Saadia Faruqi

At a time when we are all asking questions about identity, grief, and how to stand up for what is right, this book by the author of A Thousand Questions will hit home with young readers who love Hena Khan and Varian Johnson—or anyone struggling to understand recent U.S. history and how it still affects us today. Yusuf Azeem has spent all his life in the small town of Frey, Texas—and nearly that long waiting for the chance to participate in the regional robotics competition, which he just knows he can win. Only, this year is going to be more difficult than he thought. Because this year is the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, an anniversary that has everyone in his Muslim community on edge. With “Never Forget” banners everywhere and a hostile group of townspeople protesting the new mosque, Yusuf realizes that the country’s anger from two decades ago hasn’t gone away. Can he hold onto his joy—and his friendships—in the face of heartache and prejudice?

"At a time when we are all asking questions about identity, grief, and how to stand up for what is right, this book by the author of A Thousand Questions will hit home with young readers who love Hena Khan and Varian Johnson--or anyone struggling to understand recent U.S. history and how it still affects us today. Yusuf Azeem has spent all his life in the small town of Frey, Texas--and nearly that long waiting for the chance to participate in the regional robotics competition, which he just knows he can win. Only, this year is going to be more difficult than he thought. Because this year is the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, an anniversary that has everyone in his Muslim community on edge. With "Never Forget" banners everywhere and a hostile group of townspeople protesting the new mosque, Yusuf realizes that the country's anger from two decades ago hasn't gone away. Can he hold onto his joy--and his friendships--in the face of heartache and prejudice?"

At a time when we are all asking questions about identity, grief, and how to stand up for what is right, this book by the author of A Thousand Questions will hit home with young readers who love Hena Khan and Varian Johnson—or anyone struggling to understand recent U.S. history and how it still affects us today. Yusuf Azeem has spent all his life in the small town of Frey, Texas—and nearly that long waiting for the chance to participate in the regional robotics competition, which he just knows he can win. Only, this year is going to be more difficult than he thought. Because this year is the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, an anniversary that has everyone in his Muslim community on edge. With “Never Forget” banners everywhere and a hostile group of townspeople protesting the new mosque, Yusuf realizes that the country’s anger from two decades ago hasn’t gone away. Can he hold onto his joy—and his friendships—in the face of heartache and prejudice?

Meet Yasmin Yasmin is a spirited second-grader who's always on the lookout for those aha moments to help her solve life's little problems. Taking inspiration from her surroundings and her big imagination, she boldly faces any situation-assuming her imagination doesn't get too big, of course A creative thinker and curious explorer, Yasmin and her multi-generational Pakistani American family will delight and inspire readers.

A Schneider Family Book Award Honoree From beloved middle grade author Saadia Faruqi comes a poignant exploration of the impact of mental illness on families—and the love and hope that it takes to begin telling a different tale. Mo is used to his father’s fits of rage. When Abbu's moods shake the house, Mo is safe inside his head, with his cherished folktales: The best way to respond is not to engage. Apparently, his mama knows that too—which is why she took a job on the other side of the world, leaving Mo alone with Abbu. With Mama gone, the two move to Texas to live with Mo’s aunt and cousin, Rayyan. The two boys could not be more different. Rayyan is achievement-driven and factual; Mo is a “bad kid." Still, there is a lot to like about living in Texas. Sundays at the mosque are better than he’d expected. And Rayyan and his aunt become a real family to Mo. But even in a warm home and school where he begins to see a future for himself, Mo knows that the monster within his father can break out and destroy their fragile peace at any moment…

Perfect for fans of Ivy & Bean and Stella Diaz, this charming chapter book series by the author of the successful Yasmin series follows a Pakistani American third-grader whose plans may backfire but whose persistence and heart are inspiring It’s winter break and Marya and Hanna are joining Alexa and her aunt at a luxurious ski resort. A fancy, snowy vacation may sound like a dream to most kids, but not Marya. She hates being cold, and five days with her frenemy Alexa might be too much to handle. There’s only one thing that can save this vacation: finding the Abominable Snowman. Cue Operation Catch a Monster! Marya is set on proving the Snowman exists—especially to her bossy older sister, Aliyah, who thinks Marya’s a baby. But with Marya’s friends set on sledding, hiking, and board games, Marya starts to worry the trip is a bust. Will she ever be able to surprise Aliyah, or—after five eventful days—will the most surprised person be . . . Marya herself? More from the Marya Khan series: Marya Khan and the Incredible Henna Party (Marya Khan #1) Marya Khan and the Fabulous Jasmine Garden (Marya Khan #2) Marya Khan and the Spectacular Fall Festival (Marya Khan #3) Marya Khan and the Awesome Adventure Park (Marya Khan #4) Marya Khan and the Disastrous Class Project (Marya Khan #5)

