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Product Description An Entertainment Weekly Ten Best Young Adult Books of 2019 A Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book of 2019 A School Library Journal Best Young Adult Book of 2019 From William C. Morris Award Finalist S.K. Ali comes an unforgettable romance that is part The Sun Is Also a Star mixed with Anna and the French Kiss , following two Muslim teens who meet during a spring break trip. A marvel: something you find amazing. Even ordinary-amazing. Like potatoes--because they make French fries happen. Like the perfect fries Adam and his mom used to make together. An oddity: whatever gives you pause. Like the fact that there are hateful people in the world. Like Zayneb's teacher, who won't stop reminding the class how "bad" Muslims are. But Zayneb, the only Muslim in class, isn't bad. She's angry. When she gets suspended for confronting her teacher, and he begins investigating her activist friends, Zayneb heads to her aunt's house in Doha, Qatar, for an early start to spring break. Fueled by the guilt of getting her friends in trouble, she resolves to try out a newer, "nicer" version of herself in a place where no one knows her. Then her path crosses with Adam's. Since he got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in November, Adam's stopped going to classes, intent, instead, on perfecting the making of things. Intent on keeping the memory of his mom alive for his little sister. Adam's also intent on keeping his diagnosis a secret from his grieving father. Alone, Adam and Zayneb are playing roles for others, keeping their real thoughts locked away in their journals. Until a marvel and an oddity occurs... Marvel: Adam and Zayneb meeting. Oddity: Adam and Zayneb meeting. From School Library Journal Gr 8 Up-Morris Award finalist Ali has written a classic romance that's also a story of love for family and friends, Muslim identity, oneself, and the city of Doha, Qatar. Zayneb Malik is a high school senior, hijabi, and Gryffindor/Slytherin mix. When she gets suspended over an incident with an Islamophobic teacher, she starts her spring break early, leaving her town in Indiana to visit her aunt in Doha. Also on the way to Doha, via London, is Adam Chen, returning to his dad and sister. He stopped attending his college classes two months earlier after he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the same illness his mother had. Instead, he's been making various things. As Adam and Zayneb spend time together, their feelings intensify. But with numerous obstacles in their lives, they'll have to decide if pursuing a relationship is a possibility. The story is told in alternating viewpoints through the characters' journal entries, each divided into sections of Marvels and Oddities (the good and the bad). Muslim identity and culture are authentically and unapologetically infused throughout without overexplanation but are still accessible for a wide audience. Cultural appropriation, racism, the effects of war, and the impact of everyday Islamophobia are all explored with nuance. An author's note lends further context. VERDICT Heartfelt, honest, and featuring characters readers will fall in love with, this is sure to become a beloved book for many.-Jenna Friebel, Oak Park Public Library, ILα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Review “This book gave me butterflies. Love From A to Z is the bighearted, wildly charming, painfully real love story I’ve been waiting for." -- Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda "What makes Zayneb and Adam different is not their faith but their ability to learn from and love one another in a world hurling obstacles their way...Heartfelt and powerful.", Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Heartfelt, honest, and featuring characters readers will fall in love with, this is sure to become a beloved book for many.", School Library Journal, starred review "In Love from A to Z, S.K. Ali once again t