Landing in Place: A Graphic Novel

By Sherine Hamdy

A poignant coming-of-age graphic novel about an Egyptian American girl's search for identity and belonging in college, her family, and the wider world.

Anisa is following in her sister Reem's footsteps: She's a freshman at her sister's alma mater, she's on the same pre-med track, and she even uses Reem's old textbooks. Even though Anisa would prefer to study art, her parents don't see that as a valid career. The path laid out before her quickly turns bumpy as Anisa struggles to feel like she belongs, whether it's in her organic chemistry class or with the other Muslim students on campus.

When Anisa fails her first semester, she begs her parents to let her take time off and stay in Cairo with family--away from her overbearing mother and in the care of her beloved grandfather. Finally free to have her own experiences, Anisa begins a journey of self-discovery as she questions familial, societal, and religious expectations, discovers how the political is personal, and explores her own artistic voice. When Anisa returns to the United States, she wrestles with what kind of young Muslim woman she wants to be--and finds freedom in charting her own path.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0735229449
• ISBN13: 9780735229440
• Release Date: May 2026
• Publisher: Kokila
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher