Farah Rocks Fifth Grade

Farah Rocks #1

by Susan Muaddi Darraj, Ruaida Mannaa (Illustrator)

Farah and her best friend, Allie Liu, are getting excited to turn in their applications to the Magnet Academy, where they both hope to attend sixth grade. But when new girl Dana Denver shows up, Farah's world is turned upside down. As Dana starts bullying Farah's little brother, Samir, Farah begins to second-guess her choice to leave him behind at Harbortown Elementary/Middle School. Determined to handle it on her own, Farah comes up with a plan--a plan that involves lying to those closest to her. Will her lies catch up with her, or can Farah find a way to defeat the bully and rock fifth grade?

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Family, Contemporary, Childrens, Fiction, Friendship

144 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Susan Muaddi Darraj won the 2016 American Book Award for her novel-in-stories, A Curious Land: Stories from Home.

Her new novel, Behind You Is the Sea (Harper Collins, 2024) is set in Baltimore and follows the stories of a Palestinian American immigrant community.

Her previous short story collection, The Inheritance of Exile, was honored by the U.S. State Department’s Arabic Book Program.

She was named a 2016 USA Ford Fellow, and she has received awards for her writing from the Maryland State Arts Council and the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance.

Her new children's chapter book series, FARAH ROCKS, was published from Capstone Books in January 2020. It is the first children's book series to feature an Arab American protagonist.

A Philadelphia native, she currently lives in Baltimore. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @SusanDarraj.

Reviews

[Shaye Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy Hummus!! This was a great middle grade story centering around bullying and (lack of) communication with adults. Farah Hajjar (which is Arabic for rocks) is a brilliant 5th grader, very hopeful to be accepted to a local magnet school with her best friend, Allie. However, she’s also fiercely protective of her little brother, Samir. So when the new bus bully begins poking fun at both her and Samir, Farah decides to overhaul her life plans to make sure she’ll be at the same school next year — close to her brother so that he can be safe. This was one of those stories I kept thinking, “Just go tell your parents. Tell a teacher. Go to the office and tell one of the administrators!!” But no. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always work out the way you hoped. Sometimes kids sometimes have to learn about communication the hard way. And as we witness in Farah Rocks Fifth Grade, sometimes the adults have to learn the same lesson about communication. With a positive, feel-good ending, this story will pull at the heartstrings. I was very pleased to know there’s a book #2 coming out. I can’t wait to see what happens next! Oh, and don’t miss the back pages where you’ll find Farah’s hummus recipe. I love hummus, so I just HAD to try it out. I like mine a little stronger in taste, so I added a large helping of garlic to mine. But this simple and mild recipe would be a fun way to introduce hummus to young readers who’ve not tried it, yet. NOTE: My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!

[Lona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Farah Rocks Fifth Grade is a fantastic read!

Farah is a resilient and thoughtful girl whose story of courage will be an inspiration to all readers. I look forward to the release of the next book in this series. This beautifully illustrated book is a must-have for all middle-grade classroom libraries!

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Capstone Pub for an electronic ARC via Netgalley.

What a refreshing chapter book debut! Farah Rocks Fifth Grade is a much-needed representation of a Palestinian-American protagonist in early readers. This heartfelt story is chock-full of family, friendship, culture, a realistic depiction of financial insecurity, and the repercussions of bullying. I would highly recommend it.

Read my full review on my blog.

[~just one hopeless romantic~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

