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A review by laura_cs
A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi, Laura Shovan
5.0
I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
They say opposites attract, and sixth-graders Sara and Elizabeth could not be any more opposite of each other. Pakistani-American and Muslim, Sara is quiet and a bit surly, suddenly starting public school without a single friend, and would rather be making art than sitting in her mom's cooking club. Half-English and Jewish, Elizabeth's father is rarely home and her mother has been in a depression ever since Nan died; Mom was never much of a cook to begin with, but it has gotten worse since she got back from England. Hopefully, the school cooking club will help Elizabeth learn how to make real meals for her family.
When the two girls get paired up in the cooking class, it is the spark that ignites that takes the girls from cooking partners, to cooking competitors, and, finally, friends. They bond over what it means to have an immigrant parents, having a faith that is sometimes misunderstood or leads to ignorant and hateful comments, and the general woes of middle school. Together, they work to make a place at the table.
This sweet collaborative novel from Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan is a beautiful and delightful tale of food and friendship, as well as personal growth and working through problems as a family. A wonderful book about growing up and finding your place in the world, "A Place at the Table" definitely has a place on the shelf!
They say opposites attract, and sixth-graders Sara and Elizabeth could not be any more opposite of each other. Pakistani-American and Muslim, Sara is quiet and a bit surly, suddenly starting public school without a single friend, and would rather be making art than sitting in her mom's cooking club. Half-English and Jewish, Elizabeth's father is rarely home and her mother has been in a depression ever since Nan died; Mom was never much of a cook to begin with, but it has gotten worse since she got back from England. Hopefully, the school cooking club will help Elizabeth learn how to make real meals for her family.
When the two girls get paired up in the cooking class, it is the spark that ignites that takes the girls from cooking partners, to cooking competitors, and, finally, friends. They bond over what it means to have an immigrant parents, having a faith that is sometimes misunderstood or leads to ignorant and hateful comments, and the general woes of middle school. Together, they work to make a place at the table.
This sweet collaborative novel from Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan is a beautiful and delightful tale of food and friendship, as well as personal growth and working through problems as a family. A wonderful book about growing up and finding your place in the world, "A Place at the Table" definitely has a place on the shelf!