Fresh Reads, Honest reviews, Educator-approved
Finding wonder amid the injustice. Utilizing an inventive dual-journal format, the story follows fierce activist Zayneb and artistic, quietly grieving Adam as their paths cross in Doha, Qatar. Balancing heavy themes of institutional Islamophobia and chronic illness with ordinary magic, it is an exceptional, empathy-building resource for modern high school classrooms.
Can a Muslim girl play Mary in a Catholic Nativity play? Sixth-grader Mariam navigates the “ambassador’s burden” at her new school while dealing with a family health crisis and the awkwardness of puberty. This sweet, Judy Blume-esque story is a groundbreaking look at interfaith connection, identity, and the discovery that faith is more about common ground than rigid lines.