The magical reality of Nadia

After sixth-grader Nadia reunites with her diverse "Nerd Crew" of likeminded friends, they enter a competition to design a display for the local museum, with the theme "What Makes America, America?" The group decides to tell the story of their origins: one is from India, others have Caribbean and Korean roots, and Nadia's family came to California from Egypt. She takes pride in her heritage, but when a new kid joins the crew and teases her about it, she must figure out how to handle bullying, manage friendships, and win the contest--and deal with the ancient Egyptian spirit she accidentally releases. Youssef based the novel on his daughter's experience moving to the U.S. from Egypt, and the labor of love comes through, sweet and silly. The bullying on display isn't the threatening kind; the new kid is popular and often terrifically funny, but his hurtful humor cuts down those around him. Nadia isn't perfect, but she handles the hurdles with grace, making this a poignant ode to the American ideals of blended culture and community.

In this entertaining story by comedian Youseff and author Daly (the Flower Girls series), fact-loving Nadia Youssef, who's Egyptian American, eagerly begins sixth grade wearing a necklace she bought during her summer trip to Cairo. When an animated man shows up in her notebook, though, Nadia discovers that the necklace's antique hippo amulet has for 2,000 years imprisoned quirky teacher Titi. The duo realizes that he can only be freed if he assists Nadia seven times; via magical adventures to ancient Egypt rendered in Holgate's (the Last Kids on Earth series) comiclike illustrations, Titi supports Nadia through the turbulence of her first weeks at school. Tensions rise between Nadia and her friends as they take on an immigration-related project, and she struggles to deal with a school bully, who makes ignorant, increasingly pointed jokes about her culture. Smart, confident Nadia is guided by a strong sense of right and wrong; aided by Titi's lessons and wisdom from her parents, she faces these challenges with bravery, resilience, and compassion. In this heartfelt tale, Youseff and Daly strike a solid balance between magical worldbuilding, witty humor, and a unifying anti-xenophobic theme. Ages 8--12. (Feb.)

Nadia Youssef is starting sixth grade, trying to navigate friendships, and tackling tough issues like racism and bullying. Nadia is an Egyptian American immigrant, living in California with her physician parents; Baba's a cardiologist, and Mama's a pulmonologist. Based loosely on co-author Youssef's real daughter, Nadia loves facts, collects bobbleheads, spends her summers in Egypt, and is very close to her best friends, Adam, who's White, Sarah, who's Korean American, Chloe, who's Black, and Vikram, who's Indian American; together they're the Nerd Patrol. The quintet is excited to learn that the Museum of American History is inviting students to team up and present ideas for an exhibit. Struggling with what it means to be a team leader, Nadia must also cope with a bullying new White student. Jason demands, "Where exactly are you from, anyway?" and sneers at her "desert people food." Mystifyingly, Adam seems to want to be friends with Jason even though he hears the mean things Jason says. With a little help from a magical amulet, advice from her parents, and the help of her friends, Nadia makes a plan. Youssef and Daly draw a strong character who is proud of her heritage and culture and is not afraid to show her Egyptian roots. Holgate's black-and-white cartoon vignettes pair well with the text, especially bringing out certain personality quirks and moments of humor. Nadia and Vikram make connections about similarities between their cultures, such as the "practice of snake charming" and some foodstuffs. Readers will cheer for Nadia as she responds to prejudice and affirms her identity. (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.