“Nadia did a slow spin in front of her bedroom mirror.”

From Bassem Youssef and Catherine R. Daly’s The Magical Reality of Nadia.

After returning from her family’s yearly summer in Egypt, Nadia is excited to begin sixth grade. Nadia’s love for her culture—like the hippopotamus amulet necklace she bought in Egypt—is only exceeded by her love for facts. Despite the sorta-funny, sorta-mean new kid Jason, Nadia feels ready to take on anything with her best friend Adam and the rest of their self-proclaimed Nerd Patrol: Sarah, Chloe, and Vikram. Nadia is thrilled to learn that the museum is holding a student competition for the chance to plan a special display, and quickly begins to plan with the other Nerds. However, when her hippo necklace releases a little animated man in her notebook that can talk to her, Nadia questions her sanity. After the animated Titi explains that he was cursed into the amulet for mocking a powerful magician in ancient Egypt, she soon realizes that while it’s impossible, it is really happening. Titi quickly realizes that helping Nadia find seven solutions that she requests could could help him break the curse. With Titi’s help, Nadia guides the Nerd Patrol project theme to influential immigrant in history, but as Jason’s teasing grows meaner, Nadia tries to figure out how to stop his bullying. With each solution Nadia and Titi compete, he gains more powers, but Nadia wonders if her magical new friend will be enough to fix everything before it social’s or of control.

Highlights the struggles of immigrants and beginning new lives, even touching on the sometimes-forgotten struggles of white immigrants throughout history. Youssef and Daly’s quick and easy read that leaves readers with lots to think about. The Magical Reality of Nadia manages to balance story and substance for a magical adventure.