SHIFA SALTAGI SAFADI is the National Book Award winning author of
Kareem Between, the Amina Banana series, and several picture books, including
The Gift of Eid. She has a bachelor’s degree in English literature, is a former English teacher, and is passionate about spreading her love of reading and writing through school visits and story-times. Shifa was born in Syria and immigrated to the US with her parents as a young girl. She lives near Chicago with her husband and four children.
Visit Shifa online at ShifaSafadi.com and on Instagram @ShifaSaltagiSafadi
★ “A masterfully written, deeply resonant tale.”—
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)★ “Dynamic and engaging, drawing readers in from page one….a story of identity, growing up, standing up for what’s right, and boyhood.”—
School Library Journal (starred review)“A beautiful story of hope, empathy, confidence, and courage”—
Teen Librarian Toolkit
“Heartfelt and personal…. a tale of true depth.”—
The Horn Book “For fans of Kwame Alexander, Daniel Nayeri, and sports-heavy books with broad appeal.”—
Booklist“Riveting, powerful, and soul-stirring, this is a beautifully written story of triumph amid tragedy.”—
S. K. Ali, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author
“An immersive story that captures the nuances of middle school friendships, family challenges, and the difficult realities of being “stuck” between two different worlds.”—
Maleeha Siddiqui, acclaimed author of Barakah Beats and Any Way You Look
“Safadi cleverly weaves together spare verse creating an emotionally compelling and action-packed story.”—
Reem Faruqi, award-winning author of Unsettled
“Kareem’s story will pull you in with each emotion-filled play and pass…. an important addition to middle grade literature, a new perspective we desperately need to find hope and empathy in our divided world.”—
Aida Salazar, award-Winning author of Ultraviolet
