May 2020 Explore Identity

Books of the Month

Text copyright © 2019 by Rukhsanna Guidroz. Illustrations copyright © 2019 by Dinara Mirtalipova. Images reproduced with permission of the publisher, Salaam Reads, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.

Leila in Saffron

By Rukhsanna Guidroz; illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova (Salaam Reads, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing)

When Leila visits her grandmother’s house for their weekly family dinner, she finds parts of herself and her heritage in the family, friends, and art around her.

Themes:

Elementary, Family, Heritage, Identity, Pakistani American, Picture Book, Self-Acceptance

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Front Desk

By Kelly Yang (Scholastic, Inc.)

While her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests.

Themes:

Chinese, Friendship, Immigrant Life, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Self-Confidence

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The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali

By Sabina Khan (Scholastic Press)

After Rukhsana’s conservative Muslim parents catch her kissing her girlfriend Ariana, they whisk her away to Bangladesh and a world of tradition and arranged marriages.

Themes:

Bengali American, Courage, Culture, Lesbian, Muslim, Realistic Fiction, YA

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Reading and Literacy in May