Saving Sunshine

By Saadia Faruqi, Shazleen Khan (Illustrator)

Siblings must unite to save a turtle and mend their bond.

4.0/5 Goodreads · 1,647 ratings

224 pages· 7,126 words· Est. 1.5 hour read

$14.99Save 7%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Zara and Zeeshan, Muslim American siblings, can't stand each other. On a chaotic family trip to Florida, their parents force them to spend time together. When they discover an ailing turtle, the twins face a challenge: can they set aside their differences to save it? This journey of reluctant teamwork might just mend their fractured relationship. Will they learn to support each other in a world that often feels unkind?

From the publisher

Eisner-nominatedA 2024 Bank Street Best Books of the YearNominated for the 2024 Jane Addams Children’s Book AwardA Kirkus Best Book of 2023A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids 2023A YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens selectionA 2024 Texas Library Association Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List SelectionFrom Saadia Faruqi and Shazleen Khan comes a relatable, funny, and heart-wrenchingly honest graphic novel about Muslim American siblings who must learn how to stop fighting and support each other in a world that is often unkind. It’s hard enough being a kid without being teased for a funny sounding name or wearing a hijab. It’s even harder when you’re constantly fighting your sibling–and Zara and Zeeshan really can’t stand each other. During a family trip to Florida, when the bickering, shoving, and insults reach new heights of chaos, their parents sentence them to the worst possible fate– each other’s company! But when the twins find an ailing turtle, it presents a rare opportunity for teamwork–if the two can put their differences aside at last.

At a glance