Amina's Song

December 15, 2020
Grades 4-7 *Starred Review* After Amina's monthlong trip to Pakistan with her family, she finds it difficult to leave her ancestral country behind, feeling that she is somehow losing an important part of herself and suddenly less certain about who she is. Back home, Amina tries to make sense of these feelings, and when she attempts to share them with her friends, she begins to wonder if they, too, are growing apart. As Amina comes to better understand her friends, she finds a way to share the beauty of Pakistan with her classmates and to work together with those around her to help others in the community. Along with a new friend, Amina uses her beautiful voice to share her love of both Pakistan and America with others, helping those just like her who may feel part of two beautiful worlds. Revisiting Amina's world (Amina's Voice, 2017) is, in a way, similar to Amina's own experience visiting Pakistan--readers will experience the joy of family, along with the sadness of knowing the visit will end soon. Khan excellently weaves together complex issues of feeling torn between two parts of one's identity, illness in the family, helping others, and finding out that growing up does not have to mean growing apart. Highly recommended for all collections.

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January 15, 2021
Amina develops her musical talents and her identity in this follow-up to Khan's popular middle-grade novel Amina's Voice (2018). A monthlong family trip to Pakistan wraps up as summer ends. Although the trip was dotted with moments when she didn't feel Pakistani enough, as Amina returns home to Wisconsin it's as though she's leaving a piece of her heart behind. Seventh grade brings new activities and a new friend, Nico. While she settles back into routines with community service, time with friends, and FaceTime with family back in Pakistan, Amina works on writing song lyrics to capture her feelings about being attached to two places, and Nico teaches her to mix music on the computer. Is the excitement she feels around him about the music and having a new friend, or is it something more? And how can she keep her promise to her uncle to show Americans the beauty of Pakistan when her project about Malala Yousafzai only makes her classmates pity girls in Pakistan? Readers will enjoy being along for the ride as Amina sorts through mild middle school turbulence and finds satisfying ways to express and share her true self. A diverse cast of characters (Nico is French and Egyptian; Soojin is Korean; Emily is, presumably, White) situates Amina in a realistic small American town, and her story offers a hopeful example for young readers who are figuring themselves out, too. A sweet sequel. (Fiction. 9-13)

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Starred review from March 1, 2021

Gr 4-7-Amina loved the month of summer she spent visiting family in Pakistan, though there were moments she didn't feel quite Pakistani enough and struggled with having to go home, not knowing when she would see her family again. She's also trying to figure out how her experiences have changed her view of herself and the world. Her Thaya Jaan (beloved uncle) has challenged her to show her friends back home the beauty of Pakistan. The protagonist is nervous about how her classmates perceive Pakistan and wants them to understand that it's not as dangerous as they believe it to be. After befriending a new student, Nico, who shares her love of music and a talent for mixing it, Amina finds the opportunity to present the many facets of her heritage through song. A lovely sequel that does not require familiarity with the first book, this is an uplifting story about relationships, especially those that strengthen us and help us grow. Readers really get to know and understand Amina's perspective, but secondary characters are also fleshed out, making the narrative relatable and engaging. VERDICT A beautiful story for middle graders discovering who they are. A wonderful addition to all collections.-Kristyn Dorfman, The Nightingale-Bamford Sch., New York City

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