fans of Stranger Things, and Goosbumps comes a graphic novel filled with thrills, chills, and friendship."Horror fans will delight." -School Library Journal, starred review.Riz is determined to prove to his dad that movies matter and ghosts are real, but he and his friends might be in over their head when they investigate the local creepy mansion. Riz Choudhry lives for two things: movies and anything spooky. His dad? Not so much. While Riz dreams of filmmaking and jump scares, his father dreams of Riz going to med school or law school-and neither one includes ghosts.But the film club is Riz's safe haven, a place where other supernatural-obsessed first-gen kids swap scary stories from their cultures. So, when the group decides to film a documentary about the creepy old mansion in town, Riz is all in. But there's a problem. His dad wants Riz to quit the club. AND the building is about to be demolished. Now Riz and his friends must use the power of filmmaking to save the mansion...before it vanishes forever.Packed with shivers, laughter, and heart, Don't Be Scared celebrates friendship, heritage, and daring to fight for what matters-even if it means disagreeing with your family.

The fur is going to fly!

Must Love Pets has a new job: pet sitting three adorable kittens. What Imaan, London, and Olivia don’t expect is all the trouble these tiny creatures can get into, from climbing up the curtains, to chewing Amir’s favorite book and tearing up Mama’s work papers.

To get out of the house—and out of Mama’s hair—the girls take the kittens to a local farmers market. There, they meet the world’s cutest goat, and the kittens have a ball. At the end of a busy day as fabulous pet sitters, the girls are relaxing back at Imaan’s house when they realize two things: The goat has followed them home, and the kittens are nowhere to be found. They’ll have to solve two animal emergencies before anyone finds out!

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

Hop to it!

Imaan and her friends London and Olivia really think they're getting the hang of this whole pet-sitting business thing.

So when a client needs the girls to watch an adorable rabbit named Doc, they jump at the chance. Watching a rabbit hop around seems easy compared to what they've done for their last few clients. But this isn't any rabbit-- Doc is in training to be a trick rabbit-- one that can run obstacles and perform for an audience.

London has the bright idea that Doc can be entertainment at an upcoming neighborhood street party. It will be good practice for Doc-- and great advertising for Must Love Pets! What could go wrong?