This was an adorable graphic novel about a pair of twins, Zara and Zeeshan, who go from being unable to stand each other to bonding together to save an endangered turtle while on vacation.
When their parents, tired of their constant bickering, confiscate their phones, Zara and Zeeshan have to spend time together and learn to enjoy each other's company. Zara loves animals and Zeeshan is obsessed with space. Without technology, they are forced to entertain themselves with real world things.
They learn to appreciate each other's interests and we learn more about each of them and the difficulties they have faced because of looking and dressing differently. When the turtle that Zara names Sunshine needs help, the teamwork of both twins is needed and they concentrate on doing what's best for the turtle.
I loved the illustrations and the lessons about not judging or discriminating against others because of nationality or religion. This is a good read for the target group but even as an adult I enjoyed it

The story is pretty straight forward. Bickering twins who have different passions go on vacation, where their bickering continues and leads to losing phone privileges. There were spots that felt disjointed and a few spots where time passed with no indication but different clothing. I did appreciate the discussion of racism towards Muslims, even if a few beats felt slightly forced.

Over all the watercolor artwork was breathtaking and it had a lot of heart.

Appreciated the rep for this one. Also love a sibling dynamic to sort through in MG books. So often they are about friends but the sibling problem solving and ups and downs is really important to have in our MG books !

Thanks for the publisher and author and netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Would rec this one in my classroom this year

I loved this young adult graphic novel. The illustrations are beautiful and I felt like I was there with Zara and Zeeshan as they are forced to face their relationship as siblings and navigate the difficult racial prejudice that children of Pakistani immigrants face in the United States. When the siblings travel to a big pediatric conference with their doctor parents, they bicker so much that their phones are taken away. With an inability to hide behind their screens, they grapple with tensions and confusions in a heartwarming way. This is such an important read and I hope teachers grab this one for their shelves!

Thank you NetGalley and First Second Books for this advanced read.

I cried a couple of times with this one but it was a beautiful read! The art style was also very cute and enjoyable to look at as I read the story. I think this book is perfect for all ages.

A wonderful graphic novel that follows two young people of color and their family on vacation to Florida. There are clear themes of racism, micro aggressions, and sibling rivalry but the two siblings persist. A wonderful story I would recommend to my students in a book talk.

A poignant, raw, and joyous book about identity and siblinghood. ☀️

A beautiful graphic novel about a set of middle school, Muslim American twins named Zara and Zeesh, who can’t seem to stop bickering with each other about silly things. Zara is an emerging animal rights activist and Zeesh has a passion for astronomy. While their fighting may seem trivial, beneath the surface they’re facing some serious hardships in their personal lives. Sick and tired of the fighting, their parents decide to take their cell phones until they can get along. Will the quality time “unplugged” resolve the twins quarreling?

Honestly, beautiful doesn’t even begin to describe this book, especially the illustrations. There is so much joy in this story, but at the same time it showcases racism that Muslim Americans sometimes face in the U.S. and how it affects them.

From a student’s perspective, I think a reader who is a twin or has a sibling close in age to them will relate to this book. Also, kids who love animals and/or space will gravitate not only to the illustrations, but to the fun facts throughout the book.

Perfect for any age! This one drops on September 5th. S/O to @netgalley for the eARC.

#graphicnovel #middlegrade #diversekidlit #kidlit #iteach678 #classroomlibrary #bookstagram #bookrecommendation

I really liked this one! It's the story about this family who's going to a conference and the brother and sister twins are just arguing constantly and so their parents take away their phones for the duration of this trip. The two have to figure out how to exist without their phones and without their individual special interests. Can they find a way to get along and find things to enjoy in the moment?

This book also tackles some racism and xenophobia. The family is Pakistani and the girl and the mom both wear hijab. All four of the family members have dealt with xenophobia in some way shape or form but the twins haven't quite figured out how to confront bullies and racism and how to cope living in a world that is always looking at them differently.

This graphic novel manages to be both adorable and hard-hitting in a way that is perfect for middle school readers. Highly recommend it.

