The Magical Reality of Nadia

Gr 4-6–Twelve-year-old Nadia is proud of her Egyptian heritage, loves school, and is ready to rock sixth grade flanked by her friends in the Nerd Squad. But when she discovers a magical teacher in an amulet she brought home from Egypt as a souvenir, everything starts to change. All she wanted was to create a winning presentation for the question, “What makes America, America?” Instead, a new kid comes between her and her BFF, she’s bullied, and even the Nerd Squad is unhappy with her. Can Nadia find a way to restore her friendships? This lighthearted read bubbles with jokes, magic, comics, and the ever-persistent issues of friendship and personal identity. And yet, the cheerful tone belies deep messages of acceptance and understanding that are brought beautifully to life. The final message readers take home, “Unless you are Native American, we all have an immigrant story in our past,” clearly resounds throughout this expertly crafted lesson disguised as a fantastical story about middle school life.