DUDEEE! This book was like a Social Studies lesson in 3rd grade! I loved this book 📖 because their was a lot of drama and bullying so it’s technically your own Dork Diaries book except it’s called Farah Rocks Fifth Grade! Anyways I cannot believe that in my entire life I have never ever once read this book! This book 📖 had some ups and downs, lying, some new Arabic words that I never new existed, and lastly friendship. But I have one question 🙋‍♀️ so I know this book isn’t real but… TEACHERS GET A GRIP BULLYING IS A BIG DEAL!!!!! Okay I just had to put that out their. Anyways y’all should read this book or read something close to that cause this book is great! (Also author of this book if your reading this review please write me back cause I totally 💯 100 percent think you should write more of this series thanks so much see ya!) 🦄😁🦄😀😀😀💯💯💯😝😝📚😄😄😄🙂🙂🙂🙃🙃😘🤩🤩🤩🤩😋😋😋💩💩💩💩😷😷😷😷😷😺😺😸😸😽😽😼😼😻😻😹😹💋💋💋💋✍🏻✍🏻✍🏻✍🏻✍🏻🐻🐻🐶🐶🦊🦊🐸🐯🐸🐸🐒🐒🐣🐣🐣🐔🐔🐥🐥🐵🐵🦁🦁🐻🐻🐱🐱🐷🐷🐽🐽🐨🐨🐰🐰🐹🐹🐻‍❄️🐭🐼🐼🙈🐧🦆🐗🐛

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am very fond of this series. I read them out of order but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the series.

This is the story of a Palestinian American girl. Farrah is very realistically portrayed and wins the heart of her readers. Delightful.

Recommended for Gr 3-6 students.

[Eman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story touches on themes kids can relate to: family, friends, bullying, school. Like the family in “Guts,” the Hajjars have money issues. Farrah is well aware of them, but never ashamed. She’s also proud of her family, her culture and faith, and her intelligence. Having seen one of my kids deal with bullying at school, I thought this was a realistic portrayal of how adults respond and why kids are often unwilling to talk about bullying.

[Chiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 maybe rounded up but it was really good!

[Raven Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ages 7-10. Dealing with everyday events, being smart and bullies.

[Shreya Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really fun to read! I cant believe that Farah would lie to Allie! And why would Farrah the straight A student make her grades bad!

[christinac_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Farah Rocks Fifth Grade by Susan Muaddi Darraj is an absolutely wonderful realistic fiction middle grade novel that was perfect from page 1. Our main character, Farah, is a brilliant Palestinian-American little girl – she vividly pictures numbers in her head to solve math problems and she can read chapter books in a day at only 10 years old. Her family’s financial situation isn’t that great so she’s taken it upon herself to care for her little brother who seems to have some sort of developmental disability cause he was born premature.

She studies in a predominantly white populated school and therefore she and her brother suffer quite a bit of bullying. As a strong, independent, goal-oriented little lady she decides that it might be best to lie, forge, and flunk her way to losing her chance at the prestigious Magnet Academy so she can stay and shield her little brother from the bullies. She’s fiercely loyal and incredibly protective and was just a joy to read about.

This was such a cute novel with amazing lessons all throughout the pages. There were conversations on racism, bullying that went beyond physical touch, and different kinds of disabilities kids might have or encounter at that age. The underlying theme of how adults have forgotten what it’s like to be a kid, how they’re quick to talk over children and never really listen, and as a result there’s a loss of trust in authority figures that led this independent little lady to taking matters into her own hands even at the detriment of her own desires and her future.

I loved how kindness and empathy was really highlighted, in spite of all the bad experiences Farah went through. I loved how the book, in a way, could teach middle graders steps on how to work out problems for themselves and think through them. I also loved how the glossary at the back of the book that not only defines Arabic words use in conversation but also expounds on more advanced English words that were used in the book to enhance middle graders’ vocabulary. There even was a lovely hummus recipe that started with a note to ask for help from a grown up to open the can of chickpeas.

This, over all, was a very well-rounded middle grade novel that imparts such valuable life lessons and offers a glimpse into a culture that would be amazing for all kids to read about. This was so full of heart and eagerness, of family and friendship and forgiveness. I highly recommend.

