"We run only a few feet before Hanna slows, stops,
then sits (almost drops, if I'm being honest) on the
floor. I don't know what else to do, so I sit across from
her. Is she about to cry? Sami looks back at Zoomi and
then back at us, eyes wide. Before he can speak, I shake
my head. He closes his eyes, takes a breath, then sits too.
We stare, but none of us see each other.
Instead, I see the way that man looked at me. Like I was
a criminal. He's probably racist, hates Muslims for sure.
Black Muslims even more."
Four young adolescents share their stories of being grounded in an airport by bad weather. Feek loses his little sister, Ruqi. While searching for her, he meets Hanna Chen and Sami Igbal who want to help him find her. Nora Najjar is the first of the four main characters to find Ruqi.
The four have all attended a Muslims of North America conference. While heading home with their families, they are dealing with the same predicament. What will they do while they wait? Hanna is busy looking for Snickerdoodle, a cat missing in the airport for more than a week. She seeks help from the other three while they wait for clearance to board their planes.
In chapters that alternate from one to the other, each voice is penned by a different author. Readers learn their stories which are unique, yet similar. Each is struggling with something: an absent father, a very busy politician mother, a sports competition, Muslim identity, and others. The adventure that keeps them together while trying to find Ruqi and Snickerdoodle has unexpected lessons and discoveries. While learning about themselves, they also learn about each other.
These are four well-developed characters from families whose Muslim experiences are diverse. Their stories are poignant and meaningful. Ruqi is a pistol who adds humor and vigor to the story. Together they share their challenges and accept help from newfound friends. Action moves along quickly and holds attention throughout the telling. Readers have a growing awareness that friendship and community play a large role in helping each other overcome life's worries and concerns.
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