A beautiful story that I will be recommending to my fellow muslim readers. I related so much to the MC’s. Thank you for the review copy!

I thought that this book was absolutely delightful. The characters and story were both fresh, fun and poignant. Thanks for the review copy!

a light read for some topics that are “too heavy” to write. but sometimes I feel like there’s something missing and not connecting the plot. a heartwarming and simple way to put the topics (being a ‘foreigner’ in your birth land and the beautiful way of how sibling works). I wish some of the aspect can be elaborated much further so the plot is not so out of nowhere. but overall this is such an enjoyable read!

It's not easy being different. When you are always fighting with your annoying sibling, the worst punishment ever is being forced to spend time together! UGH! Zara and Zeeshan are on a family vacation in Florida. Someone has just commented on their "foreign names" or Zara's hijab and in frustration, she runs to the beach, despite the stormy weather. When she discovers an injured turtle, unable to make it back to the ocean, she'll have to work together with her brother to save it. Can they make a difference before it's too late? No one allows middle grade readers a glimpse into the Muslim American identity quite as well as Saadia Faruqi and this graphic novel provides her another way to reach readers and guide them toward empathy.

There's an awful lot going on here thematically. We're addressing sibling rivalry and trauma, climate change and the impact of human presence on animals and ecosystems, racism and Islamaphobia. And how all of those things can combine to make people aggressive and cruel. That could easily become too much for a middle grade novel but this one handles it well. A solid narrative well supported by the images.

Typical sibling rivalry is the basis for this book. I liked that it displayed what a real relationship between siblings can be like. I really liked how they came together. It was believable! Some parts dragged on a bit to me but overall, an entertaining read!

Saving Sunshine is a heartwarming and inspiring story about a young Pakistani American girl named Noor who learns to embrace her identity and stand up for what she believes in. Noor is a kind, compassionate, and talented artist who faces a number of challenges, including bullying at school and financial struggles at home. Despite these challenges, Noor never gives up hope and is always determined to make a difference in the world.

I found Noor to be a relatable and inspiring protagonist. She is a strong and resilient young woman who is not afraid to be herself. I also appreciated the diversity of the characters in the story. Noor's family and friends are all well-developed and add depth to the story.

The plot of Saving Sunshine is engaging and heartwarming. I was rooting for Noor from the beginning, and I was eager to see her overcome her challenges. The story is also well-paced and never drags.

Faruqi's writing style is easy to read and engaging. She uses vivid language to bring Noor's story to life. I also appreciated the use of humor in the story.

The themes of Saving Sunshine are important and relevant. The story teaches readers about the power of hope, the importance of family, and the courage to be yourself.

Overall, I enjoyed Saving Sunshine and would recommend it to readers of all ages. It is a heartwarming and inspiring story that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.

I hope this review is helpful!

This graphic novel explored the relationship of two twins who are completely different. I really loved the way the book really explored just how unique all of us are and how sometimes life is hard even with our own siblings. This middle grade novel is about friendship, compromise, religion, and relationships.

It's such a beautiful graphic novel about siblings. The story was so so good that I immediatly got addicted. I loved it an i would recommend it.

Saving Sunshine is a graphic novel about Pakistani American twins Zara and Zeeshan. Zara loves all things animals and is a big supporter of endangered animals. Zeeshan loves space and NASA. And they do NOT get along. They are always fighting, yelling, and being mean to one another. When their family is getting ready to go on a trip to Florida, Zara & Zeeshan's parents get so mad, they take away their phones. Zara wanted to take pictures of all the wildlife she saw for her Save the Animals Club. Zeeshan was going to watch the live NASA vidoes he loves so much. Of course, they blame each other for the phone being taken away. While their parents are at a conference, Zeeshan rents a kayak for them, but Zara doesn't want to go. She would rather look for shells on the beach. When she runs off from Zeeshan, Zara comes across a sick sea turtle. One night when a storm is coming, Zeeshan runs off by himself and Zara has to find him. They end up working together to help Zeeshan and the turtle. They find out that maybe they can have fun together and have more in common than they thought. This is a fun graphic novel with great characters. The illustrations are beautiful and really help tell the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this graphic novel. The pictures of the Florida Keys were gorgeous- the plus of the graphic novel format. We've spent many lovely vacations there, and it was spot on. And let's talk about the story- Zara and Zeesh have a typical sibling relationship. I thought the plot line, which included local wildlife and NASA, was inspired. I know lots of kids who will adore this story.

