SATA

• Lailah's Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story Tilbury House (Thomaston, ME), 2015
• Unsettled ( verse novel) Harper (New York, NY), 2021
• Amira’s Picture Day Holiday House (New York, NY), 2021
• I Can Help ( picture book) Eerdmans Books for Young Readers (Grand Rapids, MI), 2021
• Golden Girl Harper (New York, NY), 2022
• Milloo's Mind Harper (New York, NY), 2023

1. Milloo's mind LCCN 2022930101 Type of material Book Personal name Faruqi, Reem, author. Main title Milloo's mind / Reem Faruqi, Hoda Hadadi. Edition First edition. Published/Produced New York : Harper, 2023. Projected pub date 2301 Description pages cm ISBN 9780063056619 (hardcover) Item not available at the Library. Why not? 2. Golden girl LCCN 2021951263 Type of material Book Personal name Faruqi, Reem, author. Main title Golden girl / Reem Faruqi. Edition First edition. Published/Produced New York : Harper, 2022. Projected pub date 2202 Description pages cm ISBN 9780063044753 (hardcover) Item not available at the Library. Why not? 3. I can help LCCN 2021000790 Type of material Book Personal name Faruqi, Reem, author. Main title I can help / written by Reem Faruqi ; illustrated by Mikela Prevost. Published/Produced Grand Rapids, Michigan : Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2021. Projected pub date 2108 Description pages cm ISBN 9780802855046 (hardcover) Item not available at the Library. Why not? 4. Unsettled LCCN 2020044128 Type of material Book Personal name Faruqi, Reem, author. Main title Unsettled / Reem Faruqi. Edition First edition. Published/Produced New York, NY : Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, [2021] Description 322 pages : illustrations, genealogical table ; 22 cm ISBN 9780063044708 (hardcover) CALL NUMBER PZ7.5.F37 Uns 2021 FT MEADE Copy 1 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms - STORED OFFSITE 5. Amira's picture day LCCN 2020009430 Type of material Book Personal name Faruqi, Reem, author. Main title Amira's picture day / by Reem Faruqi ; illustrated by Fahmida Azim. Edition First edition. Published/Produced New York : Holiday House, [2021] Projected pub date 1111 Description pages cm ISBN 9780823440191 (hardcover) CALL NUMBER PZ7.1.F37 Am 2021 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms 6. Lailah's lunchbox : a Ramadan story LCCN 2014042485 Type of material Book Personal name Faruqi, Reem, author. Main title Lailah's lunchbox : a Ramadan story / Reem Faruqi ; illustrations by Lea Lyon. Edition First hardcover edition. Published/Produced Thomaston, Maine : Tilbury House Publishers, 2015. Description 1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations ; 27 cm ISBN 9780884484318 (hardcover) CALL NUMBER PZ7.1.F37 Lai 2015 CABIN BRANCH Copy 1 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms - STORED OFFSITE

• Reem Faruqi website - https://reemfaruqi.com/

  11 Things About Me:
  I doodle. All the time. Doodling helps me make sense of the world around me.
  I used to only wear the color blue.
  I have a scar from a hockey stick underneath my left eye.
  Outside my house in Abu Dhabi used to be a coconut tree.
  I eat apples from the bottom creating a flower shaped pattern.
  I have three brothers and always thought I would have sons. Instead, I have three daughters.
  I used to drink milk three times a day.
  I would rather make play dough than cook dinner.
  I trust clear shampoos and don’t like it when my shampoo is opaque.
  I am like a plant. I crave sunlight.
  My favorite age as a child was being 9 years old.
  2016-11-14
  —Want to know more?
  When I doodle, whether it be swirls or figurines, I am transformed to a world in which my doodles live, and my thoughts become clear. Similarly, when I take a break from the world around me, and take photos, my mind breathes. Through my art medium of Photos, Pencils, Paint, and Potting soil, I thrive. I am a doodler and writer any chance I get, a seasonal photographer, and a Stay-At-Home-Mom during the week to school aged girls Z, A, and H. I am also a teacher and have taught second grade for four years, but am taking a break to mother and explore my creative outlet via the aforementioned 4 P’s.

  You may know me as the author of Lailah’s Lunchbox. I started out this blog as a Stay-At-Home-Mom, but I’ve sort of morphed into a Work-and-Play-Whenever-I-Can-At-Home-Mom lately. My book Lailah’s Lunchbox was published in May 2015 with Tilbury House Publishing. I have 3 new books projected for 2021: my debut middle grade book “Unsettled” (HarperCollins 2021), Amira’s Picture Day (Holiday House, 2021) and I Can Help (Eerdmans, 2021).

  You can sometimes find me in an Atlanta park behind my camera since I’m a seasonal children-family-lifestyle photographer at ReemFaruqi Photography or mostly typing out stories in my favorite matching pajamas (the floral ones my grandmother made me!) at random hours. I also work with the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta as a Scheduler and Communications Director. This photoblog is my stepping stone to making my dreams a reality, my happiest dream being my children’s books getting published! Thank you for stopping by!

  How to Contact Me:

  If you want to send me a message, rather than commenting on the blog, please email me at ReemFaruqi@gmail.com. Or if you would like to talk to me about an author visit, writing or photography opportunities too, please do let me know at the same email address above. I love hearing from you and replying promptly — feel free to nudge if I don’t respond! Also, click here to hear how my name is pronounced.

  How to Pronounce my Name
  Instagram @ReemFaruqi

  Twitter @ReemFaruqi

  For words behind the image, click here! http://education.gsu.edu/lailahs-lunchbox-ramadan-story/

  Professional Bio:
  When Reem Faruqi taught second grade, her favorite time was “Read Aloud” time. Now, her favorite time at home is reading with her daughters. Of Pakistani origin, she moved to Peachtree City, Georgia, from Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, when she was 13 years old. Reem based her first award-winning children’s book “Lailah’s Lunchbox” on her own experiences as a young Muslim girl immigrating to the United States. She had three new books published in 2021 which all got starred reviews: her debut middle grade book “Unsettled” (HarperCollins 2021), and two picture books: “Amira’s Picture Day”(Holiday House 2021) and “I Can Help.” (Eerdmans 2021). She also has a new non-fiction picture book based on her grandmother Milloo’s Mind (HarperCollins 2023). Reem seasonally works as a photographer at ReemFaruqi Photography and currently works as a Scheduler for the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta. She loves to doodle, write, and take photos at http://www.ReemFaruqi.com. Currently, she lives with her husband and three daughters in Atlanta.

  Reem Faruqi 3
  When I’m writing or on-the-go, I opt for glasses and look like the person on the left!

  P.S. If you want to take a peek inside my home, click here! My home may have a smattering of lunchboxes on the counters mixed with yesterday’s mail and today’s cracker crumbs, but I try to keep this online home organized and crisp. I really hope my words and photos here refresh you and give you a break from whatever it is you’re working on. Get to know me by staying a while and click around!

  P.P.S. If you are from the media and need my press kit or my images to download in hi-res, please click here.

  For Writers – FAQ’s
  I get a lot of questions so wanted to help out by sharing my information I’ve learned along this sometimes slippery publishing path!

  I have a great story! What do I do?
  Start submitting it. The number one book I would recommend would be the “The Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market” – one comes out each year with the latest scoop on where to submit your stories to as well as what they’re looking for! This was the book I literally sat down and highlighted publishing companies I wanted to break into.

  2. Any other books you recommend?

  These are some books fellow author, Asma Mobin Uddin, author of My Name is Bilal and Party in Ramadan and Best Eid Ever! recommended to me when I asked her this question;

  The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Publishing Children’s Books – Harold Underdown and Lynne Rominger (orange cover)
  You Can Write Children’s Books – Tracey Dils (also has a workbook)
  How to Write and Sell Children’s Picture Books – Jean Karl
  I also recommend: Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul.

  You can find these books on Amazon. I think I ordered them all on Amazon. When you’re done, you can always lend them to another aspiring writer. You may even be able to find them at your library. The Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator Market is sometimes a reference book that you can’t borrow so I ordered my own as I really marked it up.

  3. Do I have to join the SCBWI?

  The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) is a great group to connect with. When my children were v.little, I was never able to make the time to go to a writing conference! At that time, the bulletins they send in the mail were helpful to me. The main thing I benefited from joining the SCBWI was a children’s book critique group. Once you find a good critique group, you feel as if you can accomplish anything!

  After my book was published, I was able to attend a SCBWI Southern Breeze writing conference and found it helpful but also v.inspiring! It’s what you need sometimes to get you out of that horrid writer’s block!

  National link:

  http://www.scbwi.org/

  4. How do you make it in the publishing world?

  I’m still trying to make it for many more books, but I believe the number one thing would be persistence. There are going to be bunches of editors who don’t like your writing enough to make an offer, but there will be one waiting out there! Find that one by sending your stories in over and over again, after editing them of course! For more information and the long story on how I got Lailah’s Lunchbox published, click here!

  5a. Do you have an agent? How did you get an agent?

  I am currently represented by Rena Rossner.

  I was previously agented and my first agent left the profession and her boss amicably split with me so I was back to querying which is really hard! Twitter was incredibly helpful there is a supportive writers community. I used the #MSWL which stands for Manuscript Wish List. I saw that Rena was actively looking for Middle Grade novels in verse which is something I am working on. When she made an offer, I signed on with her! Here’s the story of how I got my agent.

  5b Can I send you my story?

  Unfortunately unless I’ve already agreed to you, I’m super busy right now with my own edits and I have pre-existing critique groups. I would suggest you find your own critique group via SCBWI. I hope to see your book on a shelf soon and am rooting for you!

  5c. Can you pass on my manuscript to your agent or publisher or anyone else?

  I’m sorry, but I’m unable. I would recommend you visit www.manuscriptwishlist.com and find an agent that matches you there. Or look up publishers in The Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market. Good luck!

  5d. Can I tell your agent or agency that I know you or that you referred/recommended me?

  I’m sorry, but I’m unable. Different agents have different likes and even though I may connect with your manuscript, I cannot speak for an agent. Again, please visit www.manuscriptwishlist.com!

  6. How do you write around little children?

  Trying to write and mothering young children can be very tricky! I have a two-year-old and four-year-old and have learned that you get better at working through interruptions. When I’m writing, I’m usually receiving interruptions from my children to take them to the bathroom, for another snack … the list goes on!

  When my four-year-old is at school, I have my interruptions cut in half with just my two-year-old’s needs. That’s when I feel I get the most writing done. I do try to write sometimes at night when the children are asleep and find it semi-successful. I find I work best during daylight. I love natural light and find it conducive to working and getting my ideas flowing.At night, it is easy to feel tired after a busy day!

