Mimi is not thrilled to be spending her summer in Karachi, Pakistan, with grandparents she’s never met. Secretly, she wishes to find her long-absent father, and plans to write to him in her beautiful new journal.
The cook’s daughter, Sakina, still hasn’t told her parents that she’ll be accepted to school only if she can improve her English test score—but then, how could her family possibly afford to lose the money she earns working with her Abba in a rich family’s kitchen?
Although the girls seem totally incompatible at first, as the summer goes on, Sakina and Mimi realize that they have plenty in common—and that they each need the other to get what they want most.
This book paints a beautiful picture of Karachi and introduces wonderfuly relatable characters in Mimi and Sakina. Mimi - outwardly bursting with energy but missing her long estranged father - and Sakina - working to support her close-knit family while secretly dreaming of going to school - will be loved by anyone who reads this story. Though they both lead very different lives, events unfold that bring the two closer together as their friendship takes them on a journey full of discovery.
You can pick up a physical copy from your local library or go online and check out an ebook or eaudiobook through OverDrive!
And if you like this book, take a look at these read-alike suggestions:
Amina's Voice by Hena Khan
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
Front Desk by Kelly Yang
Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina
The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin