A young Syrian girl navigates the challenges of a new life in Canada while holding onto the traditions that make her who she is.
Danny Ramadan introduces us to Salma, a determined young protagonist who has recently moved to Canada from Syria. In the first book, she works to find her footing in a new environment, a journey that continues through the third installment, Salma Joins the Team, where she faces social pressure while joining a swim club. Across the three books currently in the series, readers follow Salma as she deals with school gossip, body image, and the balance between her faith and her passions.
This series is an ideal choice for students who are still building their English fluency or those who find dense text intimidating. The sentences are short, direct, and declarative, which helps readers maintain steady progress without getting lost in complicated grammar. While the themes—like cultural identity and self-acceptance—are mature and relevant to older children, the language remains highly accessible at a Lexile level of 570L. Anna Bron’s black-and-white illustrations are featured throughout, providing essential visual cues that help clarify the story for learners and visualize cultural elements like Muslim dress. Because the characters and the art style remain consistent across all three books, students can build a sense of familiarity that reduces the effort needed to start each new volume, naturally boosting their confidence as they move from one story to the next.
Total Books in Series: 3 Best Starting Point: Salma Makes a Home
