A beautiful middle school graphic novel that has amazing meaning and it perfect for middle schoolers

I loved the art style a lot and related a lot with the main characters about a lot of things including the micro aggressions faced by Asian Americans/ other diaspora as well as the siblings relationship. The fights between the twins reminded me a lot about my own experience growing up with my brother so they made me laugh thinking back on those memories.

The interesting thing about this book is that it manages to make its messages come together as one. On one side we have brotherhood, on the other racism and on the last how children deal with all of this.

Sometimes you don't need long deep paragraphs on a subject to show that it matters, sometimes a dialogue is enough, the wink of an action and that is exactly what is done in this graphic novel.

Saving Sunshine is a story of two Muslim twins who don't get along very well because their interests and personalities differ. On a small vacation, for a prize that their mother will win, they manage to exceed their parents' patience limit and are punished: no cell phones. Zara is an environmental activist so she needs her phone to photograph and keep notes on flora and fauna, Zeeshan loves space and NASA (who are just doing a lot of lives these days about discoveries or Q & A's). So they both urgently need to get their phones back.

The truth is that I was enchanted by the story. The growth in the relationship of the brothers, the secondary characters, the adventure and its message.

My only observation is that on page 178 (print - page 184 ebook) I think I noticed a design error in Zeeshan's hair. It seems that he is missing a part, he is half bald.

Saving Sunshine by Saadia Faruqi is a beautiful story that delivers a thoughtful message. The graphics in the story are a great effort by Shazleen Khan and keep the reader involved in the smooth flow of the narration.
The book highlights one of the vital issues that the Muslim community faces living abroad while following a certain dress code, especially the headscarf. The story opens up with Doctor Aziz’s family, who are Pakistani by roots and are living in the US for some time.

The first chapter takes the reader to their home where their two kids Zeeshan and Zara are arguing over their hobbies and packing up for a conference where their mother, a Pediatrician is to be awarded for her services. The casual routine of a household, the family having dinner and discussing their trip makes the reader more comfortable, as if it’s one’s own daily life being narrated.

Throughout the story, the author brilliantly delivers a very peaceful message of how the Muslim community and the obligations of being a Muslim should be respected, as they deserve equal respect and place, in the society they live in.

The book also highlights the psychological effect on Muslim children that these differences create with the behaviour of the society toward a certain community. It’s a thoughtful approach by Saadia to narrate such differences through a simple, sweet yet powerful narration.

The title of the book “Saving Sunshine” clearly portrays the care of animals like Zara and Zeeshan helped the turtle to cure and return to the sea. It is in depth and inspires the reader with the act of kindness for all living beings, no matter what species they belong to, what sect they are from, or what faith they hold. The message is of humanity, love, peace, and care.

The author beautifully highlights the dilemma faced by Muslim women wearing a headscarf. The humiliation they have to face due to their attire really makes one think and question why that is not acceptable in developed countries and civilised societies. It also sketches a family bond that helps a family to stay put with their values together.

I really appreciate Saadia for choosing her writing to deliver this serious matter with the kindness and goodness of her heart. Shazleen’s beautiful art gives the story a gentle rhythm and helps the author to convey her thoughts with a smooth flow. “Saving Sunshine” is recommended for a wide audience, for young readers, children and parents to help communities gain respect in society for a peaceful future. Ultimately, peace and love are the only way to a bright future for generations to come. Highly appreciate Saadia for the lovely and brave initiative. A good read.

At first, the siblings bickering with each other really annoyed me. Which is good as it was intended; the author describes this in the back cover. Then I found myself gasping at the art and illustrations as they got prettier by the page. Overall, loved the resolution, and held my hand to my heart as the story wrapped up.

Would recommend this book to kids, teens and adults alike.

Received the ARC from the publisher/Netgalley.

Beautiful watercolor art and a heartfelt story make for a lovely graphic novel.

Twins Zara and Zeeshan used to be close, but somewhere along the way they grew into adversaries. Their constant bickering finally goes too far and their parents insist they spend an entire family trip in one another's company.

As the vacation progresses, Zara and Zeesh slowly begin to find common ground. Instead of mocking their sibling's passion, each twin learns to appreciate the other's interests. Chapter endings flashback to significant events in the last few years to show where their relationship began to unravel. Will they choose to set aside past hurts and support one another?