  I do think it’s important though to rest when your children are resting as that time is precious and when your mind is rested, it is easier to write. Sometimes whole stories will pop in my head when I am doing something random like getting my children ready for bed. It’s as if I can visualize the story, the words, the illustrations, but sometimes when I sit down at the computer, it is frustrating when that story disappears! But if it’s a good story, I believe it will resurface.

  For those trying to write and raise children, I would tell them there is no such thing as having it all! You may have a great manuscript you’re working on but you will be eating left-overs for dinner for the third day in a row and children that need a bath! Or you may be itching to write a story, but find yourself caught up in bathing children, cooking food, laundry, dropping and picking up children from school, etc! For more details on how I write around children, click here.

  7. How did Lailah’s Lunchbox come about?

  I have done a few Interviews/Articles about Lailah’s Lunchbox that would be helpful for you:

  How I Write Around Children! – Interview by Cynthia from Cynsations!

  How I Got a Book Deal!

  Muslim Women Changemakers: Reem Faruqi

  Read Little Muslims

  Bookwars Review

  Guest Post: Inspiration behind Lailah’s Lunchbox! – Bookwars Blog

  Author Interview and Future Plans – Blue Minaret

  P.S. I’m Muslim! – Atlanta Muslim

  8. Could you tell us the story of “the call” or “the email” when you found out that your book had sold? How did you react? How did you celebrate?

  I got a flurry of emails until the “Yes” email!

  I made a list of six agents and six publishers to send Lailah’s Lunchbox to. I mailed the manuscripts on May 30 and tried to distract myself with other things. On June 16, I received an email with the subject ‘Your Manuscript’ in my inbox. That was enough to make my insides leap!

  The email was from Fran Hodgkins, the Director of Editorial Design at Tilbury House, saying I had sent my manuscript to their old mailing address and that it had been re-routed to their new address.

  This is the wrong address for Tilbury House!
  Fran said she enjoyed reading it and was sharing it with the co-publishers, Jon Eaton and Tris Coburn, as well as Audrey Maynard, the editor. She went on to say my story was a unique take on Ramadan and she was glad I thought of it. She wanted to know if I had received a response from any other publishers as yet.

  I wrote back saying I hadn’t heard a response yet and then went on to forward the email to my aunt who was the person who had encouraged me to send in Lailah’s Lunchbox. She was just as excited as I was!

  I checked my email a lot that week but no response. A week later I followed up with Fran asking if she had any response from her co-publishers to which she responded that they were meeting the next day to discuss my story.

  I didn’t hear anything from them the next two days. Then on June 24, Tilbury House Publishers followed me on Twitter (@ReemFaruqi). At this point, I started to get more hopeful.

  I couldn’t wait anymore so emailed Fran to see if there was any updated to which I got the yes email on June 26:

  I was going to wait and have our children’s book editor call you, but I’ll take this opportunity to say that we really like your manuscript and would like to publish it.

  I’m CCing Audrey on this email, as she is the one who’ll be working with you closely and our publisher, Tris Coburn, will be in touch to talk terms.

  If that all sounds good to you, let me know….

  I then took the next 20 minutes to celebrate. I couldn’t believe that I finally got a Yes!

  My two-year-old had just gone down for a nap so I couldn’t tell her and I had to celebrate semi-quietly. My husband was teaching so couldn’t phone him up to tell him. My four-year-old was at school so couldn’t tell her either.

  So I just jumped around for a minute before calling my aunt who was just as excited as I was, and then my mother who knew when I told her to “Guess What?” that I’d gotten a book deal offer! I wanted to email Fran back with a hundred exclamation marks saying:

  THIS SOUNDS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  But once I’d composed myself, I wrote:

  Hi Fran,

  Thanks for the quick reply. I couldn’t wait long enough for the editor to call me. Yes, this sounds amazing and I so excited!

  Looking forward to talking with Tris Coburn.

  Reem

  Within the next few days, I spoke with the publisher Mr. Tris Coburn and Ms. Audrey Maynard, the children’s book editor. It felt surreal to be talking to people whose names I had admired.

  That night I went over to my mother’s house and we had a cozy family dinner to celebrate!

  Editing time!
  9. In your opinion what are a few qualities a writer must have in order to be successful?

  Persistence – because you will get those rejections! I suggest recycling them or using them as book marks – I have done both!
  Passion – if you love to write, the rest should fall into space. Give it Time. It may take a month, it may take years!
  Read – Read as many books as you can! Read new releases, old releases, anything and everything. It helps strengthen your writing.
  Edit – Find a good critique group. Trust Them. Trust Yourself.
  10. How do you choose an illustrator?

  The publisher chooses one for you. It’s typically out of the author’s hands unless you self publish. If you’re lucky, the publisher may give you some options or ask you a style you prefer but ultimately its their decision. For example, for Lailah’s Lunchbox I said I liked watercolors. My illustrator Lea Lyon was perfect for the job! I also enjoyed bonding with her. She is Jewish and I’m Muslim so I thought that was pretty neat. I found the author-illustrator relationship fascinating and loved how she brought my words to life!

  11. Any more books?

  This question is sort of like when you have a baby who’s turned into a toddler and you get asked, “So when are you having another?”

  I get asked about more books ALL. THE. TIME. I’m working on it. I really am! Writing is my passion and now with an agent, I’m hoping to get more stories cranking and out into this world!

  Exciting update: 3 new stories – Amira’s Picture Day (Holiday House) and Let Me Show You The Way (Eerdmans), Unsettled (HarperCollins 2021) are projected for publishing in 2021! For more information on these new and upcoming stories click here for the scoop!

  (Copyright Cynthia Leitich Smith (Cynsations, 2015). Used with permission. See her blog post here.

  12. What’s the story behind your debut recent middle grade novel?

  I worked for many years on my novel in verse and am delighted and humbled to announce I have a middle grade book for older children coming out in 2021. Here is the story behind the book deal going on auction. This book is based on my experiences moving to the United States.

  13. Any middle grade or picture books you recommend?

  Check out my list on Twitter here.

  14. I’m a bookseller and want to stock your book, or want to buy your book in bulk. What do I do?

  Thank you so much! This is more of a publisher question, but here are some links that may help.

  For the book I CAN HELP:
  Reach out to Customer Service at customerservice@eerdmans.com or 616-459-4591

  For Amira’s Picture Day: To place an order, please contact Penguin Random House Customer Service at 1-800-733-3000. The customer service line would still be the best to call and they can direct people to the correct contents. There is also this email address: CustomerService@penguinrandomhouse.com.

  For Lailah’s Lunchbox books: Books are distributed by W W Norton in NYC. Most booksellers have an account with them. If they do not, that is where I send them. The contact information to order or to set up an account is: customerservice@wwnorton.com or call (800) 233-4830, prompt 5

  For the book UNSETTLED, GOLDEN GIRL, and any other books published by Harper Collins:
  Both you and the bookstores can email orders@harpercollins.com to place orders.

• Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators website - https://www.scbwi.org/members-public/reem-faruqi

  ABOUT REEM FARUQI
  Reem Faruqi is the award-winning children’s book author of Lailah’s Lunchbox, a book based on her own experiences as a young Muslim girl immigrating to the United States. She’s also the author of “Amira’s Picture Day,” “I Can Help,” and a middle grade debut novel in verse, “Unsettled.” After surviving Atlanta traffic and the school drop off, Reem spends her days trying to write, but instead gets distracted easily by her camera and buttery sunlight. Reem Faruqi lives in Atlanta with her husband and three daughters. You can find her at www.ReemFaruqi.com or on Instagram or Twitter.

  Less

  ARTIST STATEMENT
  I doodle. All the time. Doodling helps me make sense of the world around me. When I doodle, whether it be swirls or figurines, I am transformed to a world in which my doodles live, and my thoughts become clear. Similarly, when I take a break from the world around me, and take photos, my mind breathes.

  Through my art medium of Photos, Pencils, Paint, and Potting soil, I thrive. I am a a doodler any chance I get, a writer in the nights, a photographer on weekends, and a Stay-At-Home-Mom during the week to a preschooler Z and toddler A. I am also a teacher and have taught 2nd grade for 4 years, but am taking a break to mother and explore my creative outlet via the aforementioned 4 P’s.

  I started out my blog as a Stay-At-Home-Mom, but I’ve sort of morphed into a Work-Whenever-I-Can-At-Home-Mom lately. I’m a recently-on-the-way-to-publishing-author whose book Lailah’s Lunchbox comes out in 2015 via Tilbury House Publishing. I’m an Atlanta based children-family-lifestyle photographer on weekends at ReemFaruqi Photography and a writer at random hours. My photoblog is my stepping stone to making my dreams a reality, my happiest dream being my children’s book getting published! Thank you for stopping by!

• Amazon -

  Reem Faruqi is an award winning author who enjoys writing lyrical stories that reflect her own experiences. Reem used to teach second grade and her favorite time was Read Aloud time. Now, her favorite time at home is reading with her daughters. Of Pakistani origin, she moved to Peachtree City, Georgia, from Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, when she was 13 years old. Reem based her first award-winning children's book "Lailah's Lunchbox" on her own experiences as a young Muslim girl immigrating to the United States. Reem has 3 books projected for 2021: UNSETTLED (HarperCollins), AMIRA'S PICTURE DAY (Holiday House), and I CAN HELP (Eerdmans). Reem Faruqi loves to doodle, write, and take photos. Check out her photoblog at www.ReemFaruqi.com! Currently, she lives with her husband and daughters in Atlanta.

• The Perks of Being Noura - https://theperksofbeingnourablog.wordpress.com/2021/05/28/unapologetically-muslim-interview-with-reem-faruqi/

  Unapologetically Muslim Interview | With Reem Faruqi
  28 MAY 2021 THEPERKSOFBEINGNOURABLOG1 COMMENT

  Welcome back to another interview under my Unapologetically Muslim project! Today I’m welcoming a wonderful middle grade and children’s books author, Reem Faruqi! Her latest book, Unsettled, released earlier this month, and she has other wonderful books out in the world. Read on to find out more about Reem Faruqi!

  Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview! I want to start by welcoming you to the blog, I’m so happy to have you here today. The first question I would like to ask is, what inspires you to write your stories?
  Readers inspire me. I love when readers fall in love with a book I write. It means the world! Also, there is something magical about getting your words and heart on a page.

