Amina Banana and the Formula or Friendship (Amina Banana #1)

Shifa Saltagi Safadi, illus. by Aaliya Jaleel. Putnam, $16.99 hardcover (128p) ISBN Optimistic about her family’s move from Syria to Indiana, science-minded third grader Amina creates a four-step formula for making friends. But students mock her English-speaking skills, and when potential new friend Crystal attempts to reassure her—“Don’t worry, I don’t bite”—Amina grows concerned: “Americans bite each other?” National Book Award winner Safadi and illustrator Jaleel (The Gift of Eid) reteam to compassionately capture the whirlwind first days of Amina’s life in the U.S. in this heartfelt and purpose-driven chapter book series opener. Further incidents highlight how idiom-rich English is often confusing for Amina. When a student insists Amina “spill the beans” on ful—a Syrian fava-bean dish—Amina takes the phrase literally. Though she’s embarrassed by her perceived faux pas, it leads to empathetic overtures of friendship: “It must be confusing for you to hear all these phrases,” one classmate says, followed by Crystal’s promise to meet Amina where she’s at (“We’ll try to explain better”). Animated b&w artwork depicts friendly-faced, visually diverse students. Back matter includes a taste experiment, recipe, and note about the Syrian refugee crisis. Publishing simultaneously: Amina Banana and the Formula for Winning. Ages 6–9. Author’s agent: Janine Le, Janine Le Literary. (May)