Wishing Upon the Same Stars - by Jacquetta Nammar Feldman (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

This powerful and poignant coming-of-age middle grade debut novel follows an Arab American girl named Yasmeen as she moves to San Antonio with her family and navigates finding friendship--and herself. Perfect for fans of Other Words for Home, Front Desk, and American as Paneer Pie.

When twelve-year-old Yasmeen Khoury moves with her family to San Antonio, all she wants to do is fit in. But her classmates in Texas are nothing like her friends in the predominantly Arab neighborhood back in Detroit where she grew up. Almost immediately, Yasmeen feels like the odd girl out, and as she faces middle school mean girls and tries to make new friends, she feels more alone than ever before.

Then Yasmeen meets her neighbor, Ayelet Cohen, a first-generation Israeli American. As the two girls grow closer, Yasmeen is grateful to know someone who understands what it feels like when your parents' idea of home is half a world away.

But when Yasmeen's grandmother moves in after her home in Jerusalem is destroyed, Yasmeen and Ayelet must grapple with how much closer the events of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are than they'd realized. As Yasmeen begins to develop her own understandings of home, heritage, and most importantly, herself, can the two girls learn there's more that brings them together than might tear them apart . . . and that peace begins with them?

A 2023 BANK STREET BOOKS BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR!

A JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD GOLD STANDARD SELECTION!

• Friends from Different Cultures: Yasmeen is Palestinian and Lebanese American; her new neighbor Ayelet is Israeli American. Their bond is tested when a conflict from half a world away lands on their doorstep.
• A Moving Story About Empathy: When Yasmeen's grandmother loses her home in Jerusalem, the two girls must confront a painful history and discover what truly connects them beyond headlines.
• Finding Your Voice: Navigating a new school, mean girls, and her own family's story, Yasmeen has to decide for herself what home and friendship really mean.
• A Hopeful Book About Peace: Perfect for young readers exploring complex topics, this story shows how understanding can begin between two people, even when the world is complicated.

Review Quotes

Many readers will see themselves in Feldman's debut novel. This valuable title explores an issue rarely discussed in contemporary children's literature. Highly recommended for middle grade collections. - School Library Journal

This absorbing story compassionately tackles challenging subjects: the immigrant experience, explicit racism, family strife, and the enormity of Palestinian Israeli history. Feldman offers an ultimately optimistic message of hope and a chance for peace in ways both big and small. - Booklist