Novels in verse are never my first choice in reading, but I’m glad I didn’t miss this one. SISTERS ALONE is the engaging story of two sisters who have recently lost their mother. It’s about surviving not only the bad situation they get themselves into, but also accepting not having the person they love supporting them in every way.

Rama is the older of the two and feels like a monster in her head is controlling the emotions she can’t share. Leena is quiet and blames herself for her mother’s passing. Father is there for them but must travel for work in another country. The girls will be on a skiing trip during that time.

One bad choice after another occurs as the sisters miss going on the trip and find themselves trapped in their two-story rural home. A large tree falls on the house leading to no power and little food. It’s a gripping tale of life or death and they must depend on each other as the world they know falls apart.

A true celebrations of sisterhood, SISTERS ALONE is over 300 pages but the flow of the story makes it a quick read. The layout of the verse adds to the emotions you will feel while reading their tale. Highly recommended for school or home. It’s a story that provides many opportunities for discussion.

BOOK BIRTHDAY: Sept. 8. 2026. PAGES: 336

FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: SISTERS ALONE by Shifa Saltagi Safadi

1. The choices the girls make are very believable for their age group, often making a terrible situation even worse. They have each other though and that may be the only thing that saves them. Great story development in their journey.
2. The author note about anxiety and intrusive thoughts in the final pages is not to be missed. She also shares mental health resources for children.
3. You get an inside look at Muslim faith and how it is an important and natural part of being a family.
4. The ending was a satisfying conclusion.
5. Such a powerful story, and one that could bring you closer to your own siblings.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shifa Saltagi Safadi is the National Book Award Winning author of Kareem Between, the Amina Banana series, and several picture books, including The Gift of Eid.

Shifa was born in Syria and immigrated to the US with her parents when she was a young girl. She is a bilingual Arabic/English speaker, and is very familiar with the challenges of learning English and navigating two languages.

You can learn more about all her books here.

Shifa  has a bachelor’s degree in English literature, is a former English teacher, and is a former reviewer of Muslim books on her blog, Muslim Mommy Blog. 

She is super passionate about spreading a love of reading to children through fun storytimes and engaging school visits. 

Visit Shifa online at ShifaSafadi.com and on Instagram @shifasaltagisafadi

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