I really loved the dual perspective of this middle grade book! Sara and Elizabeth are in 6th grade and come from Pakistani and Jewish backgrounds, respectively, and they bond together over a cooking class! Both authors involved are cherished in my classroom, and I will absolutely have this story of coming together in my middle school classroom!

Faruqi and Shovan create dynamic, realistic characters in this MG title. It will resonate with many readers and serve as a discussion starter for how complex individuals' lives are and how hurtful snap judgments can be. Despite its sophisticated themes, the buoyant and lovable narrators will keep readers cheering. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In A Place at the Table, Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan, have introduced two very realistic young characters to children’s literature. Sara and Elizabeth are sixth graders at Poplar Springs Middle School in Maryland and both of them are feeling overwhelmed by issues that are outside of their control. For Sara, coming to a primarily white middle school after attending a Muslim elementary school, is stressful enough, but then she finds out that the reason she had to leave her school was because her family is struggling financially. Elizabeth’s grandmother in England has recently passed away and her mom seems to be struggling with some depression.

When Sara and Elizabeth meet in an after-school cooking class run by Sara’s mom, they aren’t interested in making new friends. However, once they realize all that they have in common, they become fast friends. While working together to create great fusion feasts, they also learn to stand up for each other and against racist ideas.

A Place at the Table is written in Sara and Elizabeth’s voices and while they have similar beliefs, they often approach things differently. These alternating perspectives are helpful for young readers as they learn that there are many different ways to be an activist. Sometimes the most powerful statements come from those people who rarely raise their voices.

Middle schoolers deal with serious issues such as racism, immigration, mental illness, and economic struggle. Faruqi and Shovan do an excellent job of speaking about these issues from the perspective of young people. While they might not always understand the reasoning behind these issues or how to solve them, young people certainly recognize them and are able to tell when something just isn’t right. Sara and Elizabeth are wonderful examples of this demographic group and young readers will enjoy getting to know them.

I loved this story told in two voices about two girls trying to survive the perils of middle school. Each has their own immigration experience and their own religious difference experience as well as their family expectations for them. There are lovely passages about Pakastani food and cooking as well as Jewish food and cooking. I think kids are going to like these a lot. This would also be an excellent tool for teaching about micro aggressions.

In this story we meet Sara and Elisabeth. Two very different girls. Sara is the daughter of Pakistani immigrants, who just moved to a large public middle school after years of her small private school. Elizabeth is the daughter of a British immigrant mom and a Jewish dad. Elizabeth joins a cooking club with her best friend, South East Asian cooking taught by Sara's mom. Elizabeth claims her mom cannot cook anything that doesn't come out of a box, so she is looking for a way to get delicious food to eat. After a turn of events Elizabeth finds herself with a new partner, Sara, and a cooking contest to prepare for. Both Sara and Elizabeth's families have their own problems to deal with, immigration tests, money, family issues, and racism. I like how this book tackles the issue of racism and what it means to be a good friend.

I loved this sweet story! This was my first NetGalley and it will be a hard act to follow! So many important lessons learned by adults and kids in this book. Love the many different types of characters! I loved it! I will for sure encourage my sixth graders to check this book out in the fall!

A Place at the Table tells the story of two girls who become friends after meeting in an after-school cooking class and discovering both their mothers are immigrants studying for their citizenship tests. Told alternately in the voices of Sarah, a Pakastani-American and Elizabeth, a Jewish-American whose mother immigrated from England, the book was co-written by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan. Cooking is a central theme of the book, and, while it is an over-used topic in middle-grade books of late, it works here as the girls experiment with recipes using the flavors of different cultures.

I think I would have preferred the book to have been written from one point of view or the other of the girls. The book seemed to stall a bit at the beginning as both of the characters were developed. Overall, it is a good book for kids exploring the challenges of living in a multicultural world.

This fabulously fresh and honest book told in alternating OWN voices shows how two seemingly different 6th grade girls discover how much they have in common as they learn about themselves and their families along the way.  Sarah is a Muslim Pakistani-American, and Elizabeth is Jewish and has an English immigrant mom, the two come together over food, family stress, discrimination, and middle school social drama to form a solid friendship.  But fear not, it isn't easy and the book will keep upper elementary/ early middle school girls hooked.  Not sure if boys will be as drawn to it, but if they can get over the brief mention of having a period, they too will enjoy the story.  The 336 page book shows how much we have in common, and how hard fitting in can be for everyone.

SYNOPSIS:

Sarah is starting a new school, a public one, having been at a small Islamic school prior to 6th grade.  She is not happy about it and to top it off, her mother is teaching an after-school cooking class at the school that she is required to attend.  Hoping to sit in the back drawing and go unnoticed, she finds she can't sit quiet when her classmates start giving her mom a hard time.  Unaware of why she had to leave her previous school, and tired of her mom needing her help with her catering business, Sara also has to help her mom study for her citizenship test, handle two little brothers, deal with no friends at school and not being able to celebrate Halloween.  

