52 pages • 1 hour read
Saadia Faruqi, Laura ShovanA Place at the Table
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2020A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In A Place at the Table, sixth-graders Sara Hameed and Elizabeth Shainmark, children of immigrant families, navigate middle school, facing challenges of cultural identity, friendship, and racial discrimination. Through a shared cooking class, they form an unexpected bond and work together to support their mothers in studying for the US Citizenship test while preparing for an International Festival.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan receives praise for its heartfelt storytelling and authentic representation of cultural diversity. Reviewers highlight its engaging characters and relatable themes of friendship and identity. Criticisms are rare, often noting a few predictable plot points. Overall, it's seen as a valuable and enjoyable read for middle-grade audiences.
Who Should Read A Place at the Table?
Readers who enjoy A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan are typically middle-grade students who appreciate themes of friendship, cultural diversity, and identity. Fans of books like Front Desk by Kelly Yang or Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan will find this novel particularly engaging.