[Shifa Safadi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorited!!
Authored by @susandarraj and published by @capstonepub (I love this publishing company so much!! Every book they publish that I have read has been a winner❤️) Islamic screening: this is not a book about a Muslim family, but it is about an Arab family. They are orthodox Christians and it was so wonderful to see so many similarities in the culture, even the fact that they also say InshaAllah (if God wills/ Allah is the literal Arabic word for God)
I had no concerns in the book, and in fact I absolutely LOVED it! My 8 year old son is also a HUGE fan❤️ Summary: Farah Hajjar is a super smart fifth grader who hopes to transfer to a Magnet school (a school for very advanced learning) for middle school. She has to write an essay and keep up her good grades though. Farah’s family struggles with money, especially since Samir, her KG special-needs brother needs a lot of therapy, but she is a fiercely protective, amazing older sister who feels a giant responsibility to help her family. When a new girl starts picking on Samir, Farah starts to get worried. She starts failing on purpose so as to stick around and take care of her brother. Farah tries to talk about the bullying with some teachers, but is shrugged off. Farah conceals her grades from her parents and forges her dads signature in order not to worry her family. Then, a huge physical fight happens on the bus and Farah’s magnet school attendance really might be in jeopardy. Can Farah stop the bullying and help her brother, and still manage to attend her dream school? Read the book to find out!

So many important issues were brought up: diversity and being proud of your roots, bullying and teasing for being different, special needs care and empathy, adult involvement in sensitive situations (or lack thereof), faith and language, as well as best friendships, family bonds, and lots of love!

[Bookish Trina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Farah Rocks Fifth Grade by Susan Muaddi Darraj was a superb read. It's so appropriate for young readers. My daughter is in 5th grade and she loved it; however, her 3rd-grade sister also liked it. This story teaches why telling the truth is important and that family and friends can help you with any challenges if you just let them. It's right on message with the current climate of the challenges faced by youngsters today.

Synopsis www.amazon.com
Farah and her best friend, Allie Liu, are getting excited to turn in their applications to the Magnet Academy, where they both hope to attend sixth grade. But when new girl Dana Denver shows up, Farah's world is turned upside down. As Dana starts bullying Farah's little brother, Samir, Farah begins to second-guess her choice to leave him behind at Harbortown Elementary/Middle School. Determined to handle it on her own, Farah comes up with a plan--a plan that involves lying to those closest to her. Will her lies catch up with her, or can Farah find a way to defeat the bully and rock fifth grade?

I received an advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest opinion. Opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

[Reem Faruqi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book!

There are quite a few middle grade stories where siblings can't stand each other and I admired the way Susan Muaddi Darraj proudly showed the love of Farah and her younger brother Samir and the lengths she would take to protect him. As a teacher, I also know we can dismiss our students' complaints about being bullied so I especially liked how Susan Muaddi Darraj showed how Farah navigates the tender world between children and adults.

When I told my daughter that Farah was being bullied, she said that Farah should tell someone. I said she did, but the adults didn't believe her. My daughter immediately nodded and said, "That happens." My daughter then read the book and loved it as well!

I also used to live in the Middle East and I think it's important for people to know all Arabs aren't Muslim. Farah is an Arab Christian, and I haven't seen such a character portrayed yet in children's literature world until now!

Farah is feisty, loyal, honest, and stands up for what she believes in. She puts family first. Simply put, Farah Rocks!*

*(if you've read the book, you'll understand the title a little better and I loved how Susan Muaddi Darraj also talked about names and their meanings!)

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved FARAH ROCKS FIFTH GRADE! Farah is an endearing character: she loves her family, takes good care of her little brother, loves to learn, and stands up for what is right. In this story, which I hope is the first of more books about Farah, she is struggling with a bully - the worst kind, because this bully knows how to play innocent with adults. When the new kid on the bus targets Farah’s little brother, and the adults she tries to talk to don’t listen, Farah takes matters into her own hands to protect her brother. Unfortunately, her secret mission begins to go very wrong, and Farah finally must ask for help.
The story is written from Farah’s point of view, giving us full access to her feelings and reactions, and yet as readers we are also able to see some of the things that she can’t yet. I think this would be an excellent book for a class readaloud or book club. At 144 pages, it is accessible to many readers, and I loved that Farah’s ethnicity and faith are part of her story, but not the center of it. The glossary of Arab terms and her father’s struggle with certain English words will build understanding in readers, and the recipe for Farah’s hummus at the end of the book looks delicious- and easy enough to do in a classroom!

[Evonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to see if it’s something my daughter will enjoy reading, and I think over all she will. I personally appreciate that it’s centered on a Palestinian American family and I know my daughter will be excited to see Arabic words and phrases like “holy hummus” in a kid’s chapter book. Overall I appreciate that the book centers on loving family dynamics and values education. As a parent I was frustrated by the main character’s collection of choices to handle a bullying problem single handedly and her choice to intentionally not even try to communicate about the issue with her parents or teacher. However this was resolved in a way that showed the main character that she could and should have communicated with her family and friends, as well as showed that sometimes we need to ask for help. If my daughter reads this book I will make sure we sit down and discuss what went wrong and why she should not make the same mistakes this main character did in the book. Also I would want to make it clear she should feel comfortable talking to parents and teachers if there are students bullying her or anyone she knows.

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Farah Rocks Fifth Grade
by Susan Muaddi Darraj

Capstone

Stone Arch Books

Children’s Fiction , Middle Grade

Pub Date 01 Jan 2020

I am reviewing a copy of Farah Rocks Fifth Grade through Capstone/Stone Arch Books and Netgalley:

Farah and her best friend Allie Liu are getting excited about turning in their applications for the Magnet Academy where they both want to attend sixth grade. After a new girl Dana Denver shows up in school and begins bullying Farrah’s little brother Samir, Farah’s world is turned upside down. Farah begins to question her decision in leaving Harbortown Elementary/Middle School so she begins purposely doing poorly in classes. Determined to handle it on her own, Farah comes up with a plan–a plan that involves lying to those closest to her. Will her lies catch up with her, or can Farah find a way to defeat the bully and rock fifth grade?

This would be a perfect read for eight to twelve year olds a book that shows a strong main character standing up against bullying.

I give Farah rocks the fifth grade five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Farah Hajjar (last name means Rocks in Arabic, hence her nickname/title of series) has dreamed for years of attended a magnet school beginning in the sixth grade and hopes that both she and her best friend Allie are accepted. But when bullying rears its ugly head at the elementary school where she and her developmentally delayed brother currently attend, she comes up with the not so brilliant plan of doing poorly in school on purpose so that she is not accepted. Author Susan M. Darrai uses this setting to entertain readers with a variety of mishaps and middle school problem solving as well as teaching some valuable lessons on handling difficult peers and teachers who do not seem to care that students like her younger brother are being teased and tormented. Farah and Allie are likable characters and this series will find a following among those who enjoy realistic fiction. With its relatively short length, uncomplicated plot, and reading level of 3rd-4th grade, readers in grades 3-5 are likely the target audience.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Middle grade contemporary realistic fiction. Farah is in 5th grade, excited that this is the year she and her best friend can apply to the Magnet School. Farah is a straight-A student who loves science, she even has her own rock collection! But a new girl shows up at school, riding her bus, and she starts bullying Farah's brother Samir. Farah is very protective of Samir because he was born premature and still has some delays, including with his speech. But when Farah tries to talk to two adults and they tune her out, she decides to take matters into her own hands.

This book is a story about family, friendship, and speaking up for yourself. It's also about the need for adults to truly listen when kids try to talk. I appreciated the glimpse into a family that spoke Arabic at home. This book skews to the younger part of middle-grade, I would say it's geared towards the grades 2-5 set.

[Jennybeast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things I really liked -- Farah is an engaging and big-hearted character, who clearly loves her younger brother and wants to look out for him.

She does try to approach adults before taking things into her own hands, but I also like that the message is about trying more than once/ choosing your adults wisely, and about microaggressions. Altogether, a pretty balanced story -- balance in consequences, in compassion, in self-confidence. Love that Farah is invited to come and speak to her teachers afterwards as a group, to point out where things went wrong.

I feel like the bullying girl is a bit too broad strokes. Farah ends up having some sympathy for her (divorce) but she's kind of a throwaway bad guy, who conveniently leaves at the end of the book.

Another cool thing -- Farah refers to herself as an Arab, her family is Arabic speaking, but they attend St. Jude's, an Orthodox church -- I don't think I've seen a character who is of Arab Christian background before.

