A novel in verse set during the 2016-17 school year will attract football fans, but the historical aspect will also be of interest to other readers.

Kareem lives in Chicago with his mom, dad, older sister and younger brother. He is a huge fan of the Chicago Bears. Kareem also loves to play football but has been cut from the team. The coach’s son promises to help him get back on the squad if Kareem does both of their homework assignments. Doing so only causes more conflict.

Family problems add even more tension and anxiety in Kareem’s life. He was born in the U.S. as a Syrian-American. Kareem feels stuck between the two worlds. When a new family arrives from Syria, Kareem is asked to be a friend to Fadi. Not wanting to stand out he fails this task in more ways than one.

Meanwhile, his grandparents are in Syria and Mom goes back there to bring them to America. She gets trapped and is unable to return home due to then-President Trump’s ban on travel from Muslim nations. Kareem feels it was his fault as his actions initially caused the trip to be delayed.

The tension Kareem faces parallels with the inclusion of NFL Facts and Rules. Each section of the story matches the football season. It works well combining Kareem’s passion with his own life right through overtime.

Another plus is Kareem loves to read and he relates to many middle grade classic characters of that time. Books like Holes, The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary, Wimpy Kid, and Hatchet help Kareem in his own life. These along with his family’s support lead Kareem to fight the injustice of having his family on different sides of the planet and finds the importance of being himself.

Social issues, language barriers, and an enduring main character make Kareem Between a special title.

PAGE COUNT: 336 BOOK BIRTHDAY: September 10, 2024

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SHIFA SALTAGI SAFADI is the author of Kareem Between and several picture books, including The Gift of Eid. She has a bachelor’s degree in English literature, teaches ELA at a local middle school, and reviews Muslim books on her blog, Muslim Mommy Blog. Shifa was born in Syria and immigrated to the US with her parents as a young girl. She lives near Chicago with her husband and four children.

Find her on Instagram @MuslimMommyBlog

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It’s almost time for another Marvelous Middle Grade Monday. Won’t you join us? It’s here I share highlights from other individuals blogging about middle grade books. Many of the posts will have reviews, interviews, and tips on writing. Take a look at PAST MMGM POSTS.

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*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen reviews ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me.