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Hohn, Nadia L.

Malaika's Surprise

32 pp. | Groundwood | March, 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-1-77306-264-8 $18.95 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-77306-265-5 $16.95
(2) PS Illustrated by Irene Luxbacher. Malaika, a recent transplant to Canada, continues to grapple with her changing family and settle into her new community in this third entry. Malaika is playing carnival (the Caribbean cultural festival introduced in Malaika's Costume, rev. 5/16) with her white stepsister Adèle when another recently arrived, brown-skinned immigrant girl in the neighborhood catches her attention. Malaika comforts the homesick Malayka (who speaks English and Arabic), and the two become fast friends. Meanwhile, Malaika learns surprising news--her Black Caribbean mother and white French-Canadian stepfather are expecting their first baby, due to arrive around Malaika's birthday. At first she feels threatened by the idea of a new family member, but after learning a thing or two from life's little surprises, she comes to appreciate the big ones. Luxbacher's softly smudged mixed-media collages reflect the colorful meeting of worlds inherent in our protagonist's intercultural, multilingual family and capture the tender possibilities of starting over in a new country. Narrated in Malaika's signature voice--a blend of Caribbean patois and standard English--this outing delivers the cultural poise of the previous two books while introducing new themes of empathy and sibling jealousy. Front matter includes a glossary of Arabic, Caribbean, and French words. A warm portrayal of a loving, close-knit community, this is a refreshing alternative to immigrant stories that highlight traumas and cultural conflicts.
Reviewer: Summer Edward | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2021

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