Tue. Nov 5th, 2024

Hey Everyone!

Here’s another book review, but it’s a little different. It is about two books, two powerful stories by the very talented Pakistani-American author, Aisha Saeed. In the fourth grade, I read her book, Amal Unbound. I instantly liked it, especially the protagonist, because she was so much like me. This book took inspiration from Malala Yousafzai. I was so happy when I found out because she has been one of the role models since childhood.  In January 2022, I found out she had a new book, Omar Rising, coming out. I was so excited that I ordered it right away. I just finished reading this newly published book. Here is my quick review of the two books.

Amal Unbound: Amal is a twelve-year-old Pakistani girl, who loves school, and is known as the teacher’s pet. She is the oldest daughter in the family, which means she has lots of responsibilities like looking after her troublesome sisters. After her mother gave birth to their 5th daughter, she suffered postpartum depression and regretted not having a son. Things turn worse after Amal accidentally bumps the landlord’s son, and things turn out strangely. Soon she is forced to work as a servant for the landlord’s family. Her story is a huge adventure filled with mystery and pretty heart-melting at times. What will happen to Amal? Will her life ever be normal again? Read this book to find out.

Omar Rising: In this new book, we meet Amal again. Omar is the Pakistani preteen son of a servant who can’t wait to go to an elite school with a scholarship. He looks forward to joining the soccer team and doing many other things he never got to do. However, when Omar goes to school, things don’t seem right. He faces inequality and injustice as a scholarship student. The scholarship students have to do chores, aren’t able to join clubs, and even get kicked out if they don’t maintain “perfect” grades. Omar had looked forward to going to that school, and he never wanted to let his family and villagers down as a scholarship student. What happens to Omar? Is the school even worth it? What are the challenges for Omar? Will he rise to achieve his dream? Read this book to find out. 

My favorite things about these two books are the simple language, the powerful and courageous characters, and the author’s techniques. The book was much more exciting because she is so descriptive about the smallest events. I learned a lot about life in Pakistan, mostly the class system. In my opinion, it played a huge role in both books due to Amal and Omar’s background. The books also cover the impacts of poverty. Amal and Omar will inspire many children to stand up for the right things. 

I highly recommend these books to grades four and up! Enjoy reading these wonderful books!