Saving Sunshine - by Saadia Faruqi (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

From Saadia Faruqi and Shazleen Khan comes a relatable, funny, and heart-wrenchingly honest graphic novel about Muslim American siblings who must learn how to stop fighting and support each other in a world that is often unkind.

Being a kid is hard enough without having to deal with teasing about your name, assumptions about your identity, or standing out because you wear a hijab. But for twins Zara and Zeeshan, the biggest challenge might just be each other.

The two siblings are constantly at war, trading insults, pushing buttons, and driving their parents to the brink. So when a family trip to Florida turns into their most chaotic battle yet, their parents deliver the ultimate punishment: they're stuck together with no escape.

But when Zara and Zeeshan discover an injured turtle in need of help, they're forced to put aside their differences and work as a team. Can they stop fighting long enough to save a tiny creature--and maybe discover that they're stronger together than they ever imagined?

Eisner-nominated
A 2024 Bank Street Best Books of the Year
Nominated for the 2024 Jane Addams Children's Book Award
A Kirkus Best Book of 2023
A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids 2023
A YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens selection
A 2024 Texas Library Association Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List Selection

Review Quotes

Winner of the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award
Eisner-nominated
A Bank Street Best Books of the Year
Nominated for the Jane Addams Children's Book Award
A Kirkus Best Book of
A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids
A YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens selection
A Texas Library Association Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List Selection

"A beautiful, realistic, and important story focusing on family and sibling bonds." --Kirkus, starred review

"[A] stirring and uplifting story of family and identity." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

"The art style moreover captures a variety of nuanced expressions with an approachably cute quality, offering emotional depth as well as humor and sweetness." -- The Bulletin of the Center For Children's Books, starred review

"A relatable sibling story that approaches tough topics like discrimination with compassion and intention...heartwarming, funny, and bright." --Booklist

"A fine addition for collections seeking representation of discordant sibling relationships." --School Library Journal

About the Author

Saadia Faruqi was born in Pakistan and moved to the United States when she was 22 years old. She writes the Yasmin series and popular middle-grade novels such as Yusuf Azeem Is Not A Hero. She was featured by Oprah Magazine as a woman making a difference in her community. Besides writing books for kids, Saadia also loves reading, binge-watching her favorite shows, and taking naps. She lives in Houston with her family.

Shazleen Khan is an award-winning London based Illustrator, Writer and Designer, specializing in Narrative and Sequential Illustration. Shazleen began self-publishing their graphic novel work Buuza!! in 2011 and has since gone on to achieve a First Class Bachelor's (hons) degree in Illustration (2017) and a Master's in Children's Books and Graphic Novels (2018). They currently work as a freelance Illustrator while doing part-time teaching work.