The feelings and relationships in this story are wonderfully genuine and come through so clearly. From the petty sibling squabbles to the daily experiences of life as a Muslim in modern America, the entire book sparkles with life and realism.

Two small adjustments that I think could make this lovely book even better:

-Small educational facts appear throughout the book in boxes on the side. I imagine younger kids reading the book will enjoy them, though I personally found the asides disruptive. There aren't enough facts to satisfy the educational style story those boxes usually indicate. Incorporating the facts in the characters' dialogue instead would keep the story's flow and retain the focus on narrative and emotion.

-There are several unfamiliar words sprinkled among these pages. As an adult, I simply used the internet to learn the meanings of the words I didn't recognize. But I don't expect a kid to be both capable and willing to do the same. A short glossary at the beginning or end defining a few of the new words would be fantastic to aid young readers' comprehension.

Such a beautiful and meaningful graphic novel, that I feel like every kid needs to read. The art style was beautiful, but the storytelling even more so, and it addressed some serious topics that are definitely not talked about enough.

In middle grade graphic novel Saving Sunshine by Saadia Faruqi (First Second, September 2023), twin teenagers must face the ultimate punishment this vacation: no cell phones. It’s not a permanent punishment, but it sure feels like it. They can only get them back when they can get along without fighting. While their parents attend a work conference, Zara and Zeeshan eventually learn to get along when they bond in helping a sick sea turtle return to the sea.

Zara has always been an environmental activist, and her brother has teased her for her passion. Zeeshan has always been obsessed with NASA events. But now, the two try to figure out how to help Sunshine the sea turtle. The two seek out ways to help the sea turtle, all the while experiencing new opportunities they may not have noticed is they were still glued to their phones. Zara comes to understand and support Zeeshan’s interest in space, and Zeeshan finds a cause of his own. He finds that he wants to stand up against racism because of the unfair judgements against them as Muslims in America. This multicultural perspective provides a new insight for the middle grade reader.

Although I struggled the constant arguing in the first half of the book (too close to home!), it was nice to see the kids come together by the end of their vacation. The punishment was certainly one the young readers can relate to. The art was very nice: flashbacks to times they got along with each other are shown in a sepia tone in contrast to the multi-colored modern day illustrations. The characters’ heritage and religion also provides an important and unique voice that is often missing from the middle grade bookshelf.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance review copy of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5/5 stars

saving sunshine is a contemporary tale about a Muslim American family with twin children interested in space and animal rights. the twins both struggle in their own ways with feeling othered in their identities and interests by both their peers and each other. when their family ends up on a trip together, they go through a transformative journey of understanding one another- with the help of an unexpected friend!

i would like to preface this by saying i am not Muslim nor an immigrant. as such, i cannot speak to the identity specifics in this book. so, generally speaking, i think having representation of how experiencing prejudice or hatred for who you are can be different between siblings and act as a point of contention for your relation to each other (and your navigating the world together) is something i don’t see as often as i’d expect. i think recognizing that there can be differences that come from a point of similarity (and that you can always reconnect) was a powerful part of the story. i have definitely had similar experiences with my sibling because of the identities we share.

the art style and coloration were beautiful and felt very in tune thematically with the story. i also loved the little inserts made to look like computer pop-ups that included animal or space facts relevant to our twin main characters. it was such an enjoyable and unique addition!

as an adult, i found the amount of unresolved sibling squabbling seriously annoying- which is how i know it will likely be spot on for its target audience. any kid with a sibling is going to eat up the relatability of these arguments. it definitely brought me back.

i will try to be as nonspecific as i can with my wording to avoid spoilers here. if i were to have any qualms, it would be things that middle graders probably wouldn’t notice. it seemed somewhat improbable to me that a resort area with lots of parents and children would have such low buzz about the animal-related conflict. like...what about salmonella girl??? i don’t think this would be as much of an issue for my brain if the author hadn’t put in the efforts to add actual space and animal facts to set a more realistic tone! but, like i said, a vast majority of middle graders probably won’t be focused on those yellow flags that adult me saw. and, honestly, it contributed to the plot and specific character introductions to have less adults involved in the animal conflict.

altogether, this was simply a lovely read that i would recommend to anyone who loves a good graphic novel!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5706107920
Thanks to NetGalley and First Second Books for the ebook in exchange of an honest review.

