When the project is met with resistance from a student who says, “My mom says we should only speak English,” Kanzi and her teacher remind the class about the many English words that derive from Arabic words. When she finds the courage to share the quilt with her class, Kanzi’s classmates admire the quilt and are excited to make a paper collage quilt of each of their names in Arabic. And Kanzi finds comfort in a cherished quilt from her grandma in Egypt. When Mama brings her forgotten lunchbox, kids laugh at Mama’s use of the Arabic word “Habibti.” However, Kanzi’s teacher is an ally, and she reminds Kanzi of the beauty and value of being bilingual.

She even wishes her baba would pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for her lunch instead of her favorite – a kofta sandwich.

And she believes that means not being different. On her first day of school in America, Kanzi’s goal is to fit in. I received an advance copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. People who have enjoyed this and are interested in similar titles should consider I'm New Here and My Two Blankets. This is a great book, and even though I have read a lot of different picture books about immigrant children adjusting to lives in a new school, this is already one of my new favorites. I knew that 'sofa' and 'zero' came from Arabic, but I wasn't aware of the others, and found this very interesting. There is a glossary in the back, and the book also mentions some English words which were derived from Arabic. This book is a great choice for schools because of its classroom setting, and families with multicultural backgrounds or interest in learning about other cultural experiences will greatly enjoy this.Īnother thing I admire about this book is how well the author incorporates Arabic words into the story without making it difficult for someone who is unfamiliar with the language to read the book aloud.

This story is based on the author's experiences as a child, and she convincingly resolves the narrative conflict without making it saccharine or unbelievable. The text and illustrations are both incredibly appealing, and the story of an Egyptian-American girl learning to accept her bilingual, multicultural identity is authentic and moving.

The arabic quilt