(2) YA Said Hossain and Tiwa Olatunji used to be best friends in their artsy village of New Crosshaven, Vermont. But after Said went to boarding school in Virginia, the two became "mortal enemies," each believing it was the other who abandoned the friendship. During one summer vacation, when Said returns home, he and Tiwa are entrusted with the care of the cat who belonged to a beloved, recently deceased librarian, and the two start speaking again, but only for the sake of joint feline custody. After a fire at the community Islamic Center, the town's mayor informs everyone that it will be razed to build housing. Tiwa and Said collaborate on ways to save the center, which involves a mural that Said plans to paint and also intends to use as a portfolio submission for art school. Narration alternates between the two protagonists, with interspersed third-person flashbacks, telling a story of friendship, loss, and misunderstanding through a series of Eid celebrations and one funeral. Even while touching on some thorny topics -- racism within the Muslim community, microaggressions -- the novel creates a dynamic sense of second-generation immigrant Muslim teenage life. Though the plot can feel overcrowded, the captivating characters and their unique voices make for an entertaining and lively read.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024