The Arabic Quilt: An Immigrant Story by Khalil, Aya

Kanzi's family has moved from Egypt to America, and on her first day in a new school, what she wants more than anything is to fit in. Maybe that's why she forgets to take the kofta sandwich her mother has made for her lunch, but that backfires when Mama shows up at school with the sandwich. Mama wears a hijab and calls her daughter Habibti (dear one). When she leaves, the teasing starts.

That night, Kanzi wraps herself in the beautiful Arabic quilt her teita (grandma) in Cairo gave her and writes a poem in Arabic about the quilt. Next day her teacher sees the poem and gets the entire class excited about creating a "quilt" (a paper collage) of student names in Arabic. In the end, Kanzi's most treasured reminder of her old home provides a pathway for acceptance in her new one.

This authentic story with beautiful illustrations includes a glossary of Arabic words and a presentation of Arabic letters with their phonetic English equivalents.

Author: Aya Khalil
Publisher: Tilbury House Publishers
Published: 02/18/2020
Pages: 36
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.10lbs
Size: 10.20h x 9.30w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9780884487548
Audience: Ages 4-8

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 3.7
Point Value: 0.5
Interest Level: Lower Grade
Quiz #/Name: 513274 / Arabic Quilt: An Immigrant Story


Review Citation(s):
School Library Journal 03/01/2020 pg. 92