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Book Cover for: Call Me Adnan, Reem Faruqi

Call Me Adnan

Reem Faruqi

"An emotional tale of a family's grief and healing, full of courage and hope" --Kirkus Reviews

"Faruqi renders this tender story of loss with a deft hand, employing vivid details surrounding Adnan's Pakistani Muslim identity . . . and nuanced characterizations to present a tear-jerking ode to family." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A realistic, moving exploration of family, loss, and healing." --ALA Booklist

"Faruqi takes on the difficult subject of family loss with beauty and grace in her gentle, lyrical style. She allows Adnan, a young table tennis enthusiast, to go through grief while holding not just sadness but love and joy, in an honest and nuanced story that is ultimately filled with hope." --Veera Hiranandani, Newbery Honor author of The Night Diary

For fans of Planet Omar and The Ethan I Was Before, award-winning Pakistani author Reem Faruqi of Unsettled delivers a middle grade novel in verse about table tennis player Adnan, who dreams of the championship and a fun-filled family trip to Florida. But when tragedy strikes, he and his family must cope with a terrible loss and come together as one again. This poignant story about a Muslim family learning to heal is hope-filled and moving.

Adnan Zakir loves table tennis. He's also colorblind and left-handed and has a fondness for the aviation alphabet. He's super close with his sister, Aaliyah, who is a great dancer and memorizer of the Quran, and he loves his little toddler brother, Rizwan, who only wants to grow up and play table tennis like his big brother.

All Adnan dreams of is making it to the Ultimate Table Tennis Championship in Florida, and if he qualifies for the tournament, he knows he will get to spend the Eid holiday with his cousins. But when the family travels there, unthinkable tragedy strikes, and Adnan swears he'll never play table tennis ever again. Slowly, he and his family must learn to make peace and move forward, as a family.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!

A Cybils Finalist Award for Poetry!

Book Details

  • Publisher: HarperCollins
  • Publish Date: Jun 13rd, 2023
  • Pages: 320
  • Language: English
  • Edition: undefined - undefined
  • Dimensions: 8.50in - 5.90in - 1.05in - 0.90lb
  • EAN: 9780063284944
  • Recommended age: 08-12
  • Categories: Stories in Verse (see also Poetry)Social Themes - Death, Grief, BereavementFamily - Siblings

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About the Author

Faruqi, Reem: -

Reem Faruqi is the acclaimed author of Do You Even Know Me?, Call Me Adnan, Milloo's Mind, Anisa's International Day, Golden Girl, and Unsettled, which is loosely based on Reem's own story. She is also the author of ALA Notable Books Lailah's Lunchbox and Amira's Picture Day and the award-winning I Can Help. Of Pakistani descent, Reem immigrated to Peachtree City, Georgia, in the United States from the United Arab Emirates when she was thirteen years old. Reem is also a teacher and photographer who loves to doodle. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and three daughters. Visit her online at reemfaruqi.com.

More books by Reem Faruqi

Book Cover for: The House Without Lights: A Glowing Celebration of Joy, Warmth, and Home, Reem Faruqi
Book Cover for: Lailah's Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story, Reem Faruqi
Book Cover for: Do You Even Know Me?, Reem Faruqi
Book Cover for: Swimming Toward a Dream: Yusra Mardini's Incredible Journey from Refugee to Olympic Swimmer, Reem Faruqi
Book Cover for: Zarina Divided, Reem Faruqi
Book Cover for: Unsettled, Reem Faruqi
Book Cover for: Amira's Picture Day, Reem Faruqi
Book Cover for: Milloo's Mind: The Story of Maryam Faruqi, Trailblazer for Women's Education, Reem Faruqi
Book Cover for: Golden Girl, Reem Faruqi
Book Cover for: Anisa's International Day, Reem Faruqi
Book Cover for: I Can Help, Reem Faruqi

Praise for this book

"Faruqi depicts strong community bonds, seamlessly interweaving Adnan's Pakistani Muslim identity... an emotional tale of a family's grief and healing, full of courage and hope." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Faruqi renders this tender story of loss with a deft hand, employing vivid details surrounding Adnan's Pakistani Muslim identity... and nuanced characterizations to present a tear-jerking ode to family." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)