Insyirah moves from Sydney to live with her nenek (grandmother) in Malaysia. Although she is nervous about such a big change, Insyirah quickly finds friends at her new school. Over delicious canteen food, her new pals share stories of strange things that have been happening on campus. Nenek has always told tales of jinn, and now Insyirah is in Malaysia, she learns her family may be more connected to the unseen realms than she had ever imagined! Plus, as she says, ‘My steady diet of Nenek’s jinn stories, fantasy novels and Studio Ghibli movies makes me a sucker for real-life paranormal mysteries.’

Food takes a starring role in this book; there are generous, mouthwatering descriptions of Malaysian cuisine. Readers who enjoyed Remy Lai’s outstanding graphic novel Ghost Book will really love this book.

This is an exciting and inclusive contemporary tale that explores Malaysian culture, faith and family in a unique way. It’s great to read a cool debut with a courageous and compassionate main character, and with a story so rich in detail. Recommended for ages 10+.