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Description
Kanzi’s family has moved from Egypt to America, and on her first day in a new school, what she wants more than anything is to fit in. Maybe that’s why she forgets to take the kofta sandwich her mother has made for her lunch, but that backfires when Mama shows up at school with the sandwich. Mama wears a hijab and calls her daughter Habibti (dear one). When she leaves, the teasing starts.
That night, Kanzi wraps herself in the beautiful Arabic quilt her teita (grandma) in Cairo gave her and writes a poem in Arabic about the quilt. Next day her teacher sees the poem and gets the entire class excited about creating a “quilt” (a paper collage) of student names in Arabic. In the end, Kanzi’s most treasured reminder of her old home provides a pathway for acceptance in her new one.
This authentic story with beautiful illustrations includes a glossary of Arabic words and a presentation of Arabic letters with their phonetic English equivalents.
Kanzi’s family has moved from Egypt to America, and on her first day in a new school, what she wants more than anything is to fit in. Maybe that’s why she forgets to take the kofta sandwich her...
Kanzi’s family has moved from Egypt to America, and on her first day in a new school, what she wants more than anything is to fit in. Maybe that’s why she forgets to take the kofta sandwich her mother has made for her lunch, but that backfires when Mama shows up at school with the sandwich. Mama wears a hijab and calls her daughter Habibti (dear one). When she leaves, the teasing starts.
That night, Kanzi wraps herself in the beautiful Arabic quilt her teita (grandma) in Cairo gave her and writes a poem in Arabic about the quilt. Next day her teacher sees the poem and gets the entire class excited about creating a “quilt” (a paper collage) of student names in Arabic. In the end, Kanzi’s most treasured reminder of her old home provides a pathway for acceptance in her new one.
This authentic story with beautiful illustrations includes a glossary of Arabic words and a presentation of Arabic letters with their phonetic English equivalents.
Advance Praise
"A timely, heartwarming story with expressive, vibrant illustrations that complement the text. This story will boost immigrant children’s morale and teach others to be more open-minded."- STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal
"A timely, heartwarming story with expressive, vibrant illustrations that complement the text. This story will boost immigrant children’s morale and teach others to be more open-minded."- STARRED...
"A timely, heartwarming story with expressive, vibrant illustrations that complement the text. This story will boost immigrant children’s morale and teach others to be more open-minded."- STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal
When Kanzi moves to a new town with her Mama and Baba, she is afraid of being different as an Egyptian-american. But when one girl makes fun of her mother for speaking Arabic, Kanzi is ready to share who she is instead of hiding. She brings the quilt her teita made for her back in Egypt to school, and soon, her show and tell turns into an inclusive activity of making their own class quilt out of paper.
This is a beautiful story about multiculturalism in the classroom. With her quilt, Kanzi opens up to her new school and her classmates open to her as well. The story is presented in easily understood language. It encourages inclusion and I will recommend this book to teachers and families.
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Featured Reviews
Wendy M, Educator
When Kanzi moves to a new town with her Mama and Baba, she is afraid of being different as an Egyptian-american. But when one girl makes fun of her mother for speaking Arabic, Kanzi is ready to share who she is instead of hiding. She brings the quilt her teita made for her back in Egypt to school, and soon, her show and tell turns into an inclusive activity of making their own class quilt out of paper.
This is a beautiful story about multiculturalism in the classroom. With her quilt, Kanzi opens up to her new school and her classmates open to her as well. The story is presented in easily understood language. It encourages inclusion and I will recommend this book to teachers and families.
What Comes After
JoAnne Tompkins
General Fiction (Adult), Literary Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers
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