Beloved readers,
It is poetry month & as a deep admirer of novels in verse for young readers, I’m so eager to share about this new book!
About the author:
Shifa Saltagi Safadi is the author of KAREEM BETWEEN (Putnam 2024), the AMINA BANANA chapter book series (Putnam 2025), the picture book THE GIFT OF EID (Holiday House 2025), and indie Muslim published SPELL IT LIKE SAMAR (2019), HEAVEN AT MAMA’S FEET (2021) and PEPPERONI, PITCHES, AND OTHER PROBLEMS (2021). Shifa shares her favorite Muslim books on her online instagram bookblog @muslimmommyblog and is an ELA middle school teacher, so books are basically her whole life! Shifa was born in Syria and immigrated to the US with her parents as a young girl. She lives near Chicago (GO BEARS!) with her husband and four children.
Book description (from publisher):
This heartfelt coming-of-age novel in verse tells the powerful story of a seventh grade Syrian-American boy and his struggles, big and small, as he navigates middle-school.
Seventh grade begins and Kareem’s fall should be off to a great start. But he’s already fumbled it.
His best friend moved away, he bungled his tryout for the football team, and because of his heritage, he was voluntold to show the new kid – a Syrian refugee with a thick and embarrassing accent – around school. Just when Kareem thinks his middle school life has imploded, the hot-shot QB promises to get Kareem another tryout for the squad. There’s a catch: to secure that chance, Kareem must do something he knows is wrong.
Then like a surprise blitz, Kareem’s mom returns to Syria to bring her aging parents out of a war zone and to the United States. But a new executive order prevents her from coming home. If Kareem could throw a penalty flag on the fouls of his school and home life, it would be for Unnecessary Roughness.
Kareem is stuck between. Between countries. Between friends, between football, between parents—and between right and wrong. It’s up to him to step up, find his confidence, and navigate the beauty and hope found somewhere in the middle.
An excerpt, one of one of Shifa’s favorite pages shared generously by her gif readers of this newsletter:
To be a part of a team,
to be the best team,
every player
is valuable,
and what is
most valuable
is
being
together.
I asked to share any “behind the scenes” notes with us & this is her share:
“This book actually started out written in prose! I just felt the voice was not working and when a mentor suggested doing a different format, I took a shot at trying verse! And instantly my heart sung!!!
Having verse format made sense, because I was able to use the page to show how Kareem felt, using lines to show him either on the right or left side of the page depending on which culture he was speaking of- as Arabic and English are written from different sides. And I loved exploring how he finds himself most seen in the middle space!
I hope this book resonates with anyone who has a multilayered multifaceted identity- as we are often so much more than just one thing! And I hope readers feel hope and heart in standing up for justice, especially in the face of unfair laws.”
Preorder any where books are sold but esp. indies! I’ve had the honor of reading an advance copy & please trust me when I recommend this beautifully written new book with all my heart!
Firestorm has it available on their site: https://firestorm.coop/products/21301-kareem-between.html
For the love of poetry community,
Desi book aunty