Farrah Noorzad and the Ring of Fate (Farrah Noorzad #1)

A tween uncovers a fantastical truth about her heritage in this intriguing and peril-filled series opener by Zargarpur (House of Yesterday). Twelve-year-old Afghan American Farrah Noorzad only gets to see her father, Padar, once a year because he spends most of his time in the U.A.E. for work. Yearning for more of his presence, she makes a birthday wish during their annual rock-climbing excursion. The wish backfires, however, and reveals Padar’s true nature—he is one of the seven jinn kings, and Farrah’s wish causes him to swap places with Idris, a young jinn who was trapped in an enchanted ring. Not only is Padar imprisoned, but if Farrah doesn’t free him, the remaining kings will become trapped as well. Accompanied by Idris, Farrah travels to the realm of the jinn, where she meets her jinn half brother Yaseen, who joins the tweens on their quest to save Padar. Zargarpur highlights Persian mythology and Islamic lore via sharp narration and lively characters to cultivate an epic adventure about family, identity, and self-discovery. Ages 8–12. Agent: Elana Roth Parker, Laura Dail Literary. (July)