Oni Press has announced a middle grade Arabic OGN hitting shelves next year for English readers, and today, The Beat has all the details. Yalla! is written in Arabic, but in such a way that English readers can discern meaning from the story through its art and brief vocabulary lessons in each of its four short stories.
Written by Ameen D.B. and illustrated by Ismael Hernández, Yalla! follows Pada, a young girl who recently immigrated to a different country with her parents and little brother. Learning a new language and adapting to an entirely new place are time consuming enough, but Pada has another obligation most kids never have to face: fighting monsters.
Here’s the full synopsis:
Welcome to Yalla!, the story of Pada, who recently immigrated to a strange new place with her parents and little brother. Join Pada on her epic adventures, all while learning a new language, making friends, and fighting… monsters?!
Pada feels out of place in her unfamiliar home, surrounded by people and places she doesn’t understand. She tries to make the best of her new home but trials await at every turn. When she encounters a monstrous bird, a hungry troll, a no-face fisherman, and (most fearsome of all) a three-hundred-foot mythical lizard monster, Pada will have to do everything she can to protect those around her and make it home safely.
Told in four parts, Yalla! is an Arabic graphic novel for English readers. While the book is not in English—fear not! By joining along with Pada, readers will encounter a new place and language, all while learning a new Arabic word or phrase in each chapter.
Check out interior and cover art below.
“Ahlan wa sahlan and welcome everyone to the magical world of Yalla!—a graphic novel for early readers that teaches literacy and empathy in new ways,” said D.B. “Across four stories, we experience a strange new world like an immigrant, like 10 year-old Pada… all without the help of any subtitles!
“But don’t be scared—through context clues, we arrive at understanding alongside Pada and her gang of friends. So strap on your boots, tighten your swimsuits, and come with Pada as we explore her new home together. Yalla!” D.B. continued.
“Yalla! is a love letter for childhood inside us, despite living in a harsh adult world,” said artist Hernández. “And it’s also about hope for the power of kind words… even if you don’t understand them at first!”
Editor Grace Scheipeter added, “Ameen and Ismael’s story of compassion, adventure, and literacy is the story we all need. Perfect for all readers—reluctant, advanced, and ESL readers—join Pada and friends in a book that is equal parts adventurous, empathetic, and educational… all while learning a little bit of a new language along the way!”
Yalla! will be available wherever books are sold on June 9, 2027.
