For middle grade readers, there’s another book birthday this week that can’t be missed: Amina Banana and the Formula for Making Money by Shifa Saltagi Safadi, illus. by Aaliya Jaleel, the third installment in the Amina Banana series!

After the breakout success seen by the first two books when they were released last year, Amina is back! This time, the STEM-loving, Syrian-American third-grader is faced with a new challenge: her family is having money troubles, and Amina is committed to using her math skills to help out any way she can.

If you haven’t given this series a try before now, it’s the perfect time to pick it up. Safadi skillfully balances the real-life issues of adolescence from the perspective of a young Syrian refugee in a way that is accessible and relatable, no matter the reader’s age or background. There’s a reason the first two books won several awards and made appearances on a bunch of Best-Of lists last year. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here!

Thanks so much to Penguin Kids, G.P. Putnam’s BFYR, and Egypt Street PR for sending us copies!