Zara and Zeeshan are two Muslim American siblings who are struggling dealing with microaggressions from other kids at school, and their relationship is suffering because of it. Zara is being made fun of for wearing a hijab, and Zeeshan's peers make fun of his name repeatedly.

The sibling's family takes a trip to Florida, where their mother is invited to speak at a medical conference. While on the trip, the siblings are forced to bond and work through their challenges without their phones. They work together to care for a sick turtle they found, and develop a new respect for each other's interests along the way.

This is a super sweet, beautifully illustrated story about family. Recommended for middle grade graphic novel collections!

In Saving Sunshine, Zara and Zeeshan struggle to be different from others. They have different names and Zara wears a hijab. They go on a family vacation and are constantly arguing like siblings. The siblings have to learn to work together to get out of a tough situation.

I really enjoyed this book. It is handled micro aggressions and family dynamics eloquently. As someone with siblings who understands the complicated relationship between brother and sister I did enjoy this.

Siblings Zara and Zeeshan are constantly at it. She wants to save the environment. He wants to learn about space. Both want the other to leave them alone. While on a family trip that celebrates their mother, they lose their phones, learn a little about racisim, find a turtle, and finally understand why they are so angry at each other. This book is great. The racism/microaggressions is handled carefully and well explained. The sibling dynamic is spot on and their "make-up" is natural. Add in the sea turtle that needs help and you have a wonderful family story for science oriented readers. A must have.

This book needs to be in every middle grade library! I want to see more diverse stories like that of these Muslim-American siblings and their parents on a trip. The illustrations are gorgeous! The authors do a wonderful job of exploring family dynamics, microaggression towards Muslims in North America and attempts to deviate from the concept of 'strict' ethnic parents. I wish I had more books like this around when I was in grade school!

"Saving Sunshine" by Saadia Faruqi and Shazleen Khan is such a sweet book and should be on bookshelves everywhere. We follow two siblings, Zara and Zeeshan with Muslim American roots. They are on vacation with their family as they wander around the various activities and locales.

Things I admired:
~The illustrations are gorgeous and I love the elements from her animal app-- very creative!
~Valuable insight on microaggressions and the extra planning that goes into apprehension of racially biased mistreatment. These were important messages that were delivered seamlessly.
~The emotional and mental labor of having to navigate people constantly questioning their role in society was clearly executed.
~I LOVE the non—traditional parental roles exhibited in this book.
~Color variations of flashbacks are clever using complementary colors yellow orange and red violet
~The way they came together to save local wildlife

My only note was that the sister, Zara, is pretty condescending towards her brother which did make me feel a tad let down. As an eldest sister with five brothers (including twins), I know that siblings can have challenging dynamics, but this was a bit overboard.

Thank you NetGalley and First Second Books for the opportunity to review this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a FANTASTIC story about not only family, but microaggressions and animal rights and knowing when to say something. I loved it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Saving Sunshine by Saadia Faruqi should rightfully be in every middle grade library. The art is beautiful and colorful, while the story is a glimpse into the lives of two Muslim siblings on a family trip. The book tackles racism, climate change, and how to work together with your family. If you like this, then take a look at the author's other young reader or middle grade books!

Cute read. A bit slow paced but I enjoyed the message that the author was trying to convey. The art design was beautiful and visually enticing!

"Saving Sunshine" by Saadia Faruqi and Shazleen Khan explores the challenges faced by Muslim American siblings, Zara and Zeeshan, as they navigate the complexities of childhood, dealing with teasing, and their own sibling rivalry. In this relatable and heartwarming graphic novel, the siblings, who can't stand each other, find themselves sentenced to spend time together during a family trip. The story takes a heartwrenchingly honest turn when they discover an ailing turtle, offering a rare opportunity for teamwork if they can set aside their differences. Faruqi and Khan deliver a poignant narrative that addresses familial bonds, the struggle against unkindness, and the power of unity in the face of adversity.

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC. Once again, I missed the window to get this review done before the book came out. While Faruqi, is the writer and has a good idea here, Khan is the star of the show. Their watercolors are just perfect for this story and they elevate it exponentially. I would love to hand this to every 5th grader in the world. There are some parts that feel forced, but for the most part, this is important and I am so happy it exists.