Anisa's International Day
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
From the award-winning author of Unsettled, meet Anisa, the adorable Pakistani American heroine of this irresistible younger middle grade novel about a girl who introduces her class to the art of mehndi for International Day. Filled with fun black-and-white interior art, recipes, and activities in the back matter and perfect for fans of Meet Yasmin!
Anisa is super-excited about International Day and can’t wait to share her mother’s samosas with her class. But when someone else has the exact same idea, Anisa is crushed.
Going to her aunt's dholki party gives her an idea for the perfect activity instead—mehndi! There’s only one problem: Anisa’s best friend doesn’t seem to like the idea. She doesn’t even seem to like Anisa anymore.
Will Anisa ever get to enjoy International Day?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In Atlanta, spirited third grader narrator Anisa Zakaria, who is Pakistani American, enjoys drawing; baking with first grader sister Zineera, with whom she runs a small bakery for family; and laughing with jokester best friend Katie, who reads as white. When Anisa wears a new kurta that her Nani sends from Pakistan, it gives her beloved teacher the idea to hold an International Day, for which each student will choose a state or country to which they have a connection. Looking for an "ingenious" idea for the celebration, the occasion of Anisa's beloved aunt's pre-wedding dholki inspires her to plan on bringing mehndi for International Day. But after Katie seems to laugh at Anisa's decorated palms, Anisa surveys classmates about the ingredients required of a good friend, determining that Katie no longer measures up—and resulting in a fallout. Exploring a cross-cultural friendship alongside interpersonal dynamics at home and school, Faruqi (Unsettled) uses a light touch to articulate one student's multifaceted struggles around sharing an intersection of her identity in a slice-of-life chapter book that deftly portrays elements of Pakistani culture. Final art not seen by PW. A glossary, recipes, and activities conclude. Ages 8–12.
