The art style was absolutely gorgeous, I want every graphic novel ever to be in this art style. It was so pretty I'm obsessed. Anyway, this was a really cute kids book, it was educational, entertaining, and had a good (realistic) sibling relationship. The themes were great too, such as environmentalism, the experience of children of immigrant parents, and just figuring out your identity in general (while dealing with your annoying sibling of course :) ). I really liked the little facts scattered throughout the book, I know I would have thoroughly enjoyed that aspect when I was the target audience age (clearly I still enjoyed those facts). It was a very short read, but that's because its a middle grade graphic novel, nonetheless it still captivated me with the story and the characters. Overall, it was really enjoyable and super pretty I'm still thinking about the art style.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

Thank you to netgalley for a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute graphic novel. I liked the animal activism and the space information. I also liked to see the siblings relationship develop throughout the book. The art style was beautiful and I loved the representation of Muslim Americans especially Zara wearing hijab even though she was bullied. I would recommend this title.

Beautiful illustrations that give off the coastal setting of this story. The book perfectly depicts the ups and downs of a sibling relationship, and features a hijab-wearing main character that face adversity for their choice to wear one. I will definitely recommend this book to young Muslim girls and any kids interested in animal welfare and environmental issues.

This was a sweet graphic novel centering on sibling relationships and being the focus of Islamophobia in America. I rooted for the siblings the entire time and loved the family's loving, supportive dynamic. I felt for the parents multiple times throughout the novel. I couldn't imagine trying to raise emotionally, mentally well-adjusted children in the face of the bigotry Muslims are subjected to daily. The science facts scattered throughout the novel were wonderful, and the watercolor style art is gorgeous.







***Thank you to Netgalley and First Second Books for an eARC of this graphic novel in exchange for a review. ***

This was a cute graphic novel featuring a brother and sister who struggle to get along. Their feuding even follows them on vacation and their continued bickering leads to their parents confiscating their cell phones. As they struggle to get along with their electronic refuge, these siblings start to actually listen to each other and appreciate the other's interests. The pair also bind together in an attempt to save an injured tortoise.

This is a wonderful graphic novel about two siblings who both struggle to get along with each other and with the world. The storytelling is wonderful in the way that it does a great job of focusing on the siblings current struggles with each other while balancing it with their past issues and instances of racism they face from others. The art is also stunning and I especially love the coloring. All in all, this is a lovely graphic novel.

Another hit from Saadia Faruqi! I loved the plot line of twin siblings who seem like they can’t be more different but have to come together. There were many moments that will be relatable to all kinds of readers. The illustrations were stunning as well! Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

This was a sweet middle grade story about two siblings learning to see eye to eye when they go on vacation and their parents force them to spend time together. The art work in Saving Sunshine is absolutely beautiful and there are a lot of themes that are well tackled, such prejudice, Islamaphobia, conservation, and activism. While I enjoyed this book, some elements fell a bit flat. I didn't quite buy the reasons why Zara and Zeeshan were so against each other, and at times the messages, while well presented, felt a bit heavy handed. This title will especially appeal to readers interested in conservation, or those who are interested in learning more/starting a conversation about prejudice.

Thank you to First Second and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Zara and Zeeshan are middle school aged Muslim American twins who constantly fight. Zara is into animal preservation and Zeeshan love all things space. When their doctor mother is invited to receive an award at a Florida conference, it becomes a family vacation. But the twins constant bickering becomes unbearable, their parents take away their phones until they can learn to get along. Zara has just started wearing hijab which has made her a target for teasing at school and at the resort. She is annoyed that Zeeshan doesn’t stand up for her. While wandering down the beach, they come across a stranded sea turtle that Zara has named Sunshine. Helping the sea turtle becomes a joint venture for them and they learn to appreciate each other’s interests.
While I did enjoy this graphic novel, I felt that some of the dialog was a bit forced. I understand hat the authors were conveying, I just felt it could have been smoother. Also, the part about their father taking his stethoscope to the conference seemed weird and only seemed to set up for TSA harassment, which also didn’t make sense – the agents didn’t know what it was?! But I am not the target audience and I doubt 5th graders will pick up on these details. The authors have done a good job conveying the prejudice and Islamaphobia that these families face.
3.5 stars
#SavingSunshine #NetGalley

Enjoyed this middle grade graphic novel about feuding siblings finding common ground and seeing things from each other's POV. Includes conversations about microaggressions, prejudice, and cultural expectations.

