Bhai for Now

September 15, 2022
A Parent Trap redux that doesn't disappoint. Ashar plays hockey and lives with his mother. Shaheer likes interior decorating just like his paternal grandfather, something he can't really indulge in because the two of them are constantly moving house with Shaheer's doctor father. Ashar's least favorite subject is science, one that Shaheer is pretty good at. The two boys, long-lost identical twin brothers whose parents divorced when they were babies, finally come face to face at school after a series of comedic errors. Determined to figure out why they were separated and the existence of each kept hidden from the other, the twins come up with a complex swapping system in which Shaheer gets to spend time with his mother and Ashar with his father and grandfather. What follows is a heartwarming story of family, siblings, and belonging. Set in Northern Virginia, the story's outline may be familiar, but what makes it work is the writing: It's lucid, pacy, and gives enough space for all the characters to find their own voices, especially the tweens. There are morsels of Pakistani food, moments of Muslim solidarity, and lots of hopes and aspirations about growing up that come with being eighth graders, all skillfully brought together. A delightful tale of family love and complexity. (Fiction. 8-12)

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October 10, 2022
In a lively Parent Trap–inspired, Northern Virginia–set novel from Siddiqui (Barakah Beats), estranged identical twins come face-to-face at the same middle school. Outgoing Ashar, who grew up with the siblings’ teacher mother, loves ice hockey and hopes to make the NHL; aloof Shaheer, an interior design fan who longs to stay put, moves regularly with the boys’ restless doctor father and paternal grandfather. When the Muslim, Pakistani American eighth graders meet for the first time since their parents’ divorce, which occurred during the twins’ infancy, they scheme to switch places. Soon, Ashar is visiting Washington, D.C., with their father as he tries to understand what, if not proximity, makes a family, and Shaheer is helping to renovate a masjid with their mother, engaging with his interest in design. Alternating third-person chapters follow the boys’ home lives, their elaborate ruse, and their growing desire to continue living near one another, in a quick-moving slice-of-life novel with warm relationships, a focus on community, and nostalgia appeal. Ages 8–12. Agent: Lauren Spieller, Triada US.

December 1, 2022

Gr 3-7-Shaheer has gotten used to keeping to himself and watching Property Brothers on television with his grandfather. He's never had the opportunity to stay in one place for very long as he moves around the country, accommodating his physician father's frequent job changes. Imagine his shock and confusion when, on his first day of eighth grade in a brand-new school, he runs into his doppelg�nger! It turns out that Shaheer and his identical twin, Ashar, were separated when their parents divorced. Ashar lives with their mother, enjoying ice hockey and studying for the entrance exam to a prestigious high school. Neither parent has ever been open about the other, so the twins (with the cooperation of their cousin Zohra) cook up some classic trading-places high jinks. In this reworked Parent Trap, the story is completely driven by the actions and feelings of the kids. The narrative perspective switches back and forth between the twins, witnessing them getting to know their new relatives and confronting the conflicting feelings that come with discovering such a long-held and damaging secret. The parents don't rekindle any romantic attachment and, in fact, demonstrate some harsh, but emotionally honest, vitriol towards each other. Ashar and Shaheer, who is starting to form connections for the first time in his life, must convince their parents that brotherhood, family, and community all matter more than old grievances. Details of both families' Pakistani heritage and Muslim faith are seamlessly integrated into the story. VERDICT An uplifting, culturally inclusive, and lively exploration of family bonds.-Alyssa Annico

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