Saving Sunshine

This graphic novel follows Pakistani American twins Zara and Zeeshan Aziz, who are constantly bickering until their parents force them to spend a tech-free family trip to Florida together as punishment. When the siblings discover a sick loggerhead turtle they name Sunshine, they must work as a team to nurse it back to health, slowly learning to appreciate each other's differences along the way. The story features a Muslim American family and weaves in flashbacks revealing Zara's decision to start wearing a hijab and the racism and Islamophobia both siblings have faced, including Zeeshan quitting an after-school club due to bullying. Themes of sibling relationships, cultural and religious identity, standing up to prejudice, and environmental stewardship of sea turtles are explored with humor and emotional depth.