Talent Show (Amira Swift, #1)& Fair Day Fun (Amira Swift, #2)

By Sarah Ayoub

Illustrated by Niña Nill

HarperCollins 2026

Reviewed by Mia Macrossan

 

Sarah Ayoub has written the YA novels Hate is Such a Strong Word, The Yearbook Committee and The Cult of Romance as well as the picture books, The Love that Grew, How to be a Friend and Nice and Slow, the last three all reviewed in StoryLinks. Now she has teamed up with Niña Nill to create a new series of junior fiction, about friendship, family and fun, all with a multicultural flavour.

Amira Swift is seven years old who loves learning to dance. In Talent Show (Classroom resources) Amira is excited when her school announces a talent show  and persuades her friends Ellie and Naya to join her in practising for a performance at the show. Amira is so very keen that she becomes rather bossy and pushy, something that threatens the friendship. How can Amira resolve the situation?

In Fair Day Fun (Classroom resources) Amira has a problem! All of her friends are bringing foods that represent their cultures to sell and raise money at the school fair, but as she comes from two cultures, Lebanese and Australian,  she doesn’t know what to take. Both her grandmothers want to share their special family recipes with her. Whatever will Amira do?

What is charming about both these stories is the instantly relatable central character Amira. She is bright and enthusiastic, full of energy and prone to making a few mistakes but quick to admit to them. Carefully written with plenty of illustrations to keep newly independent readers engaged this series will become a popular favourite with its target audience. Both stories are sprinkled with incidents that reference the many cultures now represented in Australian schools, in an easy relaxed way that avoids preaching but is positive and inclusive. There is an underlying serious tone in both stories that will reward those who want to delve a little deeper.

For 6+