AMINA BANANA AND THE FORMULA FOR WINNING

Third grader Amina’s efforts to grasp the intricacies of English threaten to overwhelm her.

Since moving to Indianapolis a few weeks ago, Syrian refugee Amina has been finding her footing at school. But after a series of demoralizing incidents, she begins internalizing her older brother Sami’s defeatist attitude: “We’re always going to struggle with learning English. We’re always going to feel second place.” ESL teacher Ms. Tanya shows her the insensitively titled Teaching Kids Spelling for Dummies, mean classmate Tara sneers when Amina scores poorly on a spelling test, and Amina overhears her doctor mother telling her father that she plans to postpone her professional exams because she still hasn’t mastered English. Determined to prove herself by winning the upcoming spelling bee, science-loving Amina devises a formula for success, which includes studying hard, focusing, and keeping her strategy secret. But her preparations consume her—and, worst of all, isolate her from her new friends. Once more, Safadi plumbs Amina’s anxieties with a mix of sensitivity and humor. Amina’s insightful commentary on the strangeness of English idioms and her realizations about the spelling bee competition (“Winning is being with the people that matter the most”) make her an empathetic protagonist whom readers will be eager to befriend. Her Syrian and Muslim identities are richly incorporated into the narrative; her community is diverse. Final art not seen.

A moving and thoughtful series addition.