Bela and Lily | Natasha Khan Kazi mama's hijab she joins the Spirit Squad

she joins the Spirit Squad where her natural artistic ability attracts the attention of the popular leader

the story of two girls living eight hundred years apart—a modern-day Syrian refugee seeking safety and an adventurous mapmaker’s apprentice—“perfectly aligns with the cultural moment” (The Providence Journal) and “shows how interconnected two supposedly opposing worlds can be” (The New York Times Book Review)

Leena’s mom warns that Leena’s grandfather Tariq’s financial generosity doesn’t come without strings attached… like Leena converting to Islam

Named One of the Best Books of the Year: Washington Post • NPR • People • Refinery29 • Parade • BuzzFeed

A big family was the dream

Bela and Lily | Natasha Khan Kazi mama's hijab she joins the Spirit SquadA heartwarming picture book about two young girls who don't speak the same language and still become fast friends, by Bangladeshi American writer and artist, Natasha Khan Kazi. Lily looks at my eyes, lips, and shoulders as if they are pieces of a puzzle. Bela, who has recently arrived in the United States from Bangladesh, meets Lily on the swings. But how do you make a friend when you dont speak the same language? Based on Natashas own experience as a