May Review: The Magical Reality of Nadia
Great story about friendship, prejudice, and empathy.
Nadia can’t wait for the first day of sixth grade. Not only is she excited to learn more facts (she is, after all, a member of the “Nerd Patrol”), but she had also spent the summer getting a fashion upgrade with her cousins back in her homeland of Egypt. But the first day of school brings two very unexpected surprises: 1) a new kid named Jason shows up, and makes some subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) prejudiced remarks about her culture; and 2) her Egyptian amulet begins to glow, revealing a very magical secret—an ancient Egyptian teacher, trapped inside.
What I liked: great story about the complexities of friendship, the realities of prejudice/racism, and the triumph of empathy. The characters are believable (including the bully) and each learn valuable lessons as the story unfolds. The relationships between the characters are not perfect, they are flawed and realistic which I love. I also loved all the random facts Nadia mentioned throughout the book.
What I didn’t like: honestly, the element of magic felt a little forced in the story. I felt like the author wanted the Egyptian teacher to be like the genie in Aladdin, but he came across as unnecessary to the story, and even detracted a little from it. I would’ve preferred his character to be a real person. I also did not like the Prologue—it could’ve easily been woven into the story itself—as I would’ve preferred Nadia to be the first character I met.
Still, the premise was great, and the story of standing up to bullies and prejudice, and showing empathy, is definitely worth the read.
4 out of 5 stars
Nadia can’t wait for the first day of sixth grade. Not only is she excited to learn more facts (she is, after all, a member of the “Nerd Patrol”), but she had also spent the summer getting a fashion upgrade with her cousins back in her homeland of Egypt. But the first day of school brings two very unexpected surprises: 1) a new kid named Jason shows up, and makes some subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) prejudiced remarks about her culture; and 2) her Egyptian amulet begins to glow, revealing a very magical secret—an ancient Egyptian teacher, trapped inside.
What I liked: great story about the complexities of friendship, the realities of prejudice/racism, and the triumph of empathy. The characters are believable (including the bully) and each learn valuable lessons as the story unfolds. The relationships between the characters are not perfect, they are flawed and realistic which I love. I also loved all the random facts Nadia mentioned throughout the book.
What I didn’t like: honestly, the element of magic felt a little forced in the story. I felt like the author wanted the Egyptian teacher to be like the genie in Aladdin, but he came across as unnecessary to the story, and even detracted a little from it. I would’ve preferred his character to be a real person. I also did not like the Prologue—it could’ve easily been woven into the story itself—as I would’ve preferred Nadia to be the first character I met.
Still, the premise was great, and the story of standing up to bullies and prejudice, and showing empathy, is definitely worth the read.
4 out of 5 stars
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