Kid Review: Zara’s Rules for Finding Hidden Treasure (2) by Hena Khan

Zara and her new friend Naomi, who moved into the neighborhood in Zara’s Rules for Record Breaking Fun have ridden their bikes to the park, and while they are playing, someone steals Zara’s brand new bike. Because she forgot to lock it up (she never locked up her old bike, but then no one wanted to steal it), her parents decide that she’s going to have to earn the money to buy the replacement. She and Naomi rule out a lemonade stand, but when Zara’s mother discovers that Zara’s grandmother and grandfather have let their basement fill up with lots of junk, Zara has the idea to do a rolling garage sale in her neighborhood. Unfortunately, she mixes up the boxes her mother says she can sell, and dips into “keepsakes” along with “knick knacks”. Naomi tries to get Zara to clean out her room as well, but as Zara reflects on why she is keeping things she no longer uses, she understands why her grandmother doesn’t want to get rid of things. This becomes clear to Zara’s mother as well when she realizes that Zara has sold some of her treasured possessions. The grandparents are celebrating their 40th anniversary, and after attending Naomi’s brother Michael’s bar mitzvah, Zara gets some good ideas for the party and works with her friends to use some of the pictures she finds in the basement to put together some keepsakes. Her grandmother does clean out her basement and has a garage sale, which gives Zara just enough money to get a gently used bike as a charity shop run by her mosque.