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4.37 AVERAGE
4.37 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
I enjoyed this story about Kareem, a middle school Syrian American boy and his love of football. It had a lot of the middle school dilemmas about fitting in and peer pressure but also had a classmate who is a Syrian refugee and how he treats him at school when others are not as accepting of him. This really brought me back to whenever a new Korean or Korean-American student came to our school and all eyes were on me just because I was also Korean American. Sadly, this was written years ago during the first Trump administration and the major travel restrictions and challenges many people had and it's now happening again as people are being detained and afraid to travel in case they are not allowed to return to America, despite being permanent residents or citizens. I know many students who might give this book a try because it has football but then would read about the experiences of Syrian American Kareem and gain a new perspective on experiences that don't look like their own and I really love when books can do that!
๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ช๐๐๐ก ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฆ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ถ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ was the Paws & Pages Book Club March selection. This middle-grade novel is powerful and timely and captures the struggles of a Syrian-American seventh grader caught between cultures, friendships, and difficult choices. Kareem just wants to fit inโhis best friend moved away, he failed his football tryout, and now heโs stuck showing the new Syrian refugee student around school. When the star quarterback offers him a spot on the team in exchange for doing his homework, Kareem faces a moral dilemma. Meanwhile, his motherโs journey to bring his grandparents to the U.S. takes a heartbreaking turn when the 2017 Muslim Ban leaves them stranded. This deeply emotional story shines a light on the real impact of immigration policies while exploring themes of identity, belonging, and courage. With its relatable characters and spot-on football metaphors, this is a must-read.
emotional
hopeful
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Xenophobia, Islamophobia
Moderate: Death, Grief
Wow. This book packs quite an emotional gut punch with unfortunate resonance to current events even though the book focuses on events of the first iteration of the current administration. Kareem feels between worlds and ends up having to face this unintended consequences of his actions (hiding his dad's phone so he might not get in trouble at school) when national "policies" mean that his mom gets stuck trying to come home from Syria. I highly recommend this book for middle schoolers.
What a time to read a book about the Muslim ban. I found Kareem sympathetic and relatable, and I though the football conceit throughout worked well.
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes