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Trade ReviewSAVING KABUL CORNER Author: N.H. Senzai Review Issue Date: December 15, 2013
Online Publish Date: December 1, 2013
Publisher:Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster Pages: 288 Price ( Hardcover ): $16.99 Publication Date: February 4, 2014
ISBN ( Hardcover ): 978-1-4424-8494-8 Category: Fiction
The arrival of a rival Afghani food market at the same California shopping plaza as the Shinwari family’s already established store brings with it the threat of an awakened family feud.
Eleven-year-old Ariana Shinwari feels klutzy and inadequate next to her almost-12-year-old perfect cousin, Laila, who has moved in with Ariana’s family after fleeing the Taliban in Afghanistan, leaving her father, a translator for the American Army, behind. And now it looks like Ariana’s best friend, Mariam, who also fled Afghanistan with her family, has all of her classes with Laila. But when strange things start to happen at both Kabul Corner and the upstart Pamir Market, schoolgirl conflicts give way to collaboration among Ariana, Laila, Mariam and Wali, the son of the new store’s owner. Senzai successfully weaves the dynamics of Afghan culture, history and political wranglings into a classically American mystery story, unraveling who and what are really at the heart of the conflict between the two Afghani grocery stores. Readers will appreciate that young people solve all of the questions at hand and ultimately bring the two families together.
An engaging mystery—that it’s about Afghani families struggling and surviving in America is a plus.
(Fiction. 8-12) * Kirkus Reviews *
In a companion to 2010’s Shooting Kabul that stands solidly on its own, Senzai explores the lives of Afghan immigrants in California. Eleven-year-old Ariana’s family runs Kabul Corner, an Afghan grocery store in Freemont; the arrival of another Afghan grocery to their strip mall threatens their livelihood. Believably chaotic family dynamics heighten the tension in a crowded home filled with cousins and grandparents. Ariana is strong-willed and loyal, and her longings for a new home and a room of her own, along with her jealousy of her cousin Laila (newly arrived from Afghanistan), are relatable. As the rivalry between the stores escalates (with dangerous consequences), Ariana and her friends involve a classmate from the other store’s family to investigate the mystery. Readers who wondered what happened to Mariam, who was separated from her family in Afghanistan in Shooting Kabul, will be gratified to learn the answer in this empowering mystery. Senzai skillfully contextualizes the details of Afghan American life and the violence in Afghanistan that hangs over everyone. Ages 8–12. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. (Feb.) * Publishers Weekly *
Senzai, N. H. Saving Kabul Corner. Wiseman/Simon, 2014 [288p] ISBN 978-1-4424-8494-8 $16.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 4-6 At twelve, Ariana can’t cook traditional Afghan meals, she moves more like a galloping horse than a dignified lady, and she inevitably makes a mess when stocking the pistachio bins at her family’s grocery store, the titular Kabul Corner. Unfortunately, her cousin Laila flips pancakes like a pro, veritably glides when she walks, and never spills anything. Worst of all, Ariana must share everything with Laila, who has recently arrived from Afghanistan: her cramped California bedroom, her sixth-grade class, and even her best friend. When a series of accidents rocks Kabul Corner and a neighboring store, Ariana suspects that someone is trying to scare away the plaza’s tenants. She finds an ally in Laila, and soon the girls and their friends are on the case to save Kabul Corner. In her second novel, Senzai ambitiously explores family dynamics and preteen preoccupations alongside immigration, Middle East politics, and even disabilities (Ariana has a mild sensory processing disorder). Though explanations of weightier issues verge on the conspicuous, the book maintains a fairly light touch when helping young readers understand Ariana and her family’s culture, keeping these details in the background and wisely allowing the mystery plot to take center stage. Thoughtfully written, with just the right amount of hint-dropping to get readers guessing, this engaging story features immigrants, minorities, and complex political issues while credibly treating the thoughts and feelings of a twelve-year old girl and the bonds of family. This is one for any preteen interested in the broader world, or just navigating the one at home. AA * Bulletin *