I loved the watercolor art style that the graphic novel had. A lot of children's/tweens graphic novels have computer generated looking graphics that don't resemble a hand drawn picture. I enjoyed seeing the way the art style was used.

Thank you NetGalley for gifting me a copy of this book.

Wow this book was amazing. The designs and the colours were gorgeous. The topics addressed and the story were interesting and very on point.

I would 100% recommend it!!

I thought this book was done very well. While I don't wear a hijab, this book reflects what some girls go through when starting. I like that this was based on a family. However, I wonder about the mom's wearing the hijab inside the house. Within the book, you see her take it off inside her home, I understand that when around family it is not necessary, however as the reader, I feel like I am looking into their life and that makes me feel like I am seeing something I should not.

I'm so excited to buy a physical copy of SAVING SUNSHINE when it comes out next month! It's the perfect pairing for TWINS by Varian Johnson, THE DEEP AND DARK BLUE by Niki Smith, TWIN CITIES by Jose Pimienta, or HUDA F CARES by Huda Fahmy - all wonderful middle grade graphic novels about twins/sibling dynamics. I could also see it pairing with CLOSER TO NOWHERE by and BLACK BROTHER BLACK BROTHER by Jewell Parker Rhodes. So many possibilities!
Read if you like:
- tricky family relationships that develop into a deeper love
- vacation stories (Key West, Florida!)
- animal rights issues
- teamwork!
- or if you DON'T like constantly being asked where you're from.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. Publishes Sep 5/23!

A cute middle grade graphic novel that tackles family, racism, and animal rights activism. Twins Zara and Zeeshan have their phones taken away by their parents because they keep fighting. On vacation, they must learn how to get along to get their phones back. They learn to stand up for themselves and help out a sick turtle in the process of learning again to get along and appreciate each other.

Saving Sunshine is such a wholesome story! Zara and Zeeshan are siblings who don't really see eye to eye which often leads to arguments between them with one trying to provoke the other. When their phones are taken away during a trip with their parents, both Zara and Zeeshan slowly begin to realize how much they have hurt their sibling and how important family and support is.
I absolutely adored this. From Zara's obsession with saving animals to Zeeshan's obsession with space (and the things that led them both to pursue the respective fields so fiercely), these two were such a fun bunch to follow. All the little arguments and the way Muslim faith was portrayed felt so visceral that you couldn't help but feel attached to the characters and their values and beliefs immediately.
I love how, beyond the strained sibling relationship, this also spoke about racism and how hard it can be to stand up for the things you believe in when people are casually cruel without even noticing it.
A wonderful, gorgeous graphic novel that is all about family, overcoming differences in the face of adversity and belonging.

Thank you to First Second Books and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. Saving Sunshine is a graphic novel by Saadia Faruqi and illustrated by Shazleen Khan about twins who are grounded for fighting and are punished by having their phones taken away and forcing them to spend time together. The illustrations were beautiful, and I liked that the coloring of the drawings changed for flashbacks. (Muted for the past) All of the characters feel distinct and I liked that the story explored culture, beliefs, bias, family, and finding a place and a passion. I understand the need for the bickering between siblings (it was believable, but not fun to read), but I thought it resolved too quickly. The message and resolution were beautiful and I'll definitely be picking up a copy and recommending it. Overall a great book so I'm giving it a 4.5 or 5 ⭐