Una historia muy tierna y bonita. Quienes tenemos hermanos sabemos lo fácil que es enojarnos con ellos y ponernos a discutir por cualquier cosa, pero también sabemos que eventualmente nos vamos a perdonar y haremos las pases.

Un poco de eso es lo que se aprecia en esta novela gráfica, el amor fraternal. Zara y Zeesh son neoyorquinos, pero las personas no les creen, pues lucen y visten diferente. Toda su vida se han sentido discriminados por ser descendientes pakistaníes. Esto trae repercusiones en la escuela y entre ellos mismos.

Sin embargo, el amor y la sabiduría de sus padres, además de unas cuantas buenas personas que siempre aparecen en las vidas de cada uno, logran que esos hermanos puedan estar en paz con ellos mismos y con el mundo. Entendiendo quiénes son y quienes quieren ser.

Una muy linda historia para los primeros lectores. Si les encantan los animales o el espacio exterior, aun mejor, pues algo de datos freaks al respecto se ven en la historia.

No se pierdan la oportunidad de leer este libro ❤️

Zeesh is obsessed with space while his sister loves animal rescue. This makes it easy for them to tease each other. When, during a trip to Florida, the twins go too far and lose their phone privileges, they have to find other ways to express their passions. Zara finds an unwell turtle stranded on the beach and names him Sunshine. While dealing with ignorant and racist comments, the twins have to find a way to save Sunshine without getting on each others' nerves.

This story, while delivering quite a few snippets of fact and adventure, is primarily focused on sibling dynamics and the strain that can come from dealing with prejudice. It's rather slow paced at times, and the sibling arguing is a constant annoying thrum throughout the story. Yet I love the way that it clues readers in on the ways that other peoples' actions can affect you without you realizing it. It's easy to feel alone when you can't turn to the people most like you for support. The ending was powerful, and the story believable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I swear everything Saadia Faruqi puts out is pure gold and this is no exception. In this story about siblings trying to get along, there are so many well-done layers. The microaggressions that they face for being Muslim, Zara's decision to wear the hijab, Zeesh's struggle with being bullied at school, the family's airport journey taking longer than if they were white... the details were so well woven with the story. Zeesh's love of space and Zara's love of animals both serve to add more depth and interest to their characters, and the plot moves quickly and interestingly. I will definitely be recommending this one.

probably one of the most beautiful graphic novel i’ve ever read (haven’t read many tbh😭), i absolutely adored the illustration style, kinda like watercolor. it was a quick story with themes of family, religion, identity and belonging. now i’m not really the target audience (not a kid, not a POC and not Muslim) but for those kids, it’s really cool, you get to see zeesh and zara’s experience (both good and bad). i enjoyed it a lot, recommend especially if you have a younger family member. 4⭐️

This is a tale of two quarrelling Muslim-American twins who overcome their differences to rescue a giant turtle while on a family trip with their parents in Florida.

I’m so glad to see a graphic novel with Muslim representation that explores themes of alienation, discrimination, but also belonging. I especially found the conversations between Zara and her Amma important/enlightening.

Thumbs-up for the art style - visually pleasing and calming to look at.

My rating of 3 stars is not a reflection of the quality of the book, but of the fact that I wasn’t the intended audience for it. I’d recommend this to any middle grade reader!

"Saving Sunshine" by Saadia Faruqi is not just a delightful read, but an important one too. The stunning watercolor illustrations infuse every page with depth and beauty, turning the book into a visual masterpiece.

But what truly stands out is the own voices perspective that provides readers with an intimate look into the experience of being a Muslim American child living in America. Faruqi deftly handles this aspect, introducing tougher topics like microaggressions in an age-appropriate manner. It's an experience that's both eye-opening and, at times, heartbreaking.

The sibling dynamics between twin brother and sister Zara and Zeeshan are as relatable as they are compelling. They are obsessed with different fields; Zara is into animals, and Zeeshan is into outer space. Despite being twins, they don't always get along, and their bickering adds an authentic touch of sibling drama. The plot hinges around them getting along together without their phones as a distraction. Their family dynamics are lovingly portrayed, and the blend of their doctor parents with science-loving kids creates an engaging backdrop that will resonate with many readers.

