First off, a HUGE thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review. I am a huge fan of Reem Faruqi and her work, so I practically squealed when I saw this.

Anisa's International Day follows our titular main character as she prepares for her class's upcoming International Day celebration. Anisa is a very creative, whimsical, and emotional girl, and she is so life-like. She sounds just like the kids I interact with every day! She loves the color turquoise and turtles, and she carries around a doodle notebook and a feather pen everywhere she goes. She is quirky and zany, but never feels like a caricature of a young girl, thanks to Reem Faruqi's own experiences as a teacher and a mother.

We follow Anisa through a couple of different things in this lovely little book: Attending her aunt's dholki, baking with her sister, celebrating her own culture and the cultures of her friends, learning to communicate with others before judging, and making sure she takes an "apology of action" when she makes a mistake.

This is one of the best books I have read all year. It was charming, it made me tear up at times (fighting with friends is hard!), and it was incredibly well-written. In the back, there is a glossary of terms, a couple of recipes, and even some visual aids and explanations of mehndi. The illustrations throughout the book, though unfinished for now, were lively, engaging, and incredibly cute! It was so nice to scroll back to the front cover and see and see the adorable faces of Anisa and her friends. I can not wait to buy a copy (or 3) of this book for my library, and I would love to see more adventures with Anisa and her family and friends. Highly recommend! Go preorder it right now!

Anisa's International Day is a fun younger middle grade read. The story focuses on Anisa, who is tasked with bringing in something for International day by her teacher. Anisa is worried about bringing something too similar to another student and so has to wrack her brain to fin the "just right" thing. A super sweet story, that I think many of my students would enjoy.

This is a sweet chapter book that explores friendship issues and showcases a lot of different cultures; Faruqi describes the main character's' emotions in a way that will be accessible to young readers.

Happy Sunday! To start off the week, I’m back with another review of another Advanced Reader’s Copy. Today I will be reviewing Anisa’s International Day by @reemfaruqi. A wonderful introduction to middle grade, Faruqi teaches important lessons throughout the book.

When Anisa’s teacher announces that the class will be having an “International Day”, Anisa wonders what she could bring. There are so many options! As Anisa is brainstorming, her aunt’s dholki (pre-wedding celebration) happens to fall on a school night, and there, Anisa gets her mehndi (henna) done and wears it to school the next day. But why is her best friend, Katie, giggling at her hands with Ciel, her other classmate? Does she not like Anisa’s henna? Anisa is quick to assume that she was making fun of her mehndi. Soon, Anisa learns it was all a misunderstanding. How can Anisa make it up to Katie? Read the book to find out!

This is an excellent book for younger readers starting to read middle grade because you get to learn about some diverse cultural traditions. My favorite quote from this book is, “Learning about each other’s backgrounds can show us our differences, but it can also show us how similar we are.”

❕Thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins Children's Books for this eArc.
❕This book will be released on September 20, 2022.
❕ If you’ve not already read Unsettled by Reem Faruqi, it’s amazing and I’d recommend it to you for sure!

Thanks for reading this review!
Happy Reading!
-Zoya 📖

#AnisasInternationalDay #NetGalley

*posted on @reviewsbyzoya_ IG

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Anisa's International Day was such a heartwarming story to read! Anisa is a Pakistani American who is trying to figure out what she wants to share with her class as they are throwing an International Day celebration! This is a wonderful younger middle-grade read and I liked how this book brought up the conversation surrounding the importance of sharing and learning about other cultures. This book also shared Anisa's experiences of being a child of immigrant parents which is a super important perspective. Anisa's International Day is also filled with delicious recipes and art that readers will absolutely love! This book would be an incredible addition to any classroom, library, or home bookshelf!

Thank you to the author and publisher for a free copy in exchange for a review!

This book was a wonderful read. My best friend is from Pakistan and it was lovely seeing all the different cultures, as well as seeing Pakistani culture shared in such a wholesome way.

Anisa is a great character - for such a short book there was a lot of character depth and development and I like the conflict resolution in this book. I think an "apology of action" is a great concept to teach children!

I absolutely adore the appendixes in the back that include recipes, mehndi designs, and activities that were included in the book, it really adds depth and allows readers to further connect to the characters, as well as to other cultures they might not be familiar with. I'm really looking forward to trying the samosa recipe here!

This early chapter book provides a deep sense of cultural pride as well as the difficulties of navigating friendship in the 3rd grade. The illustrations provide a balance to the text and there is plenty of white space, short chapters, and simple sentences to help new chapter book readers acclimate to the format. The author doesn't shy away from introducing more intricate vocabulary, while providing context for understanding. The story is simple and is plot driven as is appropriate for the age of the typical reader of this genre. There is a subtle depth to the characters woven through the book that is age appropriate.

The back matter of the book is where this becomes a standout. Recipes, glossary of terms, art projects and more introduce the reader to Pakistani culture in a sensitive way.

This would make a great addition to library early chapter book collections. It highlights Muslim and Pakistani culture in a way that children from other backgrounds will appreciate and relate to.

Anisa's International Day is a perfect illustration of how representation matters in school, and getting children/students engaged in the topic will push them to excel. Anisa's Pakistani roots are abeautifully interwoven into the story, providing a mirror for young girls who may have a difficult time finding themselves in a book.
This also serves as a window to a culture that other readers may not know. Showing the reader that although Anisa may have a different culture, she still goes through the same sibling rivalry, schoolwork, and family life as any other girl her age. There is a glossary in the back (although for the age this book is geared toward, I feel as if definitions in the pages may be helpful), and some wonderful recipes and crafts that bring the book to life for the reader.

I think everyone knows I am obsessed with Reem Faruqi’s writing and this chapter book is as delightful as a sweet chocolate frosted donut (like the one Anisa eats😉)❤️

Genre: Chapter Book
Ages: 6-10
Available: Amazon (preorder- it releases Fall 2022)

Anisa loves turquoise and turtles, but she loves her best friend more! When deciding what she wants to make for Pakistan on International day, she misunderstands her best friend and assumes that Katie is making fun of her. Anisa makes a pro and con chart and decides her friend is not a good one. After realizing her misunderstanding, Anisa has to figure out an act of apology and a way out of her bff debacle.

Anisa is a sweet elementary child with a lot of relatable qualities. She loves to bake and paint and her messy creative nature spills out into her friendships and emotions too.

I liked how the book showcased her Muslim and Pakistani identity, but had no identity crisis. It showed her learning what it means to be a good friend and showed her maturing and growing, which is wonderful for children to learn.

I also liked the backmatter and the fun activities at the end. Anisa is a sweet girl and can’t wait for more books about her!

Anisa’s teacher has the great idea to have an International Day after Anisa shows her new kurta to her. Miss Torres tells the students they can bring a food or plan an activity from a place they choose. Anisa plans to bring samosas, but when she hears someone say they will bring them, Anisa wants to plan something different. Anisa has an idea, and when she goes to show her best friend Katie, she thinks Katie laughs at her. Miss Torres tells Anisa to not make assumptions and tells Anisa she needs to do an apology of action. What does Anisa do?