Farah Rocks Florida

Farah Rocks Florida tells the story of sixth-grader Farah, whose world is turned upside down when her younger brother requires heart surgery. To ease the burden on her parents, Farah is sent to live with her grandmother, Sitti Fayrouz, in a Florida retirement community. Farah struggles to adapt to her grandmother's rules and the language barrier, feeling isolated as the only child among seniors. However, she soon forms an unlikely and heartwarming friendship with Dr. Fisher, a fellow science enthusiast, who helps her navigate her worries and find her place. This chapter book gently explores themes of family love, anxiety, resilience, and the power of intergenerational connections, making it suitable for children aged 4-11.

Farah's little brother is in the hospital with a heart problem that needs surgery, so her parents send sixth-grader Farah off to stay with her grandmother in a retirement condo in Florida; Sitti Fayrouz does not speak much English, has a lot of rules, and does not understand Farah's interest in geology, so Farah is not happy with the move--but despite being the only child in the community, Farah finds that the people are nice, and despite getting off to a bad start (she accidentally dumped a soda on his lap) she forms a friendship with Dr. Fisher, who shares her interest in science.