A very sweet and beautiful story about being young siblings but also being Muslim in America. Some of it reminded me of my siblings and it made me emotional at times.

This was a great #ownvoices, middle grade graphic novel about two Muslim American twin siblings who are forced to spend time together on vacation and end up working out their differences to help save a sick loggerhead turtle. Beautiful illustrations and important messages about not judging other people based on differences. Highly recommended. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Zara and Zeeshan are twins, and really don't like each other. Find out what happens on a family trip to see if they can learn to get along at last.
This illustrations and dialogue help tell the story of these two siblings, the children of Pakistani immigrants and difficulties they have faced being Muslim-Americans in post 9/11 USA.

Graphic novel for siblings that argue, have a lot of kids that may well understand what that’s like. Looking forward to seeing this one finalized, reading on smart phone is tough for old-ish eyes

Gorgeously illustrated and beautifully told, this graphic novel expertly covers sibling dynamics while incorporating adventure and timely social issues.

A great thing about reading books months before they come out, is going in to a book with no expectations. I saw Saadia Faruqi's name on this book and figured it would be great, but I wasn't prepared to be blown away by the artwork. I think the last middle grade graphic novel that I found this beautiful was Victoria Jamieson's When Stars Are Scattered. The illustrations of the night sky, the ocean, and flashbacks to the childhood of the two protagonists and their parent's were especially well-rendered. I loved the combination of fixed panels and full-bleed illustrations that added to the emotional depth of the book.

As for the story -- I thought it worked well with the art and was a unique and important perspective on growing up as a Muslim in America. The prejudice and racism that Zara and Zeesh face is palpable and believable. But seeing these kids continue in their passions despite that is inspiring. I think that the sections about Zara's choice to wear hijab were especially powerful. I'm also a sucker for a story about the power of family love and this one checked all the boxes.

I really enjoyed this! The art was gorgeous, and it was really sweet to follow these siblings reconnecting with each other while also reckoning with finding their place in the world. Occasionally the conflict/dialogue felt a bit stilted, but other than that, no complaints here. (Did I mention the art is gorgeous?)