ZARA'S RULES FOR FINDING HIDDEN TREASURE

When one of Zara’s prized possessions goes missing, she realizes she has to get creative in order to replace it.

The second book in Khan’s middle-grade series centering on 10-year-old Zara begins with the lively protagonist realizing that her brand-new bike has been stolen after she forgot to lock it while at the park with her friends. After she breaks the news to her parents, they are disappointed that she didn’t take better care of her bike; now it’s up to her to earn the money for a new one. When attempts at selling painted rocks don’t generate much income, Zara’s uncle suggests she host a garage sale, so she begins collecting unwanted items, carting her wares around in a wagon. But when Zara accidentally sells a box of her mother’s keepsakes, Mama becomes upset, leading the whole plan to unravel. However, the mistake also helps Mama better understand Zara’s grandmother (early on, Mama had encouraged her parents to sort through their clutter, to her own mother’s consternation) and sparks a conversation between Mama and Zara about holding on to treasured belongings. Khan’s loving depiction of Zara and her Pakistani American Muslim family is accompanied by energetic illustrations by Haikal. References to Marie Kondo, Zara’s mother’s worries about her parents, and the way the misunderstanding unfolds also make this fun, quick read feel fresh and realistic.

A tale about a relatable mishap—and our often complex relationships with material possessions.