Amina Banana and the Formula for Frie..., Shifa Saltagi Safadi
Amina Banana and the Formula for Frie..., Shifa Saltagi Safadi
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Amina Banana and the Formula for Friendship

Author: Shifa Saltagi Safadi

Series: Amina Banana #1

Narrator: Shereen Lani Younes

Unabridged: 1 hr 15 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/20/2025

Synopsis

Meet Amina Banana! She’s a determined and clever third grader, and star of a new chapter book series with a STEM twist. Perfect for readers of The Questioneers and Junie B. Jones!

Amina loves bananas, science, and all things yellow! Her family recently arrived from Syria to Indiana, and she's starting at a brand-new school in a brand-new country. She’s excited but also nervous, especially about making friends! But she develops the perfect formula to get everything just right:

Speak English + wear a perfect outfit + be a good student + eat American food = Make American Friends! 

When the first few days are harder than Amina imagined, she’s left worrying: why doesn't her formula add up?

About The Author

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 @ShifaSaltagiSafadiAALIYA JALEEL is a Sri-Lankan American illustrator based in Dallas, Texas, who loves illustrating bright, bold color palettes, Islamic and South-Asian inspired patterns, and floral motifs. Some of her past works include the books Under My Hijab and Muslim Girls Rise. In addition to being an illustrator, Aaliya also works as a designer for animation. Visit Aaliya online at www.aaliyamj.com.Find Aaliya on Instagram! @aaliyamj

Reviews

Goodreads review by Maleeha on December 08, 2024

I received an ARC of this chapter book for review. I feel bad for everyone who has to wait until May to meet a character who is undoubtedly about to become many kids' favorite. Amina Banana and the Formula for Friendship is the best chapter book I've read in a long time. Don't believe me? Well, my 7-......more

Goodreads review by Kirin on December 31, 2024

I have five children, I have taught second grade, I have shelved, recommended, and read aloud a number of early chapter books for the better part of the last 20 years, so when I say that this book changes the standard of what a book (series) for this demographic can and should be, I do not say it li......more

Goodreads review by Serene on June 11, 2025

I loooved this early chapter book! All we could ask for Muslim representation to be. Amina is starting school for the first time after leaving Syria and the author does such a wonderful job of showing how incredibly overwhelming and scary that would be. There is so much Islam and Syrian culture thro......more

Goodreads review by Libby on March 15, 2025

This short chapter book about a Syrian girl starting her new school in America has a lot of depth for a book at this level. It hints at Amina's family's refugee experience, and the worry for those left behind is mentioned but that isn't the focus of the book. In the midst of a fun story, Arab cultur......more

Goodreads review by Jennybeast on July 08, 2025

This is great -- 3rd grade Syrian refugee story, really sweet characters and some funny moments involving American idioms. I loved the illustrations, too. There's no getting around the fact that immigration to a country where you don't know the language is hard, but Amina's sunny personality chines......more

Quotes

Good Housekeeping’s 2025 Kids’ Book Award Winner: Fun New Series!
A New York Public Library and Chicago Public Library Best Books of the Year
A Kirkus Best Middle Grade Novel of the Year

★ "A winning series starter with layers of depth." —Kirkus, starred review

★ "National Book Award winner Safadi and illustrator Jaleel (The Gift of Eid) reteam to compassionately capture the whirlwind first days of Amina’s life in the U.S. in this heartfelt and purpose-driven chapter book series opener." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Amid a fast-paced, humorous, tender, and ultimately optimistic story, Safadi captures the family’s nostalgia for Syria while they find a place in a new community. A new series to look forward to." —Booklist

"Full of hope and warmth, Amina Banana packs a heavy topic - the struggles of refugees starting over - into one light and easily digestible story, which highlights the power of small acts of kindness. Every reader will be able to put themselves into the shoes of a refugee whose whole life has been turned upside down. A surefire way to encourage empathy and compassion." — Zanib Mian, author of Planet Omar and Meet the Maliks

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