Sunflower by Ingrid Laguna gives a new perspective on immigration that is very important. This is the second book in the Jamila series and I haven't read the first but you do not need to as this can be read as a standalone.
Sunflower flowers Jamila a young Iraqi who fled her home to Australia and her experiences. Jamila is really excited when her best friend Mina from Iraq finally arrives in Australia and as she helps Mina to integrate with her new life she inadvertently neglects Eva who has become her best friend in her new home. She soon learns how hard it is to juggle both of her best friends when they have different needs but through the course of the book with patience and understanding they learn to overcome the problems and reconcile with each other.
This is a great book which I highly recommend.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to the advanced copy of this book to read.

This is the second book in a series. I think I enjoyed the first book more.

In this book we are still following Jamila, who was forced to leave her home in Iraq to go to Australia for her familes safety. In the second book we follow her friendship with her new friend Eva and her old friend Mia, who finally comes to Australia as well.

It felt like the characters seemed younger in this book than the first one. I did like how the author really thought out how someone would feel if they were forced to leave their home.

I loved this middle grade novel! Second in a series, but it was still easy to follow what was happening if you haven't read the first one. Great refugee perspective.

Sunflower provides a new perspective on life as an immigrant. The navigation of various friendships is relatable for all readers and will prove powerful for many.

Jamila is excited when her friend Mina moves to Australia from Iraq. However, she soon learns how hard it is to juggle two best friends. Jamila knows hard it is to fit in to a new place, as she herself once moved from Iraq. As she tries to help Mina adjust, her other friend Eva starts to feel left out.

This story is not just about belonging and friendship, but also about family. Eva feels the loss of her mother around the time of her mother's birthday. We hear about how Jamila feels about her family. This is a good book to address conflict in friendships and how to deal with those, as well as fitting in and adjusting to new surroundings.

Sunflower is the sweet story of Jamila- a young Iraqi who has moved to Australia after the dangers of bombs and rifles. Six months after settling into her new home, she learns that Mina, her best friend , is coming to Iraq to. Jamila is excited to tell Mina about her life here, and introduce her to all her teachers and friends, especially Eva. But she never thought that she would be torn between two friends, both of whom she loves equally.

I picked this book up because of it's beautiful cover, and it's contents are just a good. Not only will it educate children about how life is for people in civil war prone areas, but it also gives them a little inspiration and boost in the not so 'look at that kid with nothing, they had to leave their home, their so brave and strong' way that [parents usually describe these things to their kids. I loved Laguna's general way of normalizing things with some classic relatable friendship dilemma. Jamila, Mina, and Eva's characters comprised of many traits that I remember in myself and my friends from my childhood. Living in the Gulf, I hear a lot of Arabic words on a regular basis, and while I knew what some meant, I learnt many through this quick read, so it's great for new lingo too. I think this book will be a great addition to libraries, schools, and bookstores, and I'll definitely try getting it into some in my area. Perfect read for new readers.

I got this e-ARC from NetGalley and Text Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

I always appreciate the opportunity to read books as early readers on NetGalley.

I LOVED this book! I did not read the 1st one, but I MUST read it now. I teach in middle school and this is similar is style to A Bridge Home and A Long Walk to Water. I appreciate that the story is short but still tells the story well.

******SPOILER BELOW*****



My ONLY con is the ending conversation up in the tree. It felt a bit rushed in dialog and everything was resolved right when the girls got up there. There was such a big build up with finding Eva and it left me feeling "that's it?". BBUUTTT I still thought the ending was good and worth the read.

Sunflower
by Ingrid Laguna
Pub Date 08 Mar 2022
Text Publishing, Text Publishing Company
Children's Fiction | Middle Grade


Jamila has found happiness in her new home in Australia, despite missing her old life in Iraq. She and her new best friend Eva sing side-by-side in the choir at school and have picnics together on the weekends. When Jamila learns her oldest friend from Iraq is coming to Australia, she can’t wait to introduce Mina to Eva.



Unfortunately when Mina arrives things do not go as planned. Jamila feels torn between her two friends, and sad that Mina isn’t the same person she remembers. Will Jamila be able to be a true friend to Mina and help her feel safe and happy in her new home?




I give Sunflower five out of five stars!

I read this book really quickly and it was a lighthearted read but that was as far as it goes. The writing style was quite hard to get into and just seemed to be all over the place and I found there to be a lot of writing that told the writer everything they needed to know rather than gently leading them there and then letting their imaginations taking over. This could be good for younger middle graders but it just wasnt for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this title.

This had a lot of potential, but for me just fell flat. I found myself wanting to hear more from Mina, about her experience as a refugee. I think the friendship triangle is a one that a lot of kids find themselves in and appreciated its inclusion, but overall, this book didn't move me the way I wished it would. I think it's a quick read for middle grade readers, but not necessarily one that they'll find terribly engaging or memorable.

A story of new beginnings, acceptance, and friendship, this is an easy to follow middle-grades novel. Young readers will have no trouble following the storyline even if they did not read Songbird. My only real complaint is that the author did quite a bit of telling, rather than showing when it came to how the characters felt.

Not for me. Clumsily written this book had so much potential.Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As far as middle-grade/children's books go, this wasn't a terrible read. Sunflower is a great choice as far as being inclusive, fast, and (for the most part) light-hearted. Unfortunately, I found the story to be pretty unengaging. The pacing was a bit weird--some scenes are too drawn out and others are not nearly expounded upon enough. The characters also felt a little flat; I wish Jamila's friends had some more defining qualities, one's that come across in their words and actions. This brings me to my biggest complaint: telling, not showing. The author tells us readers what is said, what is felt, but these emotions aren't evidenced by any actions. Lastly, I felt that the climax was leaning toward melodramatic. It definitely felt forced to me.

Overall, as I said, not a terrible book. I can see lots of children enjoying Sunflower and learning from Jamila and her story. Personally, I could have done without this one.