Mishka (ages 8 and up) is the name of a snowy white, powder puff of a dwarf rabbit, chosen by Roya, an Afghani girl, as her family’s first ever pet. It isn’t clear if Mishka understands what is said to him by each of the family members – Roya, her three brothers, Hamayun, Bashir and Navid, and her Papa and Mama – but Mishka’s likes, dislikes and habits soon become obvious. No to carrots, yes to lettuce and celery. No to tricks, yes to ear massages. No to being picked up, yes to being allowed to freely hop around and to nap on human bellies. Yes to peeing in the bathroom in his hutch, and yes also to peeing on human bellies and beds when he gets a little too cozy! Little by little, Mishka draws out the unspoken story of Roya’s family journey from Afghanistan to the Netherlands, allowing the fragments of joy, sorrow and memory to piece together in an emotional, yet tenderly satisfying story. Perfect for younger middle graders as an introduction to the challenging lives and difficult experiences of refugee families, seeking new homes in foreign lands, and for lovers of adventurous bunny rabbits. Based on the real life experiences of Anoush Elman, Mishka is co-authored by Elman and Edward van de Vendel, gorgeously illustrated by Annet Schaap, and translated by Nancy Forest-Flier.