Sabrena Swept Away by Karuna Riazi
ISBN: 0063098717
Genres: Adventure, Fairy Tale, Fantasy
Format: Middle Grade Fiction
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Sabrena Swept Away

Author: Karuna Riazi

This middle grade novel for ages 8-12 is about a young Bangladeshi girl named Sabrena, who recently moved with her mom, Baba, and Aunt Keisha into her Grandma’s house, as Grandma is having memory deficits due to dementia. Sabrena, who is thought to be a descendent of the legendary sailor Sinbad, falls through a puddle on the floor of her Islamic school into the land of the One Thousand and One Nights Middle Eastern folktales. Sabrena makes friends with Marjana, Ali Baba’s adopted daughter, and Idris, the Prince of the Black Isles. The Black Isles is a kingdom sunk beneath the sea whose Queen is possessed by an ifrit (vengeful spirit). Sabrena must liberate the Black Isles and find a way reunite with her family.

The Middle Eastern and Arabian Nights references may be largely lost to young Western readers. The climax was underwhelmingly simplistic and rushed, but overall, the story is faced-paced portal fantasy adventure that highlights the connective power of storytelling.

3 stars

Reviewed by Lindsey Hopkins, Jay-Niles Memorial Library, Jay