Can you be best friends when you're both so different? Alina has always dreamed of having a sibling, an instant BFF, and with her cousin Safi arriving from Kenya for the summer, her dream can finally come true!

Alina creates a list of things to do with Safi, but nothing goes as planned when she finds it hard to connect with her cousin. Safi is not who Alina expected her to be. She wears her culture proudly and acts in ways that make her stand out—and Alina hates standing out!

What will happen to the summer Alina had planned? And will she and Safi ever become BFFs? The sequel to the award-nominated Alina in a Pinch! (From Second Story Press)

Alina in the Deep is for ages 6-8

Shenaaz G. Nanji is a writer who has published over 12 books for children. Her previous books include Alina in a Pinch, which was a finalist for the Silver Birch Express Award 2023 and Child of Dandelions, which was a finalist for the 2008 Governor General's Literary Award, Young People's Literature — Text. Nanji was born in Kenya and now lives in Calgary.