Elizabeth loves cooking. Her mother does not.   She is excited to learn Pakistani food at the cooking club even if her best friend thinks they shouldn't be learning things from "them." Elizabeth is admittedly nerdy, and struggling with a life-long friend finding others to spend time with, her life at home is difficult too.  Her dad is always traveling for work, and her mom is depressed with the recent passing of her mother in England, to the point of not really functioning.  With Elizabeth doing the cooking at home, and trying to get her mom to study for her citizenship test, Jewish holidays and obligations get neglected, and Elizabeth not knowing how to help her new Muslim friend handle racism,  is spiraling herself.

When the two girls decide to give each other a chance they find they might be able to be more than just cooking partners, but it seems like one of them always does something to mess it up.  Either saying something hurtful, getting defensive, or not sticking up for each other.   The girls get their mom's together to study for their test, but it isn't so easy for the girls, who are hesitant to trust one another. 

An upcoming cooking competition, offers the girls a chance to make a cross cultural fusion dish that can wow the judges, help Sarah's family's financial situation, prove to the school that diversity is a good thing, and hopefully give the two girls a solid friendship.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love how authentic it sounds and feels and how it doesn't focus on boys or crushes, but on friendship between two girls at an awkward point in their lives and the family stresses they are experiencing.  The book is for all readers and does a great job of not going overboard with what the girls face.  I love how tolerant they have to learn to be with one another and that they have to learn to drop their defensive guards.  

I read the book in two settings and didn't want to put it down, it has enough pull that you really want to see where the book is going and are happy to overlook the slight repetitiveness of them stressing about the competition, but doing nothing but talking about the stress. Really the competition doesn't even seem that important at the end, but considering everything going on, that to me is exactly as it should be.

I love the rich culture of Pakistan, England, Islam, and Judaism that seep in and never get preachy or dogmatic, but get celebrated and experienced.  This is why OWN voice books are so beautiful and powerful.  Admittedly, Elizabeth's family is not super religious, but a few more similarities would have been nice.  Yes her brothers are eating pepperoni Hot Pockets, but a shout out about halal/kosher marshmallows would have really rung true for so many of us that stock up at Passover.

I also love how the side characters have substance and aren't just used as a foil to show something about the main characters.  They get a little flesh on their own, and that enhances the richness of the story.  Seeing that they have their own struggles to overcome as well shows how none of us have it all together, and that we are all capable of improving ourselves.

FLAGS:

The girls meet during school hours when Elizabeth lies about her period starting to get out of class.  Sarah mentions that hers has already started.  Elizabeth mentions that her Jewish grandmother is visiting her son and his husband, nothing more is said, just that.  There are some derogatory things said about Sarah and being Muslim and Pakistani, but really mild.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

 I want to find a way to do this book for a middle school book club.  I've already told my 13 year- old daughter it is required summer reading.  The Muslims have diversity within themselves, some wear hijab, Sarah does not.   The book is so relatable and the personas sound the age for their views and struggles and perspective.  The financial stress, the mental illness, the immigrant experience, the racism, the politics, are all wonderfully woven together, and the food, well, there is a reason I didn't recommend this book at the beginning of Ramadan, you are welcome.  Happy Reading.

A Place at the Table brings a classic middle grade friend story into a new setting: the kitchen. Friends Sara and Elizabeth navigate peer pressure, cultural differences, and family stress, teaming up to create a winning partnership. Authors Faruqi and Shovan sensitively handle topics like mental health and societal racism, demonstrating real ways readers can handle those situations with kindness, grace, and courage. This is a fun read that is sure to leave readers hungry for more!

I think this is the first middle-grade book I've read that addresses someone taking a citizenship test. There are some far-fetched incidents (e.g., a teacher screaming at kids and a parent, odd parenting styles, a school cooking class that uses meat, etc.), and it wasn't quite as compelling as I thought it would be, but it has some depth to it and is still a relevant story about finding similarities among different religious and cultural experiences. I also liked that one of the racist characters eventually redeems herself a bit at the end.

An absolutely lovely story of two middle schoolers who find they have more in common than they do differences, a love of delicious food, and the ability to stand up to bullying and outright racism. This was well done, hit a lot of my favorite things such as cooking, knitting, and Doctor Who. The only thing I hoped for, was some recipes at the end!

2.5 Stars
I received an electronic ARC from Clarion Books through NetGalley.
Told from alternating perspectives of the two main characters - Sara and Elizabeth. Sara is part of a Pakistani family who has moved to the United States. Elizabeth is from a Jewish family who also have come to the US. They meet and connect and find their way to friendship. Both have issues their family are coping with. The after school cooking class allows these characters to interact and then reconnect beyond that.
The story moves slowly and has a predictable ending. Characters are fairly standard for middle grade novels. However, I do think younger readers will connect with the feelings and scenarios presented by Faruqi.

This book is about a friendship between 2 girls who are more alike than they are different. Elizabeth comes from a Jewish family . Sara comes from a Pakistani-American family. Sara is new to her school, and she becomes friends with Elizabeth in an after school cooking club. They form a friendship over cooking and food. I really liked this book because it shows how we are all more alike than we are different. We share the same needs for compassion, friendship, and love. ARC provided by publisher.

