Unsettled

Juvenile fiction 

     When you're in your early teens moving from the place that's your home to somewhere frighteningly different can feel like the end of the world.  It did for me when I was moving from a working waterfront city to the huge city next to the capital in the same state.

     Nurah, protagonist of Reem Faruqi's aptly named Unsettled, transition--from Pakistan to the United States.  

"She is lucky.

She gets to stay.

Her roots spread deep

and don't need to be uprooted

like me."

     When Baba, her father, gets an American job offer he accepts it.  His brother will be there to tend to their increasingly fragile mother.  He will have more job security.  Nurah and older brother, Owais, will be able to go to better schools.  It doesn't matter that neither want to go.

"Differences attack my senses.

The American airport has no smells.

The AC is strong.

The floor is carpeted.

The voices are bold.

The clothes are different.

And why is everyone wearing jeans?"

     When Nurah's family arrives in Georgia they are all stuck in a hotel room.  But when she is able to start school it poses its own challenges.  Winter cold is brutal.

     But at least at the rec center she can swim.  She even makes the team.

     Although Faruqi wrote Unsettled as fiction she based it on her own life.  This poignant coming of age narrative will be especially appealing to the many kids who have experienced their own uprooting. 

On a purrrsonal note, it's been a good week, mostly sunny.  Even on the days they predicted downpours anything more than scattered drizzles held off until night.  The highlight of my week was the outside student wellness fair.  There were lots of tables with cool activities.  I got a precious bear for my little critter collection.  I also made a rare Goodwill and Hannaford run.  I got 4 bags of miniature chocolates for my coworkers for Halloween.  I got 3 cat shirts and adorable, soft Halloween cat pajamas.  I got a sweet dress for free at Black Bear Exchange and a gold sequined sleeveless jumpsuit from the diabetes club's clothes giveaway.  ( Jules)

The weekend is finally here.  (Tobago)

A great big shout out goes out to all the groups that tabled at the student wellness fair.

Tobago and Jules Hathaway 

Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone