A positive, engaging story centering Muslim kids.
Four tweens stuck in an airport come together for a rescue mission.
When 12-year-old Feek Stiles loses his 4-year-old sister, Ruqi, at the airport, he meets Hanna Chen and Sami Iqbal, who try to help him locate her. But Nora Najjar finds her first. The kids are waiting with their families to fly home after attending the Muslims of North America conference when flights are grounded due to inclement weather. Eleven-year-old Hanna, armed with flyers and Meow Mix, is determined to find Snickerdoodle, a cat who has been missing for a week in the airport, and she recruits Feek, Sami, and Nora to help. The story unfolds in chapters that alternate among the viewpoints of aspiring poet Feek from Philadelphia; Doha animal lover Hanna; Sami, who is from Orlando and does karate; and Nora, a Michigan congresswoman’s daughter who posts on social media about sweet treats. Each one has something they are struggling with, including parents with busy work schedules, a sports competition, their sense of Muslim identity, and more. They end up going on an adventure throughout the airport that involves unexpected twists and turns, in the process learning more about themselves and one another and finding their voices. Saeed, Al-Marashi, Thompkins-Bigelow, and Ali write four relatable, well-developed characters from different backgrounds who represent the diversity of Muslim communities, seamlessly connecting their individual and collective stories into a single whole.
A positive, engaging story centering Muslim kids. (Fiction. 9-13)Pub Date: May 9, 2023
ISBN: 9781419761751
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Feb. 7, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2023
Certain to elicit both gales of giggles and winces of sympathy (not to mention recognition) from young readers.
First volume of a planned three, this edited version of an ongoing online serial records a middle-school everykid’s triumphs and (more often) tribulations through the course of a school year.
Largely through his own fault, mishaps seem to plague Greg at every turn, from the minor freak-outs of finding himself permanently seated in class between two pierced stoners and then being saddled with his mom for a substitute teacher, to being forced to wrestle in gym with a weird classmate who has invited him to view his “secret freckle.” Presented in a mix of legible “hand-lettered” text and lots of simple cartoon illustrations with the punch lines often in dialogue balloons, Greg’s escapades, unwavering self-interest and sardonic commentary are a hoot and a half.
Certain to elicit both gales of giggles and winces of sympathy (not to mention recognition) from young readers. (Fiction. 9-11)Pub Date: April 1, 2007
ISBN: 0-8109-9313-9
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2007
SEEN & HEARD
PERSPECTIVES
A smart sequel that’s filled with surprises and heart.
In this follow-up to The Rhythm of Time (2023), young time-traveling adventurers face their biggest challenge yet, forcing them to question themselves and one another.
Rahim looks forward to starting eighth grade with best friend Kasia even though he anticipates a tough transition after homeschooling. Kasia makes friends as seamlessly as she makes the cool beats that Rahim skillfully raps over. Although Rahim, who’s a target for bullies, feels a bit left behind, the duo still has their music and a rather unusual extracurricular: on-demand time-travel adventures at the behest of their future selves and the mysterious Aevum Organization. Rahim’s parents place a lot of pressure on him and dismiss his hip-hop dreams as impractical. Adult Rahim and Adult Kasia present the pair with a mission to 1978 Honolulu, where temporal anomalies have been detected. They’ll be facing Chrononauts, time travelers who are trying to change the world to suit their own selfish ends. This entry markedly raises the stakes in ways that challenge even Kasia’s genius. Rahim’s intuition and emotional development are thoughtfully plotted as the kids leave their parents in the dark and take big risks. This nuanced story centering on Black middle schoolers explores trust and care, putting friendship to the test even as the Hawaiian setting offers a provocative allegory for being thoughtful about our global (and interdimensional) impact. Final art not seen.
A smart sequel that’s filled with surprises and heart. (Science fiction. 10-13)Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
ISBN: 9780374393175
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Nov. 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