  —

  I also want to ask about representation, how important was it for you to bring Muslim rep to the forefront? To have unapologetically Muslim protagonists in your book?
  It was very important to me. I love seeing my Muslim experiences reflected in my book. When I write my book, I am initially writing it for myself and I’m not over explaining any Muslim terms or sayings. It feels quite freeing.

  Once I sit down for the editorial stage, I will usually tweak a tiny bit here and there, but the main message will hopefully be there. As a Muslim author, there are many practices (such as the five daily prayers) so incorporating them into my writing and normalizing them is what I enjoy to do.

  —

  Do you have any advice that you would like to pass on to Muslim writers?
  For your first draft, write it just for you. I feel like that version will be the most honest and raw.

  —

  What do you hope your readers will take away from your books?
  Pride in their faith, a connection to others, all the emotions, and a strong sense of family.

  —

  Not exactly a book related question, but how have Ramadan preparations been for you? Do you have any favourite traditions and dishes during this month?
  One of my picture book’s release date got delayed so I have two books that will be launched within Ramadan – UNSETTLED and AMIRA’S PICTURE DAY! Needless to say, I have not been doing any real preparations or decorations. I am just trying to get through each day, one fast at a time, while juggling emails!

  —

  My brother and mother make delicious samosa filling and instead of folding it into a samosa shape they roll it up into a spring roll and call them spring roll samosas. My daughters have been calling them springosas so that could be a new tradition! I also love drinking refreshing rooh-afza milk while I eat a springosa!

  Please make sure you check out Reem Faruqi’s amazing books!

  (Click on the image to be directed to the Goodreads page)

  54870205 23876153. sx318 54616167. sx318

  About the Author
  Reem Faruqi - please order my books! (@ReemFaruqi) | Twitter

  Reem Faruqi lives in Atlanta with her husband and three daughters. She is the award-winning children’s book author of Lailah’s Lunchbox, a book based on her own experiences as a young Muslim girl immigrating to the United States. After surviving Atlanta traffic and the school drop off, Reem spends her days trying to write, but instead gets distracted easily by her toddler, camera, and buttery sunlight. You can find her at www.ReemFaruqi.com or on Instagram or Twitter.

• We Need Diverse Books - https://diversebooks.org/qa-with-reem-faruqi-golden-girl/

  Q&A With Reem Faruqi, Golden Girl
  February 22, 2022 by JoAnn Yao

  golden girl blog header
  By Thushanthi Ponweera

  Today we’re pleased to welcome Reem Faruqi to the WNDB blog to discuss her latest middle grade novel-in-verse Golden Girl, out February 22, 2022!

  Seventh grader Aafiyah loves playing tennis, reading Weird but True facts, and hanging out with her best friend, Zaina. However, Aafiyah has a bad habit that troubles her—she’s drawn to pretty things and can’t help but occasionally “borrow” them.

  But when her father is falsely accused of a crime he hasn’t committed and gets taken in by authorities, Aafiyah knows she needs to do something to help. When she brainstorms a way to bring her father back, she turns to her Weird but True facts and devises the perfect plan.

  But what if her plan means giving in to her bad habit, the one she’s been trying to stop? Aafiyah wants to reunite her family but finds that maybe her plan isn’t so perfect after all. . .

  golden girl cover
  You tackle a topic not commonly found in middle-grade books: Kleptomania. What made you select this topic to write about?

  I chose to write about kleptomania because I hadn’t read about it much in children’s literature and because a friend of mine had it and I remember the shock, sadness, and betrayal of being on the other side and having my stuff go missing. I researched kleptomania and found that it’s more common than I thought. I also wanted to explore the deep emotions that go with this behavior and to explore how it affects relationships with friends and family.

  In your author’s note you get candid about the parts of your real life that made its way into the book. Would you say all your books are based on true events?

  I was going to say not all my books, but then I realized that, as of now, all my published books are based on elements from my life! The stories are fiction, but I’ve loosely threaded my real experiences in there. I gravitate to contemporary fiction and nonfiction and love when a book I read or a TV show I watch is based on real events.

  When you write about a culture as rich and diverse as yours, how do you choose which parts to highlight?

  I don’t choose a part to highlight per se. Rather, I write the story and see where the story takes me. So, for Golden Girl, I knew gold had an important part to play in this story. And in my Pakistani culture, gold jewelry is highly valued and passed form one generation to another. So that made its way to the story.

  golden girl reem quote
  What do you wish you’d see more of in middle-grade and children’s literature in general?

  I feel there is a such a big jump from middle grade to young adult and I wish there were two separate genres–one for lower middle grade and one for upper middle grade.

  Which writers inspire and influence your own work?

  There are too many to list!

  I love these authors for their verse novels: Nikki Grimes, Sharon Creech, Rajani La Rocca, Chris Baron, Padma Venkatraman, K.A. Holt, Jacqueline Woodson, Elizabeth Acevedo. These three 2021 debut authors have novels in verse: Joanne Rossmassler Fritz , Megan E. Freeman, Lisa Fipps.

  For prose, I admire the novels of Saadia Faruqi, Hena Khan, Aisha Saeed, Maleeha Siddiqui and the picture books of Aya Khalil and Susannah Aziz.

  What are some recent reads you enjoyed?

  Huda F Are You? by Huda Fahmy

  A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

  Cuba in My Pocket by Adrianna Cuevas

  And I’m excited to read the picture book Fly! Girl! Fly! Shaesta Waiz Soars Around the World by Nancy Roe Pimm and Alexandra Bye.

  ******

  reem faruqi headshotReem Faruqi is the award-winning children’s book author of Lailah’s Lunchbox, a book based on her own experiences as a young Muslim girl immigrating to the United States. She’s also the author of Amira’s Picture Day, I Can Help, and a middle grade debut novel in verse, Unsettled. After surviving Atlanta traffic and the school drop off, Reem spends her days trying to write, but instead gets distracted easily by her camera, and buttery sunlight. Reem Faruqi lives in Atlanta with her husband and three daughters. You can find her at www.ReemFaruqi.com or on Instagram or Twitter as @ReemFaruqi.

• We Need Diverse Books - https://diversebooks.org/qa-with-reem-faruqi-unsettled/

  Q&A With Reem Faruqi, Unsettled
  May 11, 2021 by Alaina Lavoie

  Q&A With Reem Faruqi, Unsettled
  By Alaina Leary

  Today we’re pleased to welcome Reem Faruqi to the WNDB blog to discuss her MG novel Unsettled, out May 11, 2021!

  When her family moves from Pakistan to Peachtree City, all Nurah wants is to blend in, yet she stands out for all the wrong reasons. Nurah’s accent, floral-print kurtas, and tea-colored skin make her feel excluded, until she meets Stahr at swimming tryouts.

  And in the water Nurah doesn’t want to blend in. She wants to win medals like her star athlete brother, Owais—who is going through struggles of his own in the U.S. Yet when sibling rivalry gets in the way, she makes a split-second decision of betrayal that changes their fates.

  Ultimately Nurah slowly gains confidence in the form of strong swimming arms, and also gains the courage to stand up to bullies, fight for what she believes in, and find her place.

  Unsettled by Reem Faruqi
  Unsettled is about Nurah’s specific experience moving from Karachi, Pakistan to Peachtree City, Georgia, but it’s also about the universal experience of moving when you’re young and figuring out your place in the world. Why did you want to explore this?

  Since this experience was similar to mine, it felt natural to write what I knew. I also feel that this age was one full of emotion so I wanted to share a glimpse of Nurah’s life. I also wished I had the voice Nurah had when I was thirteen years old. Writing this story felt cathartic.

  You’ve said in other interviews that you swam laps to get into Nurah’s headspace. How did swimming help you connect with who Nurah is?

  Yes, I’ve been working on my swimming technique and I recently relearned to do a flip turn in the water so that was exciting for me. When I’m in the water, I feel a sense of calm. Similarly, in the water, Nurah finds peace and to her, it’s a safe, blue cocoon.

  Similarly, when I swim, I love that it’s just the water and me. I am not browsing through a phone or checking email, but just enjoying the peace the water offers. I love going underwater and floating in a quiet blue world.

  Why did you choose to write a novel-in-verse for Nurah’s story? What do you think is unique about the experience of a novel-in-verse that works for the journey and themes in Unsettled?

  Initially, my story was in prose, and my first agent Ilse Craane said that it read like a novel in verse, and was that what I was thinking? I wasn’t. I didn’t even know that was an option for me. I didn’t click that I could write a novel in verse. I eagerly rediscovered novels in verse and loved how they covered so much with so few words.

  I was a picture book author first so I got used to trying to tell a story in fewer words. Writing a middle-grade novel felt intimidating for me, so a novel in verse felt much more doable to me.

  I took the clunky prose and chopped it up into verse and I loved how the words breathed and the story shone more.

  Also when you reluctantly move continents, you feel a little broken at first (or for a while!), sort of like how Nurah felt when she first moved. So to me, the broken nature of the lines in the novel of verse reflects Nurah’s experience. To me, novels in verse are bits of broken lines that come together beautifully.

  when you reluctantly move continents, you feel a little broken at first (or for a while!), sort of like how Nurah felt when she first moved. So to me, the broken nature of the lines in the novel of verse reflects Nurah’s experience. To me, novels in verse are bits of broken lines that come together beautifully.
  This book touches on Islamophobia and how it impacts Muslim communities in both small ways and big ones, but it’s also about community and standing up against injustice. What do you hope young readers take away from this?

  To use their voice for good no matter what.

  In my book, I refer to this prophetic saying: If you see evil, change it with your hand. If you’re not able to do so, then change it with your tongue. If you’re not able to do so, then with your heart—and that’s the weakest of faith.

  Through challenging situations, Nurah learns to use her voice the hard way, but I hope readers can learn to use their voice for good the easy way too.

  If you could design your dream panel for Unsettled, what would it be about? What other authors would you like to have on it with you?

  I would love other MG verse novel authors! So Nikki Grimes, Sharon Creech, Rajani La Rocca, Chris Baron, Padma Venkatraman, K.A. Holt, Jacqueline Woodson, Elizabeth Acevedo, and these three 2021 debut authors whose books are all novels in verse: Joanne Rossmassler Fritz , Megan E. Freeman, Lisa Fipps.

  If the characters from Unsettled show up on your doorstep, who do you think you’d get along with really well? Who do you think would grate on your nerves?

  Nurah feels most like me, but I’d love to see the grandparents and chat with them—Dadi, Nana, and Nana Abu.

  Cal and Jay would grate on my nerves.

  What other books do you see Unsettled as being in conversation with?