Riz is determined to prove to his dad that movies matter and ghosts are real, but he and his friends might be in over their head when they investigate the local creepy mansion. Join for the spooky adventure full of family drama, folklore from different cultures, and new-found friendships from acclaimed author Saadia Faruqi and artist Shadia Amin Riz Choudhry lives for two things: movies and anything spooky. His dad? Not so much. While Riz dreams of filmmaking and jump scares, his father dreams of Riz going to med school and law school--and neither one includes ghosts. But the film club is Riz's safe haven, a place where other supernatural-obsessed first-gen kids swap scary stories from their cultures. So, when the group decides to film a documentary about the creepy old mansion in town, Riz is all in. But there's a problem. His dad wants Riz to quit the club. AND the building is about to be demolished. Now Riz and his friends must use the power of filmmaking to save the mansion...before it vanishes forever. Packed with shivers, laughter, and heart, Don't Be Scared celebrates friendship, heritage, and daring to fight for what matters--even if it means disagreeing with your family.

Riz is determined to prove to his dad that movies matter and ghosts are real, but he and his friends might be in over their head when they investigate the local creepy mansion. Join for the spooky adventure full of family drama, folklore from different cultures, and new-found friendships from acclaimed author Saadia Faruqi and artist Shadia Amin Riz Choudhry lives for two things: movies and anything spooky. His dad? Not so much. While Riz dreams of filmmaking and jump scares, his father dreams of Riz going to med school and law school--and neither one includes ghosts. But the film club is Riz's safe haven, a place where other supernatural-obsessed first-gen kids swap scary stories from their cultures. So, when the group decides to film a documentary about the creepy old mansion in town, Riz is all in. But there's a problem. His dad wants Riz to quit the club. AND the building is about to be demolished. Now Riz and his friends must use the power of filmmaking to save the mansion...before it vanishes forever. Packed with shivers, laughter, and heart, Don't Be Scared celebrates friendship, heritage, and daring to fight for what matters--even if it means disagreeing with your family.

Ms. Marvel trips into a mystery that brings her from Jersey City to Lahore, Pakistan and back again, all on a chase for a magical artifact. Kamala Khan is pretty much your average teenager. She's worried about her grades and she loves hanging out with her best friend Bruno. (he's just a friend, right?) She also happens to be Jersey City's best Super Hero, Ms. Marvel. When Ms. Marvel accidentally gains possession of an ancient treasure, she must keep the magical artifact from falling into the greedy hands of the Kingpin. From the posh world of collecting to the vibrant markets of Lahore, Kamala will stop at nothing to discover the truth, unwittingly putting those she loves in danger. A new adversary, also on the hunt for the treasure, makes Ms. Marvel grapple with her heritage and her beliefs.

Perfect for fans of Ivy & Bean and Stella Diaz, this charming chapter book series by the author of the successful Yasmin series follows a Pakistani American third-grader whose plans may backfire but whose persistence and heart are inspiringIt’s winter break and Marya and Hanna are joining Alexa and her aunt at a luxurious ski resort. A fancy, snowy vacation may sound like a dream to most kids, but not Marya. She hates being cold, and five days with her frenemy Alexa might be too much to handle. There’s only one thing that can save this vacation: finding the Abominable Snowman. Cue Operation Catch a Monster! Marya is set on proving the Snowman exists—especially to her bossy older sister, Aliyah, who thinks Marya’s a baby. But with Marya’s friends set on sledding, hiking, and board games, Marya starts to worry the trip is a bust. Will she ever be able to surprise Aliyah, or—after five eventful days—will the most surprised person be . . . Marya herself? More from the Marya Khan series:Marya Khan and the Incredible Henna Party (Marya Khan #1)Marya Khan and the Fabulous Jasmine Garden (Marya Khan #2)Marya Khan and the Spectacular Fall Festival (Marya Khan #3)Marya Khan and the Awesome Adventure Park (Marya Khan #4)Marya Khan and the Disastrous Class Project (Marya Khan #5)