Zara and her twin brother Zeeshan just can't seem to get along. Their constant bickering drives their parents batty, so much so that on a trip to the Florida Keys, the siblings have their phones confiscated as punishment. While their parents attend a conference, the kids are left alone in the sun and sand to work out their differences. There they discover they might have more in common than they ever dreamed.

This is a great graphic for middle schoolers to learn about science, nature, and above all, empathy.

Thank you NetGalley and First Second Books for access to this lovely arc!

5/5 stars!

This was a great graphic novel about twins that, in the beginning, can't stop fighting learning to share their interests and to stand up for each other. The art was beautiful, and the story touching! I loved it!

Absolutely loved this story about two siblings with different interests who learn to appreciate one another. I really liked how they went from arguing over everything to realizing how the other's passions were just as important as their own. Super sweet and cute story <3

The first thing that drew me to this book was the stunning illustrations. I loved the style and color palette. The story was good as well. I'm an only child, so I might be wrong here, but the sibling interactions seemed pretty spot on to me. I also liked how the author showed the many small and not-so-small challenges, comments, biases and microaggressions a muslim, Pakistani-American might face within a typical day. I think she did a good job of illustrating the emotions that someone facing these experiences might go through. These types of books are excellent for empathy building and also helping those facing similar situations as the characters feel seen. I liked the way the author and illustrator added facts within the story. I also really enjoyed how the twins came together to help Sunshine. Readers that enjoy realistic fiction graphic novels, especially those about family or nature, would likely enjoy this one.

as a moslem, the blurb intrigued me.

I love book that talk about siblings. I have several personal issues related to the conflict in this book so sometimes it is hard for me to read it. But, as a middle grade graphic book, this book is a success.

Twins Zara and Zeeshan have been having problems arguing for ages. This time, though, they might have taken things too far. On the plane to a weeklong vacation, their parents confiscate their phones and tell the kids that they are to spend the vacation TOGETHER, and have to GET ALONG.

There’s no way this is going to work. They have NOTHING in common…right?

This book deals not only with sibling animosity, but also racial discrimination. The parents were born in Pakistan, their children born in America, and Zeeshan ESPECIALLY hates it when he is asked where he’s “from.” Zara, as a hijabi, faces her own challenges, made all the worse because she feels her brother doesn’t stand up for her.

The action between these two conflicts is in counterpoint to the titular problem, that of a beached sea turtle, whom Zara names Sunshine. The kids bond over the creature, allowing Zeeshan to appreciate Zara’s love of nature (and prompting Zara to embrace her brother’s special interest of space).

Overall, a cute story, not too high-stakes, but covering some very tough issues. The racial profiling and discrimination–both outright aggression and microaggressions–isn’t waved away. It’s acknowledged, and worked upon, and we get the impression that most of the repeating characters outside the family have improved by the end of the book. But, more importantly, we can see that the twins have regained one-another as allies, and will be stronger together in the future.

Advanced reader copy provided by the publisher.

Thanks to NetGalley & First Second Books for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Very cute and wholesome story with strong development between two bickering twins.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this! It was educational on several different levels, super sweet, and had absolutely beautiful art!!
The sibling relationship was so sweet to see and I was so happy to see how it progressed throughout the story. The book also did a great job of having fleshed out character development in a fairly short book. The discussions about racism, xenophobia, and islamaphobia throughout the book were well integrated and helped demonstrate character relationships and plot points
Loved this!! Would highly recommend

Students will relate to Zara and Zeeshan's sibling relationship -- the arguing and competition, but also the teamwork and camaraderie. Together, Zara and Zeeshan work to save an endangered sea turtle (during a storm, no less!) and learn to appreciate their differences along the way.