  Other Words for Home

  Front Desk

  Inside Out and Back Again

  Red, White, and Whole

  Do you have any recommendations for forthcoming or published kidlit?

  PB: a recent release: In My Mosque, I enjoyed for the lyrical words and gorgeous art!

  Upcoming PB: Halal Hotdogs by Susannah Aziz; it looks delicious and inviting!

  MG: Amina’s Song by Hena Khan—her voice was beautiful and I love the sense of family in Hena Khan’s books.

  Upcoming MG: Barakah Beats by Maleeha Siddiqui—the cover looks so joyful.

  YA: Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo, a novel in verse with two alternating points of view between two sisters. The audiobook is also fabulous.

  There are so many more, please check out my Twitter feed @ReemFaruqi for book recommendations.

  What’s one question you wish you were asked more often (and the answer)?

  On my blog in my About Me section, I talk about how I like to eat apples upside down creating a flower-shaped pattern. One fourth grade class asked how I did that and it was fun to demonstrate on Zoom!

  A question that I’ve never been asked before: Who taught you how to dive? My character Nurah talks about diving into the water. My grandfather Nana Abu taught me how to dive. While he swam laps, I would sit at the edge of the pool and he would show me how to enter the water arms and head first. There’s no feeling better than diving into a pool!

  ******

  Reem Faruqi
  Photo by Photo by Mariam Shakeel
  Reem Faruqi is the ALA Notable author of Lailah’s Lunchbox, Amira’s Picture Day, I Can Help, and Unsettled, which is loosely based on Reem’s own story. Of Pakistani descent, Reem immigrated to Peachtree City, Georgia, in the United States from the United Arab Emirates when she was thirteen years old. Reem is also a teacher and photographer who loves to doodle. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and three daughters. Like Nurah, Reem loves the Pakistani beach, crows, her aquamarine silk hijab, and especially her grandmother, Nana. Visit her online at www.reemfaruqi.com.

  ******

• Eerdlings - https://eerdlings.com/2021/07/22/interview-with-childrens-book-author-reem-faruqi/

  INTERVIEWS

  Interview with Children’s Book Author Reem Faruqi

  Date: 2021
  Author: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
  6 Comments
  We had the opportunity to interview Reem Faruqi, an award-winning author who enjoys writing lyrical stories based on her own experiences. Reem talked to us about the story behind I CAN HELP (her upcoming book published by Eerdmans), the challenges she’s faced, and other elements of her journey as a writer.

  EE: What inspired you to write I Can Help?

  RF: I Can Help is loosely based on some of my experiences as a child.

  Like my main character Zahra, I used to help a classmate who needed extra help, but when I was asked why I helped my classmate and was looked down upon for helping him, I stopped helping him to fit in with the more popular crowd. I joined them in teasing him instead. I regretted my actions immediately, but when I wanted to apologize, it was too late because I had moved away to a different school on a different continent.

  From then on, I resolved to be kinder to those around me. I wrote this book to encourage others to practice kindness.

  EE: What are some challenges you have faced as an author?

  RF: The first challenge was getting an offer for my first picture book Lailah’s Lunchbox. I wrote many stories before getting an offer. After Lailah’s Lunchbox was published, I was thrilled!

  But then another challenge I faced was going many years without any offers. Since Lailah’s Lunchbox got published in 2015, I worked and worked and worked, and finally after 6 long years, 3 books got offers and are being published in 2021, I CAN HELP being one of them! The other 2 are my debut middle grade novel in verse, Unsettled, and another picture book, Amira’s Picture Day. I assumed after having one book out in the world, the rest would be easy and would automatically come, but that wasn’t the case when I waited for manuscripts to sell. The writing journey can be quite rocky at times and sometimes quite smooth. It’s quite bizarre!

  I Can Help, Written by Reem Faruqi and illustrated by Mikela Prevost
  EE: Where do the ideas for your books come from?

  RF: Most of my stories are inspired by true experiences that I’ve had. It could be an interaction with a classmate, a relationship with a grandparent, or a challenge I’ve faced. I then weave bits of these experiences in my writing!

  EE: Where do you find your inspiration for new stories and characters?

  RF: By living life! I am also a photographer and taking photos helps me slow down life and zoom in on tiny moments. Those moments inspire me with writing as well. Also, reading a lot of books refreshes my mind and inspires me to write my own as well!

  EE: What does a typical day look like for you?

  RF: Before the pandemic, I would wake up early, survive Atlanta traffic, and drop my older 2 children at school and return home with my youngest who was a two-year-old at the time. Near 10 a.m., my mind would feel like it was finally awake. I don’t like the taste of coffee and am not a morning person at all!

  When I’m finally up to it, I would set up my little one with an activity or her favorite TV show and I would start to write. I am used to writing with lots of interruptions.

  When the pandemic started, the number of interruptions increased greatly! Once my bigger children were adjusted to Zoom schedules, it got easier. I found myself sleeping later because I would be up working late, so 10 p.m. became more of my writing time and then without the morning drive, I got to enjoy waking up a little later.

  EE: What is the process of writing a book: how does it go from an idea to a finished work on sale in bookstores?

  RF: It starts with an idea, maybe on a Post It note! It may go through lots of drafts. Since a picture book is so few words, every word has to be analyzed! With I Can Help, I remember vividly typing out the story on my couch with the sunlight hitting my keyboard just so, and thinking I really like this story! Maybe it’s the one!

  With I Can Help, when I wrote it, it was fully formed and the drafting process was not as painful as it is with other stories. I feel like with this story, I got lucky. Other stories take more time and a lot more tweaks!

  I Can Help, Written by Reem Faruqi and illustrated by Mikela Prevost
  EE: What advice would you give to your younger self?

  RF: To keep trying! That it will take a lot longer to get books published, but to keep chugging along.

  EE: What do you hope kids learn from I Can Help?

  RF: I hope that children learn that even if they have made mistakes they regret, they can still make a difference and change their future by resolving to do better.

  EE: Can you tell us one thing people may not know about you?

  RF: I can hula hoop for a long time!

  I Can Help
  Written by Reem Faruqi
  Illustrated by Mikela Prevost

  Ages 4-8

  Order this book from:

  Amazon.com | Barnes and Noble | Christianbook.com | Indiebound.org

  “Beautiful and delicate details in both text and illustration situate readers physically in the school’s art classroom and autumnal playground, mentally in Zahra’s world full of special cooking spices like cumin and turmeric, and emotionally in her hesitation and growth. . . . An illuminating glimpse into how a young child learns to trust her instinct and be kind to others.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred)

  “Faruqi gives careful attention to all of the emotions Zahra feels, the better for readers to identify them in their own experience. Prevost contributes smudgy, muted tone images of sweet-faced, dot-eyed children of varying skin tones whose expressions are easy to read. Readers may recognize times when they felt as Zahra does—and vow to do better.” — Publishers Weekly

• Kick-butt Kidlit - https://kickbuttkidlit.wordpress.com/2021/06/02/kicking-back-with-kick-butt-and-reem-faruqi/

  Kicking Back with Kick-butt and Reem Faruqi!
  kickbuttkidlit Kicking Back with Kick-Butt Interview June 2, 2021 5 Minutes
  Welcome to Kicking Back with Kick-butt!

  Today we’re chatting with Reem Faruqi, the author of

  UNSETTLED

  When Nurah’s family moves from Karachi, Pakistan, to Peachtree City, Georgia, all she really wants is to blend in, but she stands out for all the wrong reasons. Nurah’s accent, floral-print kurtas, and tea-colored skin make her feel excluded, and she’s left to eat lunch alone under the stairwell, until she meets Stahr at swimming tryouts. Stahr covers her body when in the water, just like Nurah, but for very different reasons.

  But in the water Nurah doesn’t want to blend in: She wants to stand out. She wants to win medals like her star athlete brother, Owais—who is going through struggles of his own in America—yet when sibling rivalry gets in the way, she makes a split-second decision of betrayal that changes their fates.

  As Nurah slowly begins to sprout wings in the form of strong swimming arms, she gradually gains the courage to stand up to bullies, fight for what she believes in, and find her place.

  Let’s talk to this outstanding author about her phenomenal book!
  This is Reem. Everyone say, “Hi, Reem!”

  Welcome to Kick-butt Kidlit, Reem! Tell us about yourself!

  Hi Casey! I’m Reem. I’m Pakistani, live in Atlanta, and have three daughters. My writing career started off with my picture book LAILAH’S LUNCHBOX. I’m honored that it’s gotten awards and done so well. My other books are AMIRA’S PICTURE DAY, my debut middle grade novel UNSETTLED, and an upcoming picture book I CAN HELP. I love writing lyrical stories that reflect my experiences.

  What was the inspiration behind UNSETTLED?

  Like Nurah, I immigrated to Peachtree, Georgia. Unlike Nurah I moved from Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates whereas Nurah moves from my country of origin, Pakistan. Since this experience was similar to mine, it felt natural to write what I knew. I also wanted to write about an immigrant experience that felt true to me.

  What were three interesting things you discovered while working on UNSETTLED?

  The power of memory was one thing that struck me while writing this book since it’s loosely based on my life experiences. I can be scatter minded and forgetful, but lots of my stories that I remembered vividly came back to me. I moved when I was thirteen years old, and those experiences shaped who I am today. Interestingly my brothers read my book and had questions about specific experiences and wanted to clarify who said/who did what! It’s fascinating what experiences stay with you and how each person remembers things differently!
  This was my first middle grade book and I had never done copyediting before; it’s so hard and tedious and I celebrated when that stage was over. I also was surprised how many people come together for a middle grade book – cover art designer and illustration, interior art, copy-editing, publicity, marketing, editing, seeing pass pages, going through an arc, aah!
  How peaceful and therapeutic swimming can be. Nurah loves to swim and when writing this story, I felt like I connected with her and refreshed my mind by swimming laps, lots of them!
  The differences in sibling memories is so funny and so true!

  If you could transport your characters across book dimensions, which book would you most like them to end up in and why?

  I feel like Nurah would connect with Jude from OTHER WORDS FOR HOME by Jasmine Warga as they both move to the US. I also think she’d connect with Reha from RED, WHITE, AND WHOLE by Rajani La Rocca as Nurah also has two parts of her, one Pakistani side and one American. I like to think they’d all be friends.

  What’s your go-to method to get yourself in the writing mood? Do you have a specific writing spot or special snack? How do you get the words flowing?

  I wish I had fun answers for these, but the writing process can be monotonous.