Saadia Farugi and Laura Shovan write in alternating voices of two sixth graders--Sara and Elizabeth. They come from different cultures and religious backgrounds, they have complicated home lives, and their mums are preparing to take the U.S. Citizenship test. They are brought together through a cooking class and slowly a friendship forms where the girls discover they have a lot more in common then they originally thought.

With themes like race, prejudice, religion, friendship and identity, A Place At The Table, is the perfect choice for a book club read or read aloud.

Perfect for fans of Save Me A Seat by Gita Varadarajan and Sarah Weeks!
Thank you NetGalley and Clarion Books for the ARC ebook.

I loved this story of two sixth graders, Elizabeth and Sara, and how they maneuver life in school and at their very different homes. Elizabeth is white, Jewish, and her British mother has depression. Sara is Pakistani American and her mother teaches the South Asian cooking class where the girls meet up.

Sara hates cooking, but she takes the class because her mother is the teacher. Elizabeth loves to cook, and needs to learn new recipes to feed the family now that her mother has stopped cooking. Later in the story, the girls decide to get together and create a cross-cultural dish for the food competition in town. They're on their way to victory, but trust is an issue outside of the cooking class. Meanwhile, both mothers are working to become US citizens, which is a difficult task, too.

I recommend this book for anyone in grades 4 and up. It's a wonderful book club selection for students studying #ownvoices authors, and the alternating perspective chapters make this an enjoyable read for all.

I couldn't put this book down! This was a fascinating look into the the blending of different cultures and religions within America. Sara's parents immigrated to America from Pakistan, and Elizabeth's mother is an immigrant from England. They meet in a cooking class taught by Sara's mother, and both start to form opinions about the other based on that first meeting. As the story progresses both girls realize that first impressions might not be the most accurate and a budding friendship forms. This was a very realistic portrayal of new middle school friendships, with many ups and downs. What really stood out is the way the authors blended the two stories so seamlessly. At first you wonder what do these girls have in common? One is a Muslim daughter of Pakistani immigrants, the other's mom is immigrant from England, and her father is Jewish. But the more they reluctantly get to know each other, and start to form a friendship, the more they realize their lives are much more alike than it appears. The test of their friendship comes when one of Elizabeth's friends, Maddy, starts to repeat the anti-immigrant sentiments of her parents. Maddy and Elizabeth have been friends forever, but now her friendship with Sara is in jeopardy. How can she keep both friendships? She doesn't like this new Maddy, but they have a shared history, but she also doesn't want to lose her friendship with Sara. The authors did an amazing job reconciling this question, and giving insight into the lived experience of children of immigrants.

A Place at the Table is a sweet middle-grade novel that explores race, religion, immigration, identity, friendship, and more with food and cooking as the backdrop. The story is told in alternating chapters by authors who use #ownvoices. Sara and Elizabeth’s friendship in the book isn’t always perfect, but it felt very realistic. This will be a great addition to any library and will make a great read aloud.

Thank you to NetGalley for an e ARC of this book!

I enjoyed this book. The writing was really good, I liked having two different main characters (Sara and Elizabeth), and having the chapters rotate from their points of view. I enjoyed learning about their different religions (Sara is Muslim and Elizabeth is Jewish) and cultures. On the outside they seemed very different from one another but they were a pot alike, including mothers who were preparing to take the US citizenship test. Like most middle grade novels there is friendship drama and school drama. I think both characters will be relatable to readers as well as windows into lives they may not be familiar with. I didn’t really connect with either characters and the plot didn’t keep me super interested, hence the lower rating. Despite this I think kid’s will enjoy it and I’d recommend it to middle grade readers looking for character-driven novels.

A moving story about two middle school girls, and their immigrant parents, who are brought together through food. Comp. 'American as Paneer Pie' by Supriya Kelkar

This is a beautiful #ownvoices story of two quite different middle school girls, Sara (Muslim) and Elizabeth (Jewish). Sara is quite reserved and doesn’t really care for making friends at her new school so she lays low. She sits in the back of her mom’s cooking classes she teaches at school and draws. On the other hand, Elizabeth is obsessed with cooking, especially South Asian dishes like Mrs. Hameed cooks in the cooking club. She’s all in! Elizabeth keeps eyeing Sara in the back of the room and eventually tries to connect with her. It didn’t go as planned because of the lack of response from Sara. Since they go to the same school they see each other often and eventually connects more in Mrs. Hameed’s cooking club. They slowly but surely let down their barriers and bond as cooking partners, and soon after great friends. There’s an exquisite mix of themes like friendship, cultural differences, religion, racism, courage, and adversity.

The collaboration with both Saadia and Laura was outstanding because it shows that even though two people can be quite different, we always can find so many ways to connect and learn from each other. This novel is one of my favorite 2020 books! Please, make sure this book gets into the hands of children through class libraries, school libraries, and public libraries. We need more #ownvoices books like this one!