NAYRA AND THE DJINN

Nayra Mansour’s life gets a touch of magic in this story of friendship and djinns, set during Ramadan.

Everyone is against Nayra: At school, classmates bully her because of her religion and culture, while at home she is scolded for her bad grades. Her friend Rami, her only Muslim classmate, and mythological stories from her culture used to keep her grounded, but now all she wants is to transfer schools. It’s no surprise, then, that when the shadow djinn Marjan needs to make a pact with a human, Nayra jumps at the chance to bring some magic into her life. Marjan’s story is complex, and it’s only a matter of time before their truths come to light and Nayra’s world starts to shift. Presenting a slice of life with a tinge of magic, the story’s overall mellow tone is heightened by the color palette’s deep jewel tones. The images are simple and attractive and represent aspects of Nayra’s identity, such as praying with Marjan. Nayra makes decisions that are frustrating but relatable, as her focus on wanting something new leads her to neglect the good parts of her life. Marjan represents all the things Nayra wishes her life could be—mythical and larger than life—at a time when she can’t seem to control anything around her. Nayra has light brown skin and dark hair; Rami is blond with light skin.

Fresh and interesting.