  My go-to method is sitting down by my laptop and opening up Microsoft Word. When I get tired of the screen, I try to use a journal and a fancy pen (I like the Sharpie S-Gel 0.7 mm one) if I have one nearby. I love brainstorming with pen and paper although sometimes when I write too fast, I can’t read my writing!

  My specific writing spot is my desk nook in the kitchen facing the wall. I like to sit in my usual spot – I find that helps me since I find it hard to write in other places. In the pandemic, I found another writing spot by my upstairs window. I like to write in those two spots in my house. I’ve never been a writer who likes to write in coffee shops. I would get too easily distracted. I also like the smell of coffee but not the taste so I don’t drink coffee. Also, at home I already have too many distractions, but I try to work with my children around.

  For a special snack, I don’t really have one, but I’m lucky if I can get a handful of chocolate chips from the freezer. I freeze them because I have really bad self-control. 🙂

  Yes! Sometimes taking pen to paper is the best way! I hear you on the trying to decipher your own handwriting problem though, haha!

  Why were you drawn to writing middle grade?

  I wasn’t! I did not want to write middle grade for the longest time. I have to credit my two earlier agents Ilse Craane and Kendra Marcus who encouraged me to write middle grade because they thought I had the voice for it.

  I was a picture book writer and wanted to write and work with children who are shorter than me: I’m 5 feet and three quarters. I was an elementary school teacher and taught second graders.

  However, I looooved reading middle grade books and that’s what I exclusively read. I was (and still am!) in awe of middle grade writers.

  I attempted my book UNSETTLED in prose, then converted it to verse, and loved that format so much more. It felt much less intimidating to me than a prose novel in middle grade. Now, I enjoy writing middle grade!

  Any hints about your next book project?

  Gold! … and a character who risks everything to help her family.

  Ooooh, I think you’re going to have everyone intrigued by that hint!

  What has been the most surprising part of your publishing journey?

  How long it takes – Unsettled took me 4 years (I took lots of breaks in between, gave up many times, and had a new baby – who’s now 3 years old!)
  How the right editor and agent can make a difference for your manuscript(s). I’ve loved working with my agent Rena Rossner and HarperCollins editor Alyson Day.
  How short it takes – after writing Unsettled, my other novel in verse GOLDEN GIRL took me a few months so that was refreshing. I also recommend having an outline before writing, something I learned the hard way!
  What are you reading right now?

  Right now, I’m enjoying THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN by Katherine Applegate and TWINTUITION by Tia and Tamera Mowry. Also some bedtime stories by Enid Blyton that I had as a child! I also recently finished and loved STARFISH by debut author Lisa Fipps. I tend to read a few books in a go.

  What’s your favourite piece of kick-butt advice?

  YOU are your best advocate. Try to speak up when you want something a certain way. It doesn’t hurt to ask for something. Lastly, you only fail when you fail to try.

  Absolutely!

  Thank you so much for joining us, Reem!

  Kick-butt Kidlit friends, make sure you check out UNSETTLED!
  It’s on shelves now!

  Add UNSETTLED on Goodreads!

  Connect with Reem on Twitter, Instagram, or through her website!

  Click here to enter to win a copy of UNSETTLED!
  Contest ends Friday, June 4th at 11:59 pm EST

  Thanks for reading!

• KidLit in Color - https://www.kidlitincolor.com/blog/reem-faruqi

  Reem Faruqi - 3 Books in 2021
  5/5/2021
  Books by Reem Faruqi
  Amira's Picture Day
  Interview with award-winning author, Reem Faruqi
  By: Aya Khalil

  Aya: Hello and Salam, Reem! First of all I am so excited to be interviewing you. I don't know if I have shared with others before but you were the first author who really inspired me to publish a book, traditionally, after falling in love with your debut Lailah's Lunchbox in 2015. And our books were both published with Tilbury House, and you answered so many of my questions along the way, so thank you for that! You just released a new book called Amira's Picture Day! Congratulations. Would you tell us a little about this book?

  Reem: I’m SO glad you were inspired, Aya. I've loved watching your writing journey unfold! I also loved your book The Arabic Quilt and can’t wait to read more from you. And yay for Tilbury House Publishers – I’ve had a great time with them.

  Amira's Picture Day is a story about wanting to be in two places at once and speaking up when you want to make a change.

  About Amira's Picture Day: ​Ramadan is over and Amira can’t wait to celebrate Eid. Spotting the new moon, she celebrates because Eid is tomorrow and she gets to miss school to go to the mosque for the Eid prayer and brunch. But then she realizes that tomorrow is Picture Day at school. How will her class remember her if she’s not in the class picture? What will Amira do?

  You can order here.
  Aya: My kids and I really enjoyed Amira’s Picture Day and gifted a copy to their library! Your MG debut, Unsettled comes out on May 11th! Could you tell us a little about this novel in verse?
  Unsettled
  Reem: You can see the summary on book ordering sites, but this is what I originally had in my query:

  My #ownvoices middle grade verse novel, Unsettled, has a strong, female character and a poetic voice. In my lyrical 14,100 word manuscript, Unsettled, Nurah reluctantly moves continents. In a new land, she sticks out for all the wrong reasons. At school, Nurah’s accent, floral print kurtas, and tea colored skin contribute to her eating lunch alone. All she wants is to fit in. If she blends in enough, will she make a friend? For now, all she has is her best friend brother Owais. In the water though, Nurah doesn’t want to blend: she wants to stand out and be just like her star athlete brother and win a swimming medal. However, when sibling rivalry gets in the way of swimming, she makes a split-second decision of betrayal that changes their fates and Nurah might risk losing the one friend she ever had…
  I Can Help
  Aya: That sounds incredible! You have a third book coming out called I Can Help in a few months. Would you please tell us about this?

  Reem: Zahra often happily volunteers to help a fellow classmate who needs a little extra assistance in school. It is only when she gets picked on by two popular students for helping him, she decides to distance herself from the fellow classmate to fit in more with her popular classmates. Later, she feels regret for her actions, but it is too late. Now, she decides to take matters into her own hands…

  You can preorder on Amazon or from Eerdmans.

  It comes out in the fall on August 10th just in time for the beginning of the school year.

  Aya: Perfect for the beginning of the school year. What inspired you to write these three books and the inspiration behind them?

  Reem: I love incorporating real experiences from my life into my stories and each of these 3 books has these elements. Also, I wrote these books all at different times over the past few years- they just all happened to fall for publication in 2021.

  Aya: What are some challenges you have faced throughout your publishing journey?

  Reem: My most recent challenge is launching two books within one month which is a great challenge to have ☺. Amira's Picture Day release date got delayed so I have two books that will be launched within Ramadan – Unsettled and Amira's Picture Day! I am just trying to get through each day, one fast at a time, while juggling emails!

  Another challenge I faced was going many years without any offers. Since Lailah's Lunchbox got published in 2015, I worked and wrote and gave up and prayed and tried again and after six long years, three books are releasing this year! I assumed after having one book out in the world, the rest would be easy and would automatically come, but that wasn’t the case when I waited for manuscripts to sell. The writing journey can be quite rocky at times and sometimes quite smooth. It’s the weirdest thing.

  Aya: What a great reminder about how it’s never easy to sell a book but you persisted and made it happen. What advice would you give to writers, especially BIPOC writers, who want to publish a book?

  Reem: I would advise you to connect with authors and critique partners who look like you and share your beliefs as well as connect with authors who don’t share your faith and culture and race. That way you can get a wider variety of opinions and insight on your manuscripts. I think it’s important to be in both worlds. I’m in a traditionally published Muslim Author group (you’re in it and we’re both admins, Aya, along with Saadia Faruqi and Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow – all authors I admire!) that I really have enjoyed being in and often ask maaany questions there.

  Aya: I do love a good support group! What are some of your favorite books recently?

  Reem: I love reading but this Ramadan haven’t had the chance to delve into books as much. A recent read I’ve loved, for picture books is Inside My Mosque by M. O. Yuksel and Hatem Aly.

  For middle grade, I’ve enjoyed Hena Khan’s Amina's Voice and the way she shares her love for Pakistan with her friends as well as navigates middle school and its challenges .

  For YA I just read The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas and loved it. I happened to watch the movie first! Both were powerful.

  Aya: Great suggestions. Tell us more about yourself. Where do you live? Do you have another job besides being an amazing author? What are your hobbies?

  Reem: I live in Atlanta. I work for the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta and schedule speakers for a variety of organizations. I am also a seasonal photographer but am finding less time for that!

  Hobbies – doodling, NOT COOKING, making messes, napping (does that count?), Pilates
  and walking. I recently discovered these Pilates workouts with Robin Long and love them. I love that the Pilates exercises (https://thebalancedlifeonline.com/) are 10-15 minutes and are a nice computer break.

  Aya: I love napping too, when I can. Ha. Where can people find you? Twitter, Instagram, website and where can they purchase your books?

  @ReemFaruqi on Twitter and Instagram
  Please check out my photoblog at www.ReemFaruqi.com .
  They can purchase my books at indie bookstores near them or on Amazon with the links provided.

  Aya: Thank you for letting me interview you! Is there anything else you'd like to add?
  ​Thank you for having me Aya! I love seeing our books the world and am so happy the younger generation is FINALLY seeing themselves in books!
  Picture
  Reem Faruqi lives in Atlanta with her husband and three daughters. She is the award-winning children’s book author of Lailah’s Lunchbox, a book based on her own experiences as a young Muslim girl immigrating to the United States. After surviving Atlanta traffic and the school drop off, Reem spends her days trying to write, but instead gets distracted easily by her toddler, camera, and buttery sunlight. You can find her at www.ReemFaruqi.com or on Instagram or Twitter.

• WATCH. CONNECT. READ. - http://mrschureads.blogspot.com/2020/10/unsettled-by-reem-faruqi.html

  Posted by John Schu October 05, 2020
  UNSETTLED BY REEM FARUQI
  Hello, Reem Faruqi! Welcome to Watch. Connect. Read.! I finished reading Unsettled approximately 129 hours ago. I was going to send you these interview questions right away, but I needed to sit with your characters, setting, and exquisite language for a while. I’ve been thinking about how every line is perfectly paced and punctuated. As I shared on Twitter, my heart received a workout. I’m grateful this beautifully written novel in verse will be out in the world next year.

  Reem Faruqi: Hello Mr. Schu! I’m so glad you got a heart workout and thank you for having me! I look up to the authors on your blog so I’m excited to be here.

  I'm so excited you're here! I looked at Soumbal Qureshi’s cover illustration and Molly Fehr’s cover design multiple times while reading Unsettled. I’m curious, what ran through your heart the first time you saw it?

