An engaging fantasy inspired by a classic tale that’s guaranteed to leave readers eager for more.

Egyptian American Sahara comes to value her dual cultural heritage when her first trip to her parents’ homeland reveals a magical family history. 

Going to Cairo to attend her maternal uncle’s wedding was never on 12-year-old Sahara Rashad’s summer agenda. Since the death of her mother when Sahara was a newborn, she’s had no contact with that side of the family and is unsure how she will be received. Despite her worries, she becomes fast friends with her cousin Naima and feels genuine love from all her relatives, except for her uncle’s fiancee, Magda. Sahara and Naima suspect Magda has sinister intentions that the adults don’t take seriously. Meanwhile, the story of 13-year-old Morgana, a servant of Ali Baba in 10th-century Baghdad, unfolds in an alternate storyline. As the novel progresses, the connection between the two girls takes shape, revealing a centuries-old family secret in danger from malicious outside forces. Sahara’s contemplation of her identity and her search for self-acceptance provide an entertaining and relatable backdrop to her encounters with magical elements. Details of Islamic practices and life in Egypt are peppered throughout the novel, flowing naturally as Sahara asks questions about things she doesn’t understand. Lewers cleverly builds on the folktale of Ali Baba and Morgana to construct a magical origin story with a rich sense of place and an original twist that can be expanded upon in future volumes. An engaging fantasy inspired by a classic tale that’s guaranteed to leave readers eager for more.(Fantasy. 8-12)

Release Date: Feb. 20, 2024

ISBN: 9780593619308

Page Count: 352

Publisher: Putnam