About the Book From Bassem Youssef, a.k.a. The Jon Stewart of the Arab World, comes a hilarious and heartfelt story about prejudice, friendship, empathy, and courage. Nadia loves fun facts. Here are a few about her: - She collects bobbleheads -- she has 77 so far. - She moved from Egypt to America when she was six years old. - The hippo amulet she wears is ancient...as in its literally from ancient Egypt. - Shes going to win the contest to design a new exhibit at the local museum. Because how cool would that be?! (Okay, so that last one isnt a fact just yet, but Nadia has plans to make it one.) But then a new kid shows up and teases Nadia about her Egyptian heritage. Its totally unexpected, and totally throws her off her game. And something else happens that Nadia cant explain: Her amulet starts glowing! She soon discovers that the hippo is holding a helpful -- and hilarious -- secret. Can she use it to confront the new kid and win the contest? From The Daily Show comedian Bassem Youssef and author Catherine Daly comes a humorous and heartfelt story about prejudice, friendship, empathy, and courage. Includes sections of black-and-white comics as well as lively black-and-white illustrations throughout. Book Synopsis Inspired by the authors real life experiences, this rollicking, charming novel follows sixth grade Egyptian immigrant Nadia as she navigates the ups and downs of friendships, racism, and some magic, too! Nadia loves fun facts. Here are a few about her: - She collects bobbleheads -- she has 77 so far. - She moved from Egypt to America when she was six years old. - The hippo amulet she wears is ancient... as in its literally from ancient Egypt. - Shes going to win the contest to design a new exhibit at the local museum. Because how cool would that be?! (Okay, so that last one isnt a fact just yet, but Nadia has plans to make it one.) But then a new kid shows up and teases Nadia about her Egyptian heritage. Its totally unexpected, and totally throws her off her game. And something else happens that Nadia cant explain: Her amulet starts glowing ! She soon discovers that the hippo is holding a hilarious -- and helpful -- secret. Can she use it to confront the new kid and win the contest? From political satirist and comedian Bassem Youssef, aka The Jon Stewart of the Arab World, and author Catherine R. Daly comes a humorous and heartfelt story about prejudice, friendship, empathy, and courage. Includes sections of black-and-white comics as well as lively black-and-white illustrations throughout. Review Quotes Praise for The Magical Reality of Nadia : In this heartfelt tale, Youseff and Daly strike a solid balance between magical worldbuilding, witty humor, and a unifying anti-xenophobic theme. - Publishers Weekly Readers will cheer for Nadia as she responds to prejudice and affirms her identity. - Kirkus Reviews Youssef based the novel on his daughters experience moving to the U.S. from Egypt, and the labor of love comes through, sweet and silly. The bullying on display isnt the threatening kind; the new kid is popular and often terrifically funny, but his hurtful humor cuts down those around him. Nadia isnt perfect, but she handles the hurdles with grace, making this a poignant ode to the American ideals of blended culture and community. - Booklist Humorous black-and-white illustrations, including some comic pages, draw in even the nonbookworms. - Parents Magazine This lighthearted read bubbles with jokes, magic, comics, and the ever-persistent issues of friendship and personal identity. And yet, the cheerful tone belies deep messages of acceptance and understanding that are brought beautifully to life. Whimsically packaged into a relatable tale, the message to celebrate diversity and identity comes through loud and clear in this must-buy. -School Library Journal, starred review About the Author Bassem Youssef, a.k.a. the Jon Stewart of the Arab World, was a heart surgeon in his home country of Egypt before becoming the host of AlBernameg , the first political satire show in the Middle East. He has appeared on The Daily Show , The Late Show with Stephen Colbert , and other late-night shows, and was also featured in TIME 100, Time magazines list of the 100 most influential people in the world. He lives in Los Angeles with his family. Douglas Holgate is the illustrator of Somethings Amiss at the Zoo by Jen Breach. He is also the illustrator of The Last Kids on Earth series by Max Brallier and Wires and Nerve, Volume One by Marissa Meyer. Douglas lives in Melbourne, Australia, with his family. Visit him online at skullduggery.com.au. A former editor at Disney, Harper, and Scholastic, Catherine Daly has written many books for young readers, including the Petal Pushers middle-grade series, the Disney Fairies chapter book Prilla and the Butterfly Lie , and popular paperback titles such as Whiskers, Knights, All Aboard Cars , and Daddy and Me . She lives in New York City with her family.