  Reem Faruqi: Joy mixed with pride!

  I found the process of reviewing the cover fascinating. My first view of the cover was a black and white sketch. Seeing the final cover in vibrant color, was heartwarming. I love how Soumbal Qureshi drew Nurah with lovely brown skin and how her aqua hijab has a water element. It feels Pakistani to me and American at the same time. I also have a pair of bright blue tennis shoes like Nurah wears on the cover!

  I was also immediately drawn to the resolute expression Soumbal Qureshi captured on Nurah’s face and how it looks like she’s walking toward her new home and future. I gravitated to the Pakistani details like the rickshaw, the flowery mehndi details, the yummy mangoes, and the feathery crow. I’m so grateful to Molly Fehr and Soumbal Qureshi for caring about my input and for making my book come to life!

  Scenario: A sixth-grade teacher in Atlanta, Georgia, invites you to booktalk Unsettled on Zoom. What would you tell the students about it?

  Reem Faruqi: I would tell them that much of the book is based on my own life and experiences as a new immigrant to America. I would tell them to journal about their experiences because it may come in handy for later when they become authors!

  I would encourage them to not be afraid to speak up when they see injustice and find their voice, especially in difficult situations. The scenes where Nurah learns to find her voice were the most powerful for me.

  Lastly, I would advise them if they see someone sitting alone at lunch, to ask them to say 8 words, “Do you want to eat lunch with me?” Those words made a world of a difference to my character Nurah and me.

  Please finish the following sentence starters:

  Nurah Haqq is quiet in a new continent, but not for long! Once she finds her voice and isn’t afraid to use it, she’ll be unstoppable.

  Poetry is slicing sentences up and putting them together to make the words sing.

  Story is what connects me and you. It’s my grandmother Nana’s voice over dinner where years later you can’t remember the food, but you remember the taste of her stories.

  Mr. Schu, you should have asked me how I worked out while writing this story. I swam a lot of laps to get inside my character Nurah’s head since she is a swimmer. I can now do a proper flip turn in the water!

  Like you, my heart also got a workout while I was writing UNSETTLED since some of Nurah’s experiences are based on my own life.

  Look for Unsettled on May 11, 2021.

  When Reem Faruqi taught second grade, her favorite time was “Read Aloud” time. Now, her favorite time at home is reading with her daughters. Of Pakistani origin, she moved to Peachtree City, Georgia, from Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, when she was 13 years old. Reem based her first award-winning children’s book “Lailah’s Lunchbox” on her own experiences as a young Muslim girl immigrating to the United States. She has three new books projected for 2021, her debut middle grade book “Unsettled” (HarperCollins 2021), and two picture books: “Amira’s Picture Day”(Holiday House 2021) and “I Can Help.” (Eerdmans 2021). Reem seasonally works as a photographer at ReemFaruqi Photography and currently works as a Scheduler for the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta. She loves to doodle, write, and take photos at http://www.ReemFaruqi.com. Currently, she lives with her husband and three daughters in Atlanta.

• Thushanthi Ponweera - https://www.thushanthiponweera.com/interview-with-reem-faruqi/

  An interview with Reem Faruqi
  February 4, 2021
  Thush
  Reem first caught my attention as a picture book author and then when she announced her debut middle-grade novel in verse. It means a lot when someone who juggles as much as she does -not only is she a talented writer but also a great photographer and mom of three- takes the time to offer advice to an up and coming writer like myself, and it makes me so happy that she is my first featured guest in what I hope to be a series of interviews with South Asian authors.

  Reem Faruqi
  Reem, tell us a bit about yourself.

  I’m an author who tries to write lyrical stories that reflect my experiences. I’m also a mom, former teacher, photographer, and mess maker.

  Describe your writing journey in one word.

  LONG!

  Okay in more than one word?

  I know my writing journey could have been longer, but it feels long to me. I started writing picture books in 2010. My first picture book LAILAH’S LUNCHBOX was published in 2015. I wrote and wrote for the next few years. I thought once you had a book published, the rest of your manuscripts would be snatched up and published as well. I was wrong!
  During those years I was often asked Do you have another book coming out? It felt like being asked When are you having your next baby? Although I worked and worked and wrote and wrote, it seemed like I was writing into a void.

  Now SIX years after my first book was published, I’m finally seeing those stories come into fruition and I have three books AMIRA’S PICTURE DAY (Holiday House 2021), my debut middle-grade novel in verse UNSETTLED (HarperCollins 2021), and I CAN HELP (Eerdmans 2021) coming out this year! I also have a new non-fiction picture book based on my grandmother MILLOO’S MIND (HarperCollins) coming out in 2023.

  You are so transparent about your writing journey on your own blog (thank you!) and it seems you have run the gamut of experiences when it comes to agents and book deals. Could you share some highlights?

  You’re welcome! Yes, I try to share as much info as possible in case my experience helps anyone querying and beyond.

  I went through the querying process for a new agent after my first agent left the profession. I stayed with her boss, but a few months later, she amicably split with me. I remember feeling as if I was starting from scratch all over again! My manuscript UNSETTLED needed some tweaks and further development and I wasn’t feeling as motivated to get them done.

  Once I knew I had to find a new agent, I felt a sense of urgency to complete the manuscript once and for all. The summer of 2019 saw me staying up late past midnight, sitting in my kitchen with a stack of papers from my manuscript and flipping through them, adding post-it notes and highlighting areas that I needed to fix. A few days into revising, I saw the final pieces of the story. It was almost like when you find the last pieces of a puzzle and put them in – it was so gratifying. I then eagerly started querying. It felt great to get full requests from agents but also disheartening when I got those inevitable rejections. It was when I did get a couple of offers of agent representation that things started to look up for me. I signed on with Rena Rossner and she was enthusiastic to get my book on submission.

  I remember going to a family wedding and in the wee hours that followed, thankfully taking off my makeup and changing into my pajamas and making Rena’s edits in the hotel room after my toddler was asleep. The unglamorous –yet cozy– writers’ life!

  I wanted to incorporate Rena’s edits quickly so she could submit the story before the holiday season began. Something interesting was that my story felt like it got more editorial interest than agent interest and my book went on auction! We signed with Alyson Day of HarperCollins and am grateful that I get to be a debut middle-grade author.

  What is your favorite genre to write, and why?

  It changes, but currently, it’s middle grade. I love tackling tender topics. I also swoon for a good middle-grade voice.

  As a fellow mom, I’m always interested to know how other moms find the time to write, especially during the pandemic. What has helped you?

  Reem’s work space in a corner of her kitchen
  Taking it one day at a time, one word at a time, and trying to be consistent.

  Before, when my two older daughters were in school and my toddler was home with me, 10 am seemed to be our magical time. The sun would stream through the windows. I would set up my youngest with an activity or a TV show and I was finally ‘awake’ and ready to write.

  Now, 10 pm seems to be my magical time. The children are in bed (doesn’t mean they’re asleep though!) and I sit down and write.

  Being at home all the time in a pandemic, I try to change up my writing spots. Sometimes I’ll write at my desk, sometimes at the kitchen table, and sometimes on the lazy, brown sofa with a blanket and maybe a candle in the distance – so cozy! If I have a candle, it also reminds me to give my eyes a break and to look at it every now and then!

  I hope all my readers still feel seen and realize that no matter what our cultures or faiths are, our human experiences are universal, and that deep down, we’re all quite similar!

  It’s obvious your culture influences your writing. I’d love to know more about your cultural roots, and how this affects what you want to write about.

  I’m Pakistani and American and I used to live in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, and finally moved to the United States when I was thirteen years old. I remember when I was applying for college and had to write an essay, my father told me that I had lived through different places and experiences and encouraged me to write about what made me different.

  Years later, when I was just starting out with my picture books, I wrote some manuscripts that reflected my culture and some that didn’t, and the ones that directly reflected my culture were the ones that got the most attention.

  I love my grandparents and my family is very important to me, so when I write a story with a Pakistani character, I try to reflect that by adding a strong family dynamic. I’ll always try to add a grandparent or two, when able!

  Tell us a bit about your upcoming book Unsettled. How excited are you about the launch?

  So excited!

  It comes out on May 11th, which is my grandparents’ anniversary. I actually received my contract on the day my grandfather passed away from covid, so it’s been a bittersweet journey.

  I’m guessing the launch will be virtual and I worry about all the things that could go wrong. Like what if my computer dies dramatically in the middle of the launch or my Wi-Fi stops working, or my 3-year-old barges in?!

  Who are the authors you admire?

  There are way too many! It’s hard to choose.

  I love Chris Baron’s verse, Beverly Cleary’s humor, Hena Khan’s prose, Jacqueline Woodson’s depth, Enid Blyton’s imagination, Roald Dahl’s whimsy, and Sandra Cisneros’s lyrical words.

  What are some of the more recent reads you enjoyed?

  All Thirteen by Christina Soontornvat. Each line at the end of the chapter was a mix of poignant, heartbreaking, and hopeful, and made me keep turning the pages for more. Knowing it is a true story made it all the more incredible!

  Right as Rain by Lindsey Stoddard. Stunningly written with relatable characters and a gorgeous voice.

  Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park. This was lovely and so eye-opening that I even made my mom read it!

  In picture books, Fauja Singh Keeps Going by Simran Jeet Singh & Baljinder Kaur was very inspiring!

  Similar to beauty being in the eye of the beholder, so it is with books – it could mean different things to different readers. But as an author, what do you hope kids will feel when they read your stories?

  If they’re Muslim or Pakistani, I hope they feel seen and that my book validates their experiences.

  If they don’t share my faith or culture, I hope all my readers still feel seen and realize that no matter what our cultures or faiths are, our human experiences are universal, and that deep down, we’re all quite similar!

  Huge thanks to Reem for being my first interviewee on the blog! I could imagine her writing this in her little nook in the kitchen, I could sense her pain about her grandfather’s passing, and I could feel her excitement as her book went to auction! I’m sure her stories too will have that magical ability to take the reader on a journey and I wish her all the very best (and no spotty WiFi!) for this exciting year ahead!

  You can follow Reem on Twitter @ReemFaruqi and read about her upcoming releases here.

