Unsettled is a beautifully written story of a young girl longing to "fit in" in a new country while missing her friends and family far away. The main character, Nurah is easy to relate to on so many levels. Many of us have experienced feeling different--for our size, hair color, skin color, religious beliefs or a myriad of other reasons. Nurah has to deal with many of these at once, all while learning to navigate a strange new culture. 

Ms. Faruqi's language is lovely and lyrical, and I found myself rooting for Nurah--desperately wanting her to find her voice. The novel, which is told in verse, touches on all the hallmark issues of middle school in a way that perfectly resonated with me. All of the emotions Nurah experiences, I can still remember experiencing myself. Some experiences are universal. 

I highly recommend this book for any middle school library or classroom. The note to readers in the beginning lets us know that the author based the story on her own experiences as a child. I was immediately drawn into the journey the character was going to take me on during the story. And I wasn't disappointed! There's a glossary of terms and even a recipe in the back matter. Excellent book!

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the chance to read and review this eARC.  Unsettled by Reem Faruqi is a thought-provoking book exploring the topics of immigration, fitting in, siblings, friendship, and family relationships.  Despite Nurah's resistance, Nurah's family moves from Pakistan to Georgia, USA when she is about 13 or 14. A time when all you want to do is be like everyone else.  But when you are the only brown skinned person in the room, it is inherently difficult.  It becomes even MORE difficult if you add in being Muslim, thus occasionally wearing a hijab, and covering up when you swim,.  As she navigates these new waters, she makes some missteps along the way leading to learning who she is and what she is willing to stand up for.

Disclaimer: I got this ARC on @NetGalley.

This is a book I wish I had when I was younger and I think it's perfect for fans of Once Upon an Eid! It touches on what it's like to be the new kid and to be a Muslim kid which isn't something I've seen a lot of so I absolutely love that about Unsettled. If you've got a kid in MS or you enjoy reading Middle-Grade books then I highly recommend adding this one to your shelves!

I really enjoyed this book! It is written in beautiful verse. Each poem seems to stand alone but also be connected to create a engaging an powerful story. I think middle grades students would be engaged and relate to this story of being a new kid, feeling different among ones peers and sibling rivalry. The book follows a young girl who moves from Pakistan to Georgia and has to acclimate to an entirely new culture, experience racism and Islamophobia and her mothers miscarriage.

Really enjoyed this verse novel for middle schoolers about moving, being the "new kid," fitting in, and finding the courage to be yourself. The verse was very quiet yet powerful with white space at the end of each poem almost forcing the reader to focus on each subject to let it truly resonate before moving on to the next. Relatable characters and emotional punch at the end. AND can I just end with how much I love this cover!!!!