sumac (SOO-mak)—
a spice used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking
tuition (too-ISH-uhn)—
money paid to a private school or college for a student to study there
tutor (TOO-tur)—
a teacher who gives private lessons to one student, or a very small group of students, at a time
Glossary of Arabic Words
al ustazah—
professor
Allah yebarek feek—
“May God bless you,” a response to “mabrouk”
bizir—
seeds
dabke—
habibi—
my love (to a boy)
habibti—
my love (to a girl)
hajjar—
rocks
mabrouk—
congratulations; blessings
manaeesh—
small, round bread loaves with different toppings, such as cheese or za'atar (a spice blend)
musakhan—
a dish consisting of chicken grilled with herbs and sumac spice
salaamu alaykum—
tabbouleh—
an Arab salad consisting of cracked wheat, tomatoes, parsley, and other ingredients
teta—
grandma
wa alaykum al salaam—
“May peace also be upon you,” the traditional response to a greeting
About the Author
Susan Muaddi Darraj is an award-winning author of more than ten books, including two short story collections. She is an associate professor of English at Harford Community College in Bel Air, Maryland, and she also teaches creative writing at Johns Hopkins University and Fairfield University. A native Philadelphian, Susan currently lives in Baltimore. She loves books, coffee, and baseball, and she’s mildly obsessed with stationery supplies.
About the Illustrator
Illustrator and graphic designer Ruaida Mannaa completed her undergraduate studies at the Universidad del Norte in her hometown in Colombia. She went on to pursue a Master’s degree in illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design. She grew up in a multicultural family, surrounded by different languages, loud parties, and delicious food, and she finds great inspiration for her art in culture and cultural exchange.
Farah Rocks is published by Stone Arch Books, an imprint of Capstone.
1710 Roe Crest Drive
North Mankato, Minnesota 56003
Text copyright © 2021 by Susan Muaddi Darraj.
Illustrations copyright © 2021 by Capstone.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on the Library of Congress website.
ISBN: 978-1-4965-8340-6 (hardcover)
ISBN: 978-1-4965-8345-1 (eBook PDF)
ISBN: 978-1-5158-8876-5 (ebook)
Summary: It’s summer break, and Farah is eager to attend a geology camp at her new school. But with car trouble and other family expenses, Farah’s parents can’t afford to send her. Taking matters into her own hands, Farah takes various odd jobs, including selling items at a yard sale, mowing neighbors’ lawns, and finally starting her own tutoring business. When Farah discovers that someone is sabotaging her business by taking down her fliers, she’s shocked. Can Farah find the culprit, continue her business success, and earn enough money in time to go to the camp of her dreams?
Designed by Hilary Wacholz