Sakina and the Uninvited Guests by Zahra Marwan

Sakina and the Uninvited Guests

Zahra Marwan

Bloomsbury · Hardcover · April 29, 2025

From Ezra Jack Keats Award honoree author Zahra Marwan, a picture book about the magic power of art to connect us to the past and to each other. * “A powerful story.” -School Library Journal, starred review * “Begs multiple viewings.” -Horn Book, starred review * “Worth visiting time and time again.” -BookPage, starred review “Stunningly illustrated.” -Kirkus Reviews When a sandstorm descends upon the city, Sakina and her mama forego their plans to visit the beach and head to the local museum instead.

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Who it’s for
Picture-book readers interested in art and its connections to the past
Themes
Art connects people to the past, Ancestry and memory, The need to be understood and remembered
Genres
Art & Architecture, Middle Eastern & Arab American Stories, Multigenerational Families

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About this book

From Ezra Jack Keats Award honoree author Zahra Marwan, a picture book about the magic power of art to connect us to the past and to each other.

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* “A powerful story.” -School Library Journal, starred review * “Begs multiple viewings.” -Horn Book, starred review * “Worth visiting time and time again.” -BookPage, starred review “Stunningly illustrated.” -Kirkus Reviews When a sandstorm descends upon the city, Sakina and her mama forego their plans to visit the beach and head to the local museum instead. While Sakina yawns and scowls at the boring old relics, her mama's eyes keep filling with tears, moved by the details she recognizes. But when it's finally time to leave the museum, Sakina returns home with something unexpected . . . Can three uninvited guests help Sakina see the museum through her mama's eyes? This gorgeous, sweeping picture book illuminates the incredible power of art: it humanizes our ancestors, connects us to the past and to each other, and reflects the essential, universal human need to be understood and remembered. Discover another deeply moving story from Zahra Marwan, the critically acclaimed creator of the New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Book Where Butterflies Fill the Sky.

Who it’s for

  • Picture-book readers interested in art and its connections to the past
  • Readers drawn to stories about family, memory, and understanding one another

Where it sits

Art & Architecture80%
Multigenerational Families51%
Middle Eastern & Arab American Stories33%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Middle Eastern & Arab American Stories
  • Art & Architecture
  • Imagination & Play
Authors
Zahra Marwan
Publisher
Bloomsbury
Published
April 29, 2025
Format
Hardcover
Theme
Art connects people to the past · Ancestry and memory · The need to be understood and remembered
Reading lane
Middle Eastern & Arab American Stories