Perfect for fans of Ivy & Bean and Stella Diaz, this charming chapter book series by the author of the successful Yasmin series follows a Pakistani American third-grader whose plans may backfire but whose persistence and heart are inspiringIt’s time for her class’s country project, and Marya is super excited. She loves public speaking, and she’s assigned Pakistan, where her family is from. But Marya has two problems: She doesn’t actually know very much about her grandparents’ country, and she’s paired with new kid Waleed, who is so shy he can barely talk, let alone present to the class. Marya figures if she can just befriend Waleed, he’ll help her make the best project ever.It’s time for Operation Make a Friend! But how do you make a friend? Play sports? Make jokes? With time running out before the big presentation, Marya worries she’ll never get this Waleed kid to loosen up. But after researching a lot about friendship—and Pakistan—she might be able to save this project yet! More from the Marya Khan series:Marya Khan and the Incredible Henna Party (Marya Khan#1)Marya Khan and the Fabulous Jasmine Garden (Marya Khan #2)Marya Khan and the Spectacular Fall Festival (Marya Khan#3)Marya Khan and the Awesome Adventure Park (Marya Khan#4)Marya Khan and the Abominable Ski Trip (Marya Khan #6)

Perfect for fans of Ivy & Bean and Stella Diaz, this charming chapter book series by the author of the successful Yasmin series follows a Pakistani American third-grader whose plans may backfire but whose persistence and heart are inspiring It’s time for her class’s country project, and Marya is super excited. She loves public speaking, and she’s assigned Pakistan, where her family is from. But Marya has two problems: She doesn’t actually know very much about her grandparents’ country, and she’s paired with new kid Waleed, who is so shy he can barely talk, let alone present to the class. Marya figures if she can just befriend Waleed, he’ll help her make the best project ever. It’s time for Operation Make a Friend! But how do you make a friend? Play sports? Make jokes? With time running out before the big presentation, Marya worries she’ll never get this Waleed kid to loosen up. But after researching a lot about friendship—and Pakistan—she might be able to save this project yet!

Ali is sure that he will have the best show-and-tell in the class - his magic tricks! But Ali gets flustered when one after another, his tricks all fail. How can he overcome his embarrassment? Sometimes, a magician just needs a little help! Ali the Great, by Yasmin author Saadia Faruqi, is a charming chapter book series about Ali Tahir and his multi-generational Pakistani-origin family. Ali’s big ideas will resonate with young readers who believe that every problem has a creative solution - you just have to find it!

It’s cooking day with Dadi! Ali is excited, but Fateh is getting in the way as usual! Why does Fateh keep blowing in Ali’s face? But when Dadi brings out the delicious treats, Ali realizes that his little brother might be a lot smarter than he thought! Ali the Great, by Yasmin author Saadia Faruqi, is a charming chapter book series about Ali Tahir and his multi-generational Pakistani-origin family. Ali’s big ideas will resonate with young readers who believe that every problem has a creative solution - you just have to find it!

From beloved middle grade author Saadia Faruqi comes a poignant exploration of the impact of mental illness on families--and the love and hope that it takes to begin telling a different tale. Mo is used to his father's fits of rage. When Abbu's moods shake the house, Mo is safe inside his head, with his cherished folktales: The best way to respond is not to engage. Apparently, his mama knows that too--which is why she took a job on the other side of the world, leaving Mo alone with Abbu.With Mama gone, the two move to Texas to live with Mo's aunt and cousin, Rayyan. The two boys could not be more different. Rayyan is achievement-driven and factual; Mo is a "bad kid." Still, there is a lot to like about living in Texas. Sundays at the mosque are better than he'd expected. And Rayyan and his aunt become a real family to Mo.But even in a warm home and school where he begins to see a future for himself, Mo knows that the monster within his father can break out and destroy their fragile peace at any moment...

Ms Alex brings out the makerspace trolley, and the class is excited to build robots! But competitive Ali wants to make it a contest, and his fuse runs short when things fall apart. After his meltdown, can Ali save the day, and his friendships, with a teamwork solution? Ali the Great, by Yasmin author Saadia Faruqi, is a charming chapter book series about Ali Tahir and his multi-generational Pakistani-origin family. Ali’s big ideas will resonate with young readers who believe that every problem has a creative solution - you just have to find it!

Ali and Amma head to the park for a nature walk. Ali is ready to discover all kinds of bugs! But instead, it seems the bugs have discovered Ali! Can Ali change his thinking and remember that he is a visitor in the insects’ world? Ali the Great, by Yasmin author Saadia Faruqi, is a charming chapter book series about Ali Tahir and his multi-generational Pakistani-origin family. Ali’s big ideas will resonate with young readers who believe that every problem has a creative solution - you just have to find it!

It's the morning of Eid, and Yasmin and her family are hurrying to get to the mosque to pray. But Yasmin can't find her special outfit for the day--her new shalwar kameez. When the search turns up nothing, Yasmin is reminded that sacrifice, or giving up something special, is an important part of this Muslim holiday. She decides she will have to sacrifice and wear something else . . . or will she?