Until You Find the Sun
By Maryam Hassan and Anna Wilson, Hodder Children’s Books
Aminah loves listening to her grandfather Da’s stories. When she and her parents move to another country, Aminah doesn’t know how she’ll manage without him. Da reassures her, “I am always with you. You will find sunshine wherever you go.” Amid the bad weather and unfamiliar language, she doesn’t find it immediately, but from far away, over the phone, Da assures her that her adventure is just beginning. One day, she finds a friend to make snow angels with, and her new home starts to feel less cold. This is a touching depiction of long-distance family love. Da’s steadfast belief that things will be OK offers real comfort to Aminah in helping her cope with change.
Esma Farouk, Lost in the Souk
By Lisa Boersen and Hasna Elbaamrani, illustrated by Annelies Vandenbosch, Floris Books
Esma can’t wait to arrive in Morocco for the summer to see her grandparents, and what she’s looking forward to most is visiting the souk. The local market has “monkeys and snake charmers and acrobats and a zillion other awesome things”. Swept up in the buzz of it all, Esma soon becomes lost, and must harness the energy of the souk to be found again. The story captures the vibrancy of Morocco and the special excitement of travels to a far-off family home.
Marley’s Pride
By Joëlle Retener, illustrated by DeAnn Wiley, Barefoot Books
Being non-binary, Marley often gets anxious about fitting in – “Like when I can’t choose between the boys’ and the girls’ team.” They are worried about attending Pride, but their grandparent, Zaza, reassures them: “You belong here. You aren’t doing this alone.” Slowly, the butterflies in Marley’s tummy ease. As they watch Zaza receiving an award for their work supporting the trans community, they finally understand what it’s like to feel pride. This is a helpful and sensitive book to support children with questions they might have about LGBTQ+ issues. I love the positive role model Zaza is for Marley.
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Reviews by Alice Ellerby
Published in issue 90. Accurate at the time this issue went to print.
