The Arabic Quilt
Picture Book Read Aloud
book summary
Kanzi’s family has just moved to the United States from Egypt. She is nervous on her first day of school and just wants to fit in. Her mom makes her a kofta sandwich, a traditional Egyptian lunch, for her to take to school. Kanzi “forgets” to take the sandwich her mom made because she doesn’t want to eat something different from the other kids. Kanzi’s plan backfires because her mom shows up at school wearing a hijab to bring her the sandwich. After her mom leaves, the teasing from the other kids begins.
That night, Kanzi finds comfort in wrapping herself in a quilt that her grandmother in Cairo had given her. Wrapped in the quilt, Kanzi writes a poem about the quilt that her teacher reads the next day. Her teacher uses the poem to inspire the class to create a quilt of their names in Arabic.
suggested teaching point
On page 16, take a look at how Kanzi is feeling.
Kanzi is very nervous before she unfolds the quilt in front of her class. How does she feel after she shows the quilt to her class? Why do you think she feels that way? What evidence in the text and illustrations supports your answers?
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