Flying Over Water by Shannon Hitchcock & N.H. Senzai

 Summary: Noura and her family are granted asylum in the United States. Jordan and her family are among the volunteers in Tampa, Florida who step up to make Noura, her twin brother, Ammar, baby brother Ismail, and her parents feel welcome to their new home. The two girls become friends and work together to help each other deal with grief, loss, and acts of prejudice in their community. Flying Over Water is a story of friendship, compassion, and learning to accept and support others different from yourself. 

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Flying Over Water does an excellent job of addressing Islamophobia, prejudice against refugees like Noura's family, and the impact that political decisions have on real people. Noura and her Syrian refugee family enter the U.S. just ahead of President Trump's Muslim Ban in 2017 and find themselves in the midst of a wave of anti-Muslim sentiment in their new community. By centering much of the turmoil within Noura and Jordan's school, the authors make the topic relevant and relatable for young readers. 

Overall, this book is well-written, realistic, and will engage readers in powerful discussions about prejudice, overcoming fear and loss, and being part of a compassionate community containing multiple religious faiths. 

Themes:

Immigration

Refugees

Bigotry/Prejudice

Family Connections

Friendship

Grief

Age Appropriateness:
Any

Areas of concern (content):

Foul Language: none

Nudity/Adult Content: none

Violence: none