The story also weaves in fun facts about animals and space. However, I did notice some inaccuracies with the space facts, and I hope this will be corrected in the final print.

The exploration of Muslim American identity, paired with intriguing characters and a nicely paced plot, makes "Saving Sunshine" a must-read. Whether you're drawn to the stunning artwork, engaging family dynamics, or the thoughtful depiction of a young Muslim American's experience, this book is a treasure that offers something unique and heartwarming.

“I’m tired of random strangers looking at me like I’m a puzzle to solve.”
🐢
Zara and Zeeshan are Muslim American twins who were close growing up, but have since drifted apart in middle school. In fact their fighting on a family vacation to Key West has their parents taking their phones away and forcing them to stick together for the entire trip. When animal lover Zara stumbles upon a hurt loggerhead turtle, both she and Zeesh come together to help save Sunshine.
🐢
There is so much heart and familial love in this MG graphic novel by @saadiafaruqi @shazleen.jpeg I loved the artwork as well as the story of siblings who are each going through their own struggles that have to deal with bullying and Islamophobia. Dealing with ignorance and hate at such a young age (or any age really) just breaks my heart, but the love these two have for their family, their heritage and religion gives me so much hope. Grab this title on September 5!

CW: bullying, racism, Islamophobia

I will start by saying that this is a graphic novel that is suited to the age group and may not resonate with anyone outside of that intended audience type. There were just too many things happening and the story got very muddled, but for a middle schooler, that may be ok and they will learn from the story.

The artwork was nice. It was more of a watercolour style but with some sharp edges.

The story was also interesting and kept me engaged, while also teaching a few lessons here and there. There are aspects of siblings figuring things out, protecting endangered species, and respecting different cultures and beliefs. All great lessons, including some science about space and nature presented as fact cards in the novel.

What I found the most challenging was that I really was expecting something very different from the description of the book, so maybe that's what needs to change when this is published in September. Because as it stood, I was expecting a story about two kids who, after being denied their devices, bonded to save a turtle who was in trouble. What we got, instead, were two kids who continued to fight and be brats from pretty much start to finish with a turtle thrown in. I just didn't feel like it accomplished what I had been led to believe it would. Without giving too much away, the story does cover what is described, but it seems to be just too spread out from start to finish to give it the meat I was anticipating.

Not a total wash especially if it sparks a conversation about things like bullying, respect for other cultures and beliefs, and the environment.

What a beautiful new book from the always amazing Saadia Faruqi! I wasn’t expecting to enjoy the graphic novel format as much as I did, and I was delighted by the artists’ expressive characters and color palettes. Absolutely perfect for middle-grade readers: family trip, sibling rivalry, technology withdrawal, STEM interests, family bickering, and a very honest look at xenophobia/Islamophobia. Another huge hit from Faruqi, this will fly off the shelves.

It was my first attempt in reading a book by Saadia Faruqi and I cannot but be in agreement with other readers saying that her works have meaningful messages and topics.
In "Saving Sunshine" (a middle grade graphic novel) we follow two Muslim American sibling - Zara and Zeeshan - that really can't stand each other. They are "stucked" with their parents in a family trip in Florida and their mother confiscated their phones. So, Zara and Zeeshan have to spend time together.
They have their own passion/hobby: Zara is into animals, and Zeeshan is in outer space. They end up working together to save a sick loggerhead turtle and during this time, they start to learn more about each other and the difficulties they both faced throughout the years. How their "cultural diversity" had an impact on their and other people's lives. How their classmates treated them with distrust.

I really loved the illustrations and the mix with present time and flashback (portrayed in a different colour palette).
Highly recommend for middle grades readers!

Hoping to read other works of Saadia Faruqi!

[Thank you to NetGalley and First Second for the eARC!]

Really loved lots of aspects of this book. There were sweet moments and I love positive muslim rep. The art was incredible!
However- tbh the plot seemed very surface level and the islamaphobia overdone- i say this as a muslim hijabi. I just wished for more subtlety in the beats and emotional depth in the characters to really bring the story home.