Amy Mathers Award Winner
MYRCA Award Nominee
R. Ross Arnett Award Nominee
American Library Association YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers
Red Maple Award Nominee
Red Maple Honour Book
Barnes & Noble's Top 25 Most Anticipated Own Voices Novels
Chapters-Indigo Most Anticipated Teen Books
Junior Library Guild Selection
CCBC Best Pick for Kids & Teens
CCBC Red Leaf Literature
OLA White Pine Teen Committee Summer Reading List
A Guyanese girl must find the balance between her parents' "old world"
expectations and traditions while pursuing her dream of being a great
trumpeter in this contemporary, coming-of-age story.
Nira Ghani has always dreamed of becoming a musician. Her Guyanese
parents, however, have big plans for her to become a scientist or
doctor. Nira's grandmother and her best friend, Emily, are the only
people who seem to truly understand her desire to establish an identity
outside of the one imposed on Nira by her parents. When auditions for
jazz band are announced, Nira realizes it's now or never to convince her
parents that she deserves a chance to pursue her passion.
As if fighting with her parents weren't bad enough, Nira finds herself
navigating a new friendship dynamic when her crush, Noah, and notorious
mean-girl, McKenzie "Mac," take a sudden interest in her and Emily,
inserting themselves into the fold. So, too, does Nira's much cooler
(and very competitive) cousin Farah. Is she trying to wiggle her way
into the new group to get closer to Noah? Is McKenzie trying to steal
Emily's attention away from her? As Farah and Noah grow closer and Emily
begins to pull away, Nira's trusted trumpet "George" remains her
constant, offering her an escape from family and school drama.
But it isn't until Nira takes a step back that she realizes she's not
the only one struggling to find her place in the world. As painful
truths about her family are revealed, Nira learns to accept people for
who they are and to open herself in ways she never thought possible.
A relatable and timely contemporary, coming-of age story, In the Key of
Nira Ghani explores the social and cultural struggles of a teen in an
immigrant household.
