Salma embraces her voice and speaks up for herself and her friends in book 4 of the award-winning Salma series. Salma’s best friend Riya has had a secret: she dreams of becoming a poet! So when their school’s Speech Club announces an assembly where the winner will get a spot in a city-wide writing workshop, Riya convinces Salma to join the club with her. But Nathan, another member of the club, keeps criticizing the girls for not speaking English “correctly.” Salma grows increasingly frustrated: why does Nathan get to decide which accents are good or bad? Also, Salma is worried about her beloved Khalou Dawood, who keeps canceling their dinner plans, although he claims he’s not sick. Through research and discussions with her family, Salma discovers what might be impacting Khalou and also gains the courage and confidence to embrace her voice and speak up for herself and others.

EARLY CHAPTER BOOK SERIES: Book 4 in this easy chapter book series featuring a family from Syria by Lamda award-winning author Danny Ramadan, himself a former Syrian refugee. EXPLORES MENTAL HEALTH: Introduces young readers to Seasonal Affective Disorder, helping kids understand how seasons and environment can affect emotions and well-being. REPRESENTATION: Shows a young girl navigating the complexities of her religion and culture; sensitive and nuanced portrayal of a diverse diasporic Muslim community. EMPATHY AND RESILIENCE: Addresses discrimination around accents with honesty and empowers readers to embrace their own voices while standing up against unfair judgments. DYNAMIC AUTHOR: Danny Ramadan is a powerhouse author whose profile is only rising. BACKMATTER EXTRAS: Activity for kids in the back of each book in the series! FOR FANS OF: Dory Fantasmagory and Katie Woo and Friends LEVELING INFO: Coming soon