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librariann's review against another edition
4.0
I finished this awhile ago and found it charming and very accessible to middle graders.
ljrinaldi's review against another edition
4.0
What I love about this is that although Mimi, who is American born, but whose mother was born in Pakistan, she only remain all that ignorant for long. True, she never quite gets that her t-shirt slogans are not funny to anyone but her, but she does begin to get used to Karachi and the rules of the country.
At that age, it is very easy to just feel above the local people, because America is so much better. But by pulling back, and seeing the world in another way, she get to see the good things that Pakistan has to offer.
And while she gets better at Urdo, she also teaches Sakina, the daughter of the cook, who works in the house of her grandmother, English. Sakina wants to go to school, and she needs to k now English to get a scholarship.
It never occurs to Mimi that some children can't go to school.
This is a delightful tale, and doesn't have the usual tropes of underling anything. It is very honest and fun story, and one you can't put down.
At that age, it is very easy to just feel above the local people, because America is so much better. But by pulling back, and seeing the world in another way, she get to see the good things that Pakistan has to offer.
And while she gets better at Urdo, she also teaches Sakina, the daughter of the cook, who works in the house of her grandmother, English. Sakina wants to go to school, and she needs to k now English to get a scholarship.
It never occurs to Mimi that some children can't go to school.
This is a delightful tale, and doesn't have the usual tropes of underling anything. It is very honest and fun story, and one you can't put down.
nafsaila's review against another edition
5.0
An unlikely friendship between two girl that live thousands of miles apart. One from Pakistan and One from the United States. Learning about each other and the different things that cause them to ask questions and struggle in life. A wonderful story and I think all readers can find something to relate to. So many questions are asked and answered in this book with so many likeable characters. Highly recommend.
lostinausten's review against another edition
3.0
A story about two unlikely friends forming a lasting bond.
This book was fine enough. It explores those who have money and those who have very little money living in Pakistan. A young girl from Texas visits her rich relatives in Pakistan and befriends the young cook of the house. This leads them on a journey of friendship.
The book deals with some real issues like poverty, violence, abandonment, politics and the abuse of power, etc. The book handles all of these issues almost too lightly and just feels very surface level. It left me wanting more.
This book was fine enough. It explores those who have money and those who have very little money living in Pakistan. A young girl from Texas visits her rich relatives in Pakistan and befriends the young cook of the house. This leads them on a journey of friendship.
The book deals with some real issues like poverty, violence, abandonment, politics and the abuse of power, etc. The book handles all of these issues almost too lightly and just feels very surface level. It left me wanting more.
yapha's review against another edition
5.0
Mimi gets way more than she expected when she spends her summer vacation in Karachi. Mimi's mother has not been back to visit her own parents in Pakistan since before Mimi was born, and now they are spending six weeks at what feels like an opulent mansion compared to their apartment in Houston. Sakina is the same age as Mimi, but her life couldn't be more different. She and her father work in Mimi's grandparents' kitchen. Thrown together by circumstance, the two girls learn that they have more in common than they would have thought, and that each can help the other in so many ways. Told in alternating chapters, this is a heart-warming exploration of family, friendship, and friends who become like family. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
raelinspalac's review against another edition
5.0
This book was so well written. The characters made me feel like I was standing right there while the action was happening. I loved the diversity and how Mimi experienced culture shock. This is definitely a book I will read with my students. I can't wait for the discussions that we will have. This is a must read!
book_lover22's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
3.25
libraryrobin's review against another edition
4.0
An American girl visits her family in Karachi for the first time, becoming friends with a servant girl in her grandparents' home and longing for her absentee father.
Highly recommend.
Highly recommend.
maria_3k's review against another edition
5.0
Almost as soon as we meet Miryam "Mimi" Scotts, we hear her mom ask for a break from her thousand questions, but Mimi can hardly be blamed. She has just landed in Pakistan, and it is different from her hometown of Houston, Texas, in just about every way. Once she gets to the surprisingly lavish home of her grandparents, whom she has only met through Skype, the questions multiply. Why is there an icy barrier between her mom and grandmother? If her mom's family is wealthy, why are she and her mom barely scraping by in a tiny apartment back in Houston? And the most persistent question of all--does her journalist dad know where she is, and does he care?
Mimi's first person narration, which includes letters to her dad written in her travel journal and never meant to be shared, alternates with the viewpoint of the other 11-year-old girl in the household. Sakina is the daughter of the cook, and is used to being treated as a servant--either invisible or scolded. Everything about Mimi, from her wide smile and T-shirts with enigmatic slogans to her interactions with those around her, bewilders Sakina, who is struggling with much more concrete questions, such as whether she can ever go school when her diabetic father needs her assistance and whether her English will be good enough for her to pass the scholarship entrance exam.
Through the eyes of these two girls--the native and the visitor--readers learn multitudes about the city of Karachi, both its legendary tourist sites and the harsh realities of politics and economic inequality. At the same time, we see a beautiful friendship bloom, with a few bumps along the way.
The book is deftly paced, with the girls taking turns to move the story along but rarely retelling the same event. This book was hard to put down, with almost every character facing trials and then growing and expanding the way they looked at and related to others. Even the author's note at the end, which gives further history of the city, was inspiring. A beautiful Saadia Faruqi has penned a gorgeous and heartwarming summer adventure that leaves the reader sure that these girls will stay in touch and thrive through their middle school years and beyond.
Mimi's first person narration, which includes letters to her dad written in her travel journal and never meant to be shared, alternates with the viewpoint of the other 11-year-old girl in the household. Sakina is the daughter of the cook, and is used to being treated as a servant--either invisible or scolded. Everything about Mimi, from her wide smile and T-shirts with enigmatic slogans to her interactions with those around her, bewilders Sakina, who is struggling with much more concrete questions, such as whether she can ever go school when her diabetic father needs her assistance and whether her English will be good enough for her to pass the scholarship entrance exam.
Through the eyes of these two girls--the native and the visitor--readers learn multitudes about the city of Karachi, both its legendary tourist sites and the harsh realities of politics and economic inequality. At the same time, we see a beautiful friendship bloom, with a few bumps along the way.
The book is deftly paced, with the girls taking turns to move the story along but rarely retelling the same event. This book was hard to put down, with almost every character facing trials and then growing and expanding the way they looked at and related to others. Even the author's note at the end, which gives further history of the city, was inspiring. A beautiful Saadia Faruqi has penned a gorgeous and heartwarming summer adventure that leaves the reader sure that these girls will stay in touch and thrive through their middle school years and beyond.