• Blue Minaret - http://www.blueminaret.com/author-interview-reem-faruqi/

  Author Interview: Reem Faruqi

  Reem FaruqiReem Faruqi used to teach second grade and her favorite time was Read Aloud time. Now, her favorite time at home is Read Aloud time to her 2 daughters. Of Pakistani origin, she moved to Peachtree City, Georgia, from Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, when she was a teenager. Reem based her first children’s book “Lailah’s Lunchbox” on her own experiences as a young Muslim girl immigrating to the United States. Reem Faruqi loves to doodle, write, and take photos. Check out her photoblog at www.ReemFaruqi.com! Currently, she lives with her husband and daughters in Atlanta.

  Q. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? What were your first attempts at writing like?

  As a child, I received a birthday present that was a blue diary with pink bubblegum scented pages. I was hooked! When I’d written through that one, I started the next one. I still have all my childhood diaries from childhood up until now. Each time, I finish one, I promptly buy another one! So since I was young child, I loved to write. I also love libraries and book stores and have fond memories of going to libraries as a child. I always ​dreamed of having my own book in a library or a bookstore, and my dream has finally come true!

  Q. Describe your path to publishing. How long did it take, what setbacks did you encounter along the way, and who helped and supported you?

  I used to teach second grade. Once I had my first child 5 years ago, I took some time off and became a stay-at-home-mother. I really missed teaching and getting my creativity out. That’s when I decided to follow my dream of​ writ​ing a children’s book. I wrote ​many​ different stories happily. I purchased books that gave advice on how to get published. I reached out to authors for advice. I believed my stories were fabulous! I then submitted all my stories and got rejections!

  I was​ ​naturally disappointed, but receiving rejections is a natural part of the publishing industry. Rarely, do authors make it the first time. Now, I do admire my prior confidence! However, I had a glimmer of hope when ​one publishing company (Tilbury House Publishers) held onto one of my stories longer than usual for extra reviewing. Knowing that my story was good, but not quite good enough, kept me hope to keep on going.

  I focused on photography for a bit, but realized I still wanted to get a children’s book published. I submitted a few stories again and again got rejections. I had another child and life naturally got busier. I read dozens of children’s books, looked at what already existed in the children’s book market, and tried again and wrote Lailah’s Lunchbox. This time, Tilbury House Publishers said they wanted to publish my story, and I was delighted! I still am!

  Q. Why children’s books? How did you choose the genre and age category you wanted to write for?

  Why not children’s books? Children’s books are therapeutic for me. My favorite time as a teacher was Read Aloud Time. I suspect for many of my students it was as well. Books have a way of soothing souls. When you have 22 restless second graders, you can pull out a good book, and all of a sudden, you have 22 attentive and imaginative listeners, soaking up every word.

  We live in a world full of technology and devices that sap up our energy. I find reading books, especially children’s books, offer a calming space. Another reason I especially love children’s books is because of the illustrations. I love different art styles, water colors, etc! To have my story illustrated and come to life was a big moment for me. Lea Lyon did a phenomenal job creating Lailah and her painting with water colors brought an extra layer of warmth to the story.

  ​Since I had taught second graders for four years, I targeted them when writing this story. I visualized their faces as I read it aloud to myself on my computer! I have had the opportunity to read Lailah’s Lunchbox to second graders and found it rewarding as they soaked up every word.

  I chose to write a book about a Muslim, because I am a Muslim and believe we need to have more diverse children’s books representing people of different faiths and cultures. I found some amazing children’s books about Muslims and for one summer read dozens of books on Ramadan and Muslims to see what already existed. I didn’t find any books set in a school setting, a place where children spend so much time. I also wanted to make the story not just a Ramadan story, so beefed up the story by writing about Lailah’s immigrant experience, an experience I felt emotional when I moved to Peachtree City, Georgia from Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.​

  Pic 2

  Q. In your opinion what are two or three qualities a writer must have in order to be successful?

  ​Persistence – because you will get those rejections! I suggest recycling them or using them as book marks – I have done both!
  Passion – if you love to write, the rest should fall into space. Give it Time. It may take a month, it may take years!
  Read – Read as many books as you can! Read new releases, old releases, anything and everything. It helps strengthen your writing.​
  Edit – Find a good critique group. Trust Them. Trust Yourself.​
  Q. What does your writing future look like? What do you aim to do over the next five years? ​

  I would love to publish many more children’s books for the rest of my life. I’m aiming to write more stories, edit them, ​​submit them, and hopefully get them published. The tricky part is sitting down to write. I really need to do something about the stories that are floating around in my brain!

FARUQI, Reem. Lailah's Lunchbox. illus. by Lea Lyon. 32p. glossary. Tilbury House. 2015. Tr $16.95. ISBN 9780884484318. LC 2014042485.

K-Gr 3--Lailah recently moved from Abu Dhabi to Peachtree City, GA, and while she misses her friends back in the Middle East, she is very excited to be old enough to fast during Ramadan. However, being new is one thing, but being different is another. What if her class doesn't know what Ramadan is? What if she is the only one fasting? Lailah falters when it is time to give Mrs. Penworth a note asking that she be excused from lunch, and she has to endure the tempting smells of food and kind offers of her classmates to share lunch. After escaping to the foodless library, the school librarian encourages Lailah to write down her feelings and share them with her teacher. After all, who knows what could come of sharing her culture? The large, often full-page watercolor illustrations provide gentle details that add depth to the text. A note and glossary round out the story, giving context from the author's life and information about Islamic culture. Fans of Patricia Polacco will enjoy this heartfelt tale. VERDICT A solid addition for libraries in need of modern Ramadan stories.--Brittany Staszak, St. Charles Public Library, IL

Staszak, Brittany

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Staszak, Brittany. "Faruqi, Reem. Lailah's Lunchbox." School Library Journal, vol. 61, no. 8, Aug. 2015, p. 68. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A424105978/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=5f5ced68. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022.

FARUQI, Reem. Amira's Picture Day. illus. by Fahmida Azim. 40p. Holiday House. Apr. 2021. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780823440191.

K-Gr 2--Amira feels conflicted when she realizes that school picture day is the same day as Eid. Spotting the crescent moon marking the end of Ramadan, Amira and her brother Ziyad know it means that there will be prayers, celebrations, and skipping school the following day. Amira's mom decorates the girl's hands with mehndi. Amira and Ziyad prepare goody bags for the kids at the masjid, while her mother irons Amira's Eid outfit, a beautiful blue and gold mirrored shalwar kameez. Though Eid is frill of the joy and community she loves, missing picture day puts a damper on the celebration, until Amira thinks of a possible solution. Deceptively simple, Faruqi's narrative gently addresses the impact that the celebration of non-Judeo-Christian holidays has on children and choices families make to uphold traditions. Moreover, Amira's conflicted feelings and insistence on finding a solution create opportunities for dialogue about the importance of acknowledging spaces that matter to children, especially while families try to foster positive identity. Azina's illustrations are fun and colorful, with tiny details reflecting the family's personality, while the people attending Eid celebrations at Amira's masjid are racially and culturally diverse, with varied skin tones, body types, and expressions of fashion and style. Back matter features an author's note and glossary of terms, referencing Urdu and Amira and her family's Pakistani roots. VERDICT A lovely addition to the collection of books about Eid that can be used all year long.--Ariana Sani Hussain, The Blake Sch., Wayzata, MN

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Hussain, Ariana Sani. "FARUQI, Reem. Amira's Picture Day." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 3, Mar. 2021, p. 74. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A654790255/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=23482d5d. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022.

FARUQI, Reem. Unsettled. 352p. HarperCollins. May 2021. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780063044708. POP

Gr 4-6--At home in Karachi, Pakistan, Nurah Haqq enjoys a life surrounded by family, friends, and visits to the ocean. A perfect day at the beach becomes the worst day when Nurah's father announces that he has accepted a job offer in America. Her immediate family--father, mother, and older brother Owais--will soon relocate to the United States. Uprooted, the family settles in Peachtree City, GA, where Nurah discovers a nation of unfamiliar sights, sounds, smells, and strange pronunciations. The challenges they face in America, including Nurah's complicity in an attack on her brother, will force the girl--whose name means "light"--to face her own weaknesses, reconnect with the light within, and blossom into someone she is proud of. Told in verse in short chapters and divided into nine sections which are illustrated with floral mehndi patterns, this is an insightful and moving narrative that tackles a wide range of salient topics, including ableism, bullying, assimilation, colorism, racial profiling, friendship, miscarriage, and domestic abuse. The brevity of some verses allows the engrossing narrative to move quickly, but also leaves some topics feeling underexamined. Farqui beautifully weaves Urdu and Arabic terms, and Islamic concepts throughout the text, crafting an unapologetic and authentic look at what it means to grow up Pakistani and Muslim in America. Back matter, which includes a glossary of Arabic and Urdu terms, author's note, and recipe for aloo kabab, offers additional context and opportunities for understanding and engagement. VERDICT A thought-provoking and engaging coming-of-age story recommended for libraries of all types; will particularly appeal to fans of Jasmine Warga's Other Words for Home, Kelly Yang's Front Desk, and Hena Khan's Amina's Voice.--Mahasin A. Aleem, Oakland P.L., CA

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Aleem, Mahasin A. "FARUQI, Reem. Unsettled." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 4, Apr. 2021, pp. 118+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A657694734/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=52ec6971. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022.

FARUQI, Reem. I Can Help. illus. by Mikela Prevost. 44p. Eerdmans. Jul. 2021. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780802855046.

K-Gr 3--Earnest Zahra, an energetic girl with brown skin and black hair, is always happy to help a boy in her class until the day she is teased for spending time with a weird-looking "baby." Kylem, who has pale skin, is generous, great at drawing, and good at telling jokes, but he has trouble with reading, writing, and cutting. Zahra works so well with him that their teacher calls her a "super helper." But when two girls question why she volunteers to do so, Zahra closes Kyle out while hating the sound of her own mean voice. She doesn't know how to act on her remorse until the next year when she is at a big new school without Kyle. The minute an anxious new girl arrives, Zahra wastes no time in offering to help. Children will immediately recognize the dynamics at play in this diverse classroom. Zahra's emotions are vividly depicted through action, from riding high on the swings, to sharing a joke with Kyle, to blinking the right amount of blinks so she doesn't cry. Mixed media illustrations, with the feel of those by G. Brian Karas, are a wonderful match and amplify the feelings in the text through body language and facial expressions. VERDICT Lessons about kindness, regret, and making amends are all here without being the least bit didactic. An excellent conversation starter for any adults who work with groups of children.--Jan Aldrich Solow, formerly Fairfax County Public Sch., VA

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Solow, Jan Aldrich. "FARUQI, Reem. I Can Help." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 8, Aug. 2021, p. 70. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A670397909/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=fa553631. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022.

Lailah's Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story

Reem Faruqi, author

Lea Lyon, illustrator

Tilbury House Publishers

12 Starr St., Thomaston, ME 04861

9780884484318, $16.95, www.tilburyhouse.com

"Lailah's Lunchbox" is a beautiful story that explains the Muslim month of fasting known as Ramadan. Lailah is a Muslim girl who had moved to the United States, to the state of Georgia, from Abu Dhabi, continents away in the Middle East. This year was a first year Lailah will be old enough to observe the fast. So her lunchbox will be given a month's rest. Early in the morning she ate the special sunrise meal, then she left for school with a note for the teacher from her mom. Although at first she was happy and excited about her first fasting experience, she became more anxious as she realized none of her friends at Peachtree Elementary School would be fasting with her, or would understand why she was fasting. Escaping from the lunchroom to the library, Lailah found a friend to confide in, Mrs. Carman, the librarian. She understood Lailah's dilemma in sharing the note about her special fast for Ramadan, and encouraged Lailah to write down her thoughts to explain to her teacher, Mrs. Penworth. Later, Mrs. Penworth wrote a note back to Lailah, full of understanding and praise for her special fast and Ramadan poem. She invited Lailah to share her poem with the class, invited her to make new friends, and allowed her to continue going to the library at lunch time for the month of fasting. At the end of the day, Lailah gave thanks as she joined her family for Iftar, the sunset meal shared during the month of Ramadan. Sensitive water color paintings illustrated the many feelings of joy, anticipation, and doubt that are experienced by Lailah in this wonderful story of Ramadan.

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Lailah's Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story." Children's Bookwatch, July 2015. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A422447489/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=593d41a5. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022.

Faruqi, Reem UNSETTLED Harper/HarperCollins (Children's None) $16.99 5, 11 ISBN: 978-0-06-304470-8

A Pakistani girl’s life is uprooted when her family immigrates to the United States, where she struggles to fit in and remain true to herself.

Nurah is a 13-year-old girl living happily in Pakistan: She loves hanging out with her family and her best friend, but her favorite thing to do is swim. Everything changes when Nurah learns her father has accepted a job in America. While missing Karachi, they try to adjust to their new surroundings in Georgia, but learning to speak, dress, and act differently takes its toll on the family. Nurah and her older brother, Owais, find some happiness at the community pool. Although Nurah makes a friend in fellow swimmer Stahr, she becomes jealous of Owais, who has been more easily able to fit in and win swim meets. When a tragic incident befalls him—in part due to her jealousy—Nurah learns it’s better to stand up and stand out as who you are than try to conform. Faruqi’s use of free verse will captivate readers with its metaphors that emphasize feelings and details of daily life. Middle schoolers who struggle with fitting in will resonate with the story while also receiving a glimpse into the lives of a Pakistani immigrant family. Qureshi’s floral and paisley spot art and illustrations of hands with henna designs add delicate beauty.

Lyrical. Hopeful. Poignant. (family tree, author’s note, glossary, recipe) (Verse novel. 10-13)

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Faruqi, Reem: UNSETTLED." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2021. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A654727416/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4bc97206. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022.

Faruqi, Reem AMIRA'S PICTURE DAY Holiday House (Children's None) $17.99 4, 6 ISBN: 978-0-8234-4019-1

Amira and her brother scan the sky, looking for the sliver-thin crescent moon that will tell them that Eid is the next day.

With her hands decorated, goody bags ready for kids at the masjid (Faruqi uses the Arabic term for mosque throughout), new Eid clothes, and the knowledge that she will be missing school to celebrate Eid, Amira is excited! But then she notices the flyer on the fridge and remembers tomorrow is Picture Day. She doesn’t want to miss her class picture! But the next day, “seeing the masjid, Amira’s sadness floated away. Her mouth popped open. She could hardly recognize it.” She’s happy during Eid prayers and when greeting friends and family—until she remembers Picture Day. But maybe there’s a way she can do both? Faruqi effectively builds up the excitement to celebrate Eid and balances it with Amira’s distress at missing Picture Day—readers will see that both are important. The characters and interactions at the masjid are real, reinforcing a community celebrating Eid, and so are Amira’s interactions with her classmates. Azim’s illustrations pair well with Faruqi’s words, focusing on facial expression as well as body language to highlight the mixed emotions: excitement, sadness, surprise. There is much diversity among the people at the masjid, including hijab styles, other attire, and racial presentation. Amira’s blue, mirror-bedecked shalwar kameez stands out. Her family is of South Asian heritage.

Sweet and sympathetic. (author's note, more about Eid, glossary) (Picture book. 4-8)

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Faruqi, Reem: AMIRA'S PICTURE DAY." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2021. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A654727215/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=edfd82d6. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022.

Faruqi, Reem I CAN HELP Eerdmans (Children's None) $17.99 8, 10 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5504-6

Learning to be kind to others can be a bumpy journey.

Among Zahra’s 17 very diverse classmates, Kyle is great at drawing, drumming, and other things. However, he needs help to do some others, like writing, sounding out words, and working scissors. Ms. Underwood, the teacher, chooses other students to help him every day. Zahra always holds her hand up, volunteering to be Kyle’s helper, because she thinks he is generous, funny, and kind. Today she’s picked and, at the end of school, is very proud to be called “a super helper” by the teacher. However, things change after two classmates tease and pressure her to stop helping the kid who “looks weird” and acts like “a baby.” Although she is conflicted about her feelings and thoughts about Kyle, her new, brusque demeanor makes him say to her, “You’re mean now.” Beautiful and delicate details in both text and illustration situate readers physically in the school’s art classroom and autumnal playground, mentally in Zahra’s world full of special cooking spices like cumin and turmeric, and emotionally in her hesitation and growth. Zahra does not get to change her behavior toward Kyle or to say sorry to him. However, when she moves to a new school, she finds her truth and acts in a way she can be proud of. Zahra has brown skin, Ms. Underwood presents Black, and Kyle presents White.

An illuminating glimpse into how a young child learns to trust her instinct and be kind to others. (Picture book. 4-8)

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Faruqi, Reem: I CAN HELP." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A668237783/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7d7cd6f4. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022.

Faruqi, Reem GOLDEN GIRL Harper/HarperCollins (Children's None) $16.99 2, 22 ISBN: 978-0-06-304475-3

Thirteen-year-old Pakistani American Aafiyah Qamar has a lot going on in her life.

Aaifiyah lives with her family--Abba, who repairs airplanes; Mom; and younger brother Ibrahim--in Atlanta. She enjoys reading National Geographic fact books, playing tennis, spending time with Zaina, her best friend whose body is maturing more quickly than hers, and visiting her grandparents in Karachi. But Dada Abu, her paternal grandfather, has cancer, and Aafiyah is struggling with another problem: She sometimes takes--and keeps--things without asking. When Abba is accused of a crime and detained at the airport in Dubai, everything starts to fall apart. Dada Abu travels back to Atlanta with Aafiyah, Mom, and Ibrahim for medical treatment. Meanwhile Dadi, her paternal grandmother, stays behind with Abba, surrendering her passport for his bail. Aafiyah has never before had to worry about money; when she sees that they are struggling to pay for Dada Abu's treatment and her father's lawyers, she hatches a plan to help--but it involves taking something that is not hers. Aafiyah ultimately must face the consequences of her actions. Faruqi seamlessly weaves in elements of Aafiyah's Islamic identity while capturing telling details about Aafiyah, her family, and other characters. The verse format and ample white space will work well for struggling readers who are intimidated by dense paragraphs of text.

A story about family, friendship, change, and hope. (author's note, resources, recipe, glossary) (Verse novel. 9-13)

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Faruqi, Reem: GOLDEN GIRL." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Dec. 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A686536611/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d8ef3eec. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022.

Golden Girl

Reem Faruqi. HarperCollins, $16.99 (336p) ISBN 978-0-06-304475-3

A teen of Pakistani descent faces her penchant for "borrowing" things and navigates puberty-related changes in Faruqi's (Amira's Picture Day) novel in verse. When 13-year-old Aafiyah Qamar's Abba is arrested in Dubai for a theft that he didn't commit, Aafiyah is determined to help the family--not least because she feels guilt about enjoying "the feeling/ of something new in my hands/ that's not mine." The incident occurs as the Muslim family--Aafiyah, her parents, and younger brother Ibrahim--are returning home to Atlanta from Karachi, accompanying Aaliyah's Dada Abu, who seeks cancer treatment in the U.S. Unable to offer any help, her grandmother stays behind, while in America, her mother goes through their savings to hire lawyers for Aafiyah's father. When Aafiyah, whose family has always been "well off," sets out to help pay for her father's expensive lawyer, she gets caught, and consequences follow. Aafiyah, who has mild hearing loss in one ear, enjoys facts, tennis, and photography, and is deeply aware of her best friend's physical changes--and her own lack of them--in this story with a well-characterized, flawed heroine and a lot of heart. An author's note discusses the real-life seeds of this story. Ages 8-12. Agent: Rena Rossner, Deborah Harris Agency. (Feb.)

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Golden Girl." Publishers Weekly, vol. 269, no. 1, 3 Jan. 2022, p. 42. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A690097901/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=881869bd. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022.

Staszak, Brittany. "Faruqi, Reem. Lailah's Lunchbox." School Library Journal, vol. 61, no. 8, Aug. 2015, p. 68. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A424105978/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=5f5ced68. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022. Hussain, Ariana Sani. "FARUQI, Reem. Amira's Picture Day." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 3, Mar. 2021, p. 74. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A654790255/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=23482d5d. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022. Aleem, Mahasin A. "FARUQI, Reem. Unsettled." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 4, Apr. 2021, pp. 118+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A657694734/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=52ec6971. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022. Solow, Jan Aldrich. "FARUQI, Reem. I Can Help." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 8, Aug. 2021, p. 70. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A670397909/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=fa553631. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022. "Lailah's Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story." Children's Bookwatch, July 2015. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A422447489/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=593d41a5. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022. "Faruqi, Reem: UNSETTLED." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2021. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A654727416/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4bc97206. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022. "Faruqi, Reem: AMIRA'S PICTURE DAY." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2021. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A654727215/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=edfd82d6. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022. "Faruqi, Reem: I CAN HELP." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A668237783/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7d7cd6f4. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022. "Faruqi, Reem: GOLDEN GIRL." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Dec. 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A686536611/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d8ef3eec. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022. "Golden Girl." Publishers Weekly, vol. 269, no. 1, 3 Jan. 2022, p. 42. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A690097901/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=881869bd. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022.

Word Count