[Krisha||Bookathon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Farah Rocks fifth grade is a delightful, diverse read which will leave you smiling. It’s the story about Farah Hajjar who is a gifted child and is applying to Magnet School with her best friend for sixth grade.
Amidst all this comes a new girl who is a bully and mistreats Farah’s younger brother Samir as he has certain disabilities. To protect her brother, Farah takes some decisions and things start spiraling and the story follows what she will do especially when no adult around will listen to her.

I loved the story, the characters and I loved Farah’s parents as they were so supportive and understanding and this is a great story for all.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC!

[Joceana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Award: Arab American
Copyright: 2020

I think this book tells a lot of important stories. It shows what it can be like to be the oldest child of immigrant parents, it shows what it can be like to be the oldest child in a family struggling financially, it shows what it can be like to have a younger sibling with a disability, and so much more. I think this book tells an important lesson about bullying, bullying isn't direct, it's not always physical. Bullying can come in a lot of forms, but unfortunately bullying that doesn't have visible physical effects is often given less attention. This book really showcases the importance of speaking out when something is wrong!

[Laila Taji · Rating 5 out of 5]

My girls (age 6 and 8) loved this book. They loved hearing about characters that had similar experiences to those in their lives; a father with an accent, eating Arabic food, saying Arabic words. It is rare to see this in a children's chapter book.

Chapters are perfect lengths for pre-bedtime reading - although the girls enjoyed it so much they would beg me to read longer than the allotted time.

This is an excellent book for Arab children to have a relatable reading experience or for non-Arabs who want to expose their child to a story different than the standard.

[Alisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful! It taught succinctly. Had good pacing and my daughters both loved it. We received signed copies because my sister contacted the author and I am so so grateful! I love exposing my kids all sorts of experiences and cultures and ways of living. Also the idea of sacrifice for gratitude and for the greater good (the stained glass) I just love. Really important to have a space for kids to try out and consider what they would do in situations and what they would choose about how to talk to adults. A great book!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good: Big print but upper elementary middle school plot makes a good choice for ESL students. The names and bits of Arabic are great.
Meh: Another bullying plot with a simple ending. It was fine - just feel like a lot of diversity books are about bullying. Needs covered, but also I've read a lot here.
Bad: A couple characters don't speak standard English and that required a lot of decoding their dialogue. May end up be confusing for ESL.

Overall 3.5 but think this will be a good series as it goes on.

[Amy Holiday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Farrah's the best! Love her spirit, and her family is just great. I love how this story is able to introduce a family history & story that might not be familiar to some readers in a friendly way...and, at the same time, be incredibly relatable to kids whose heritage and family story are familiar. My favorite character is probably Papa (but Samir might be a close second). And the way Farrah looks after him is so sweet, and also relatable (regardless of your family heritage!) Looking forward to more in the series.

[Deana Metzke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great because it deals with 5th grade issues, but I feel like the text could be read by that 5th grader who is not quite reading at grade level. It's all about Farah, who is dealing with a variety of issues with friendships, her family, and the new girl at school, who seems to be a bully.

This book will be released on 1/1/2020, I received a preview copy thanks to Capstone publishing as a member of #bookexcursion.

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say but as I was finishing this book I was hoping there would be a book #2? I like how this book provides an older sibling who loves her brother, has a relatable, diverse set of characters including a brother born too early, addresses bullying, and contains illustrations throughout the book. Two thumbs up for me! I am excited to get this in our school library in order to be able to recommend it!

[Ettak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Farah Hajjar is a fifth grade academically gifted student who is excited about applying to a specialized magnet school with her best friend, Allie, for her middle school years. Her family is made up of her Palestinian-American parents and her sweet little brother, Samir.

When a new kid at school causes issues, Farah's dreams start to unravel.
Excellent MG book about family, friendship, bullying and asking for help.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is worthy of some sort of award. There are many smart kids out there who think they can do it all for their family and feel a great sense of responsibility. The cultural lessons are just the icing on the cake. Non-contact bullying is so prevalent. Adults should investigate all suspicions.

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grown ups always say that they are against bullying, but what happens when they don't believe it is actually occurring. Especially when the bully is sneaky and knows exactly how to hide what she is doing? How can Farah protect herself and her younger brother Samir when nobody believes her. A good read with very realistic issues. Recommended for grades 4 & up.