The themes, messaging and Islamic and cultural representation in this upper MG/lower middle school graphic novel are wonderfully unapologetically present.  Yet somehow, I never connected with the characters, and the plotting seemed stiff.  I don't regret reading the book, and I'm sure most readers will be delighted with the main story of sibling annoyance, a sick turtle, and independent kids with reflective flashbacks and OWN voice threads of Islamophobia, immigration, starting to wear hijab, identity and othering.  I just felt the tropes were predictable, stereotypical even, and when the dad takes a stethoscope to a medical conference and the TSA agent doesn't know what it is, I cringed.  Seriously, who takes a stethoscope on vacation? Who doesn't know what one is? I normally love the author's characters and wish for more Islam, this book gave me the Islam, but I really disliked the siblings, they were mean, angry, and annoying.  I own that reading a book about bickering kids a few days before my own five children returned to school may have jaded me, and I do think I found the religious touchstones predictable because I do read a lot of kid lit and I'm older, so while I'm not gushing in my praise for this book, I will be preordering a copy for myself and the school library. How is that for having an opinion and then completely walking it back? Yeah, it happens.

SYNOPSIS:

Twins Zara and Zeeshan bicker, a lot.  Zara loves animals and nature, Zeeshan space exploration, and both love their phones.  When the family heads to a medical conference in Key West where their mom is getting an award, the kids get their phones taken away by their parents when the two won't stop fighting. The parents stick to their policy and the two are forced to stick together and entertain themselves while their parents attend lectures.  At one point they find a turtle and Zara takes the lead to try and help Sunshine, but will need her brother along the way.

WHY I LIKE IT:
I love that the characters identifying as Muslim was central and unapologetic.  I liked the flashbacks that provided a little bit of depth to the parents coming to America and their life in Pakistan, along with the personal reflections about starting to wearing hijab and when the kids started to go their own way.  But the airport scene, the identity issues, and the Islamophobia seemed a little superficial and over done.  The heart to hearts with the dad and his son and mom and Zara were sweet and insightful about belonging and where you come from, and not being so angry, but they also seemed very natural and in-character for the parents which is a disconnect from the anger the kids seem to carry.  If the parents are talking to them and modeling all this, it is a bit of a stretch that they are reacting as they are in the book. 

I have a brother, it is just the two of us, we aren't twins, but growing up in the 80s as the only Muslims in the area with a convert mom and immigrant dad, we came together a lot because only each other could understand the stresses we faced in and outside our home.  I thought this book would draw on that universal theme, and I was surprised that the point of the book felt a little underdeveloped.  I know MG can handle more than we give them credit for, but I felt like this book built up to have more of a warm hug, than I felt.  I wanted more of them plotting together, I didn't feel like Zara really needed her brother to stick up for her, she wanted it sure, but that was a foot in the door that I think was missed.  She is strong, yet was being vulnerable with her brother, and he was able to step up for her, but it needed a few more beats to be appreciated.  I also wanted more connection to the turtle, his name is in the title, I thought he'd have a bigger role.

FLAGS:

Disrespect, lying, anger, yelling, bullying, teasing, Islamophobia, stereotypes, prejudice

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

The book would allow for discussion for middle grade readers who might see themselves in the family dynamic or be able to relate to some of the Islamophobia.  It could also cause some worry for some children that being visibly Muslim or having cultural names, and wearing cultural clothes will bring negative differential treatment to them.

Saadia Faruqi is a youth librarian's dream author: early readers, middle grade novels, and now a graphic novel? I really enjoyed this beautifully-illustrated story with its themes of family and care for the earth, and I'm putting it on the short list of graphic novels to acquire this school year! Though my nine-year-old hasn't gotten to it yet, I know she'll be a fan.

Many thanks to the creators, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

This is a cute middle grade graphic novel with lots of important themes running through it. Perfect book for discussions about family, culture, racism and activism. Beautifully illustrated. Recommended for all middle grade graphic novel collections.