Kareem Between

 Amazon.com: Kareem Between: 9780593699263: Safadi, Shifa Saltagi: Books

Bibliography

Safadi, Shifa Saltagi. 2024. KAREEM BETWEEN. Minneapolis, MN: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers: ISBN 9781665905158

Plot Summary

Kareem Between follows twelve-year-old Kareem Haddad, a Syrian American boy who often feels stuck between two parts of himself, his Muslim family’s traditions and the American culture he’s surrounded by. Written in free verse, the story shares his experiences with friendship, faith, and identity as he learns to navigate school, family, and stereotypes. Throughout the book, he begins to find peace and confidence in being Syrian-American.

Critical Analysis

Shifa Saltagi Safadi’s writing feels heartfelt and genuine. Through short, powerful poems, she lets her readers see into Kareem’s thoughts. All of his doubts, humor, and moments of courage. The free verse style fits perfectly, like reading pages from his journal. It allows the readers time to reflect on the emotions as they are happening without feeling heavy.

What stands out the most is how the feeling of being caught “in between” for Kareem. Being in between two languages, two worlds, and two versions of yourself. From explaining Ramadan to classmates or hearing hurtful comments about Muslims are written in a way that’s honest but approachable for young readers. It does not shy away from real issues but still feels hopeful. 

The story also weaves in family, faith, and culture beautifully. She shows how Kareem’s connection to his family and religion gives him strength. It balances humor, heart, and reflection in a way that makes it easy for students.

Review Excerpts

Starred Review from Booklist: “Kareem’s voice effectively expresses the lived experiences of many children of immigrants in a post-2016 world”

Starred Review from Kirkus: “The author uses line breaks, concrete poetry, and changes in the alignment of the text to powerfully and evocatively convey conflict between senses of identity and self and to accentuate the story’s action.

Connections

Kareem Between would be a great book to share during lessons on poetry in verse, or truly just identity and culture. It opens up conversations about what it means to belong and how we all carry different pieces of the world within us. Students can write their own “In-Between” poems after reading this also. They can discuss the feeling being caught between places, friends, homes, or even ideas. 

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