Omar Rising

Omar Rising

Aisha Saeed

Nancy Paulsen/Penguin, 2022

212 pages

Grades 5-8

Realistic Fiction

Omar becomes the hero of his small village when he receives a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school: Ghalib Academy. He is very poor with limited opportunities, so this education could change the course of his small family. Omar is particularly excited about the activities and sports offered by the school and looks forward to making new friends. A surprise awaits Omar and the other scholarship students: They have to do chores to earn their keep at the school, an A+ average is required to stay, and they are not allowed to participate in any of the offered activities their first year. It is impossible! Omar is already behind, having an inferior early elementary education, and even studying day and night he cannot manage the unrealistic grade requirement. To make matters worse, the stern headmaster is his English teacher and seems out to get him. Do Omar and his friends have any course to beat the system and stay in the school? Does anyone else seem to care about this injustice? Omar learns to find his confidence and his voice and to fight for himself in this contemporary novel set in Pakistan.

A companion to Saeed's award winning Amal Unbound, the author turns her attention to Amal's friend, young Omar. Omar is smart, determined, and a hard worker. He must find his way through the discrimination facing the lower classes in order to get the education most of his classmates take for granted. Though it is set in Pakistan, many American students of different races and socio-economic backgrounds may relate to the struggles and prejudices he experiences. Omar is a likable character and readers will applaud his struggles and victories. American students may come to appreciate the free education that we tend to take for granted, though there are still more opportunities in better funded districts and private schools. A great choice for schools and book discussion, the plot is fairly linear and straight forward with topics to discuss. The chapters are short and the book reads quickly, making it a good choice for reluctant readers. Students will see a culture beyond their own, all while connecting to some of the conflicts Omar faces.

They Both Die at the End

They Both Die at the End
Adam Silvera
Quill Tree/HarperCollins, 2017
384 pages
Grades 9-Up
Science Fiction

Alternating points of view tell the story of two teenage boys, Mateo and Rufus, who bond during their last day on this planet in the New York City of the near-future. They both get a call from Deathcast, a company whose job it is to inform folks that they will die that day, a little after midnight. Mateo's sole parent is in a coma in the hospital and he is afraid to leave his apartment. He reaches out on an app called "Last Friend" to possibly find someone to connect with. Meanwhile, when Rufus gets the Deathcast call he is beating up the boyfriend of his ex. Running from the cops, Rufus is separated from his friends and turns to Last Friend to avoid being alone on his final day. The boys meet and then spend the day wandering around New York, doing the things that they feel they need to take care of, saying goodbye to important places, and having fresh experiences. Throughout the long and life-changing day they make a true connection and develop feelings for each other. Have they both finally found love now that they are expected to die? Can they beat the system?

This is a book that I thought I read, but somehow missed. It came back on my radar while hearing about the upcoming prequel (The First to Die at the End) due out for release this October. It is having a day at my library right now, whether from excitement over the new title or word-of-mouth from teens who enjoy sad love stories, I'm not sure. This book is what I call a "concept book". It has such a great premise that it is an easy sell. I call it "science fiction", but the closer term would be "speculative fiction" since it's a gentle scientific advance and set in our contemporary culture. This story begs to be used for book discussion and teens will wonder how they would spend their last days and if they would want to know in advance their day of demise. I love that both of the characters are Latino, are written very distinctly and that the book is set in New York City (my favorite place :) I also love that there are some bonus characters with points of view who are defined at the beginning of the chapter as to whether they will be living or dyeing that day. They present some side stories that have relevance to the overall plot. My negative is that the story tended to get a bit "talky" for my taste and I had to roll my eyes at the falling in love in less than twenty-four hours. This could be because I am not the target audience. Teens will be all-in, hang on every emotion, and find their own hearts breaking. Though the middle dragged for me, the ending was great and a huge pay-off. All in all, I enjoyed the book and can see why it is a huge hit with teens.

Wait Till Helen Comes

Wait Till Helen Comes

Mary Downing Hahn

Meredith Laxton, Illustrator

Clarion, September, 2022

160 pages

Grades 3-6

Graphic Horror

Molly Moves to the country for a fresh start with artist mother, fellow-artist stepfather, brother Michael and younger step-sister, Heather. Since Heather's mother passed away, she has never been quite right and she resents Heather and her family, to the point to lying to her father out of jealousy. When Heather starts hanging out in the neighboring graveyard, Molly is concerned. Heather appears to be talking to a ghost named Helen, who is buried in the graveyard and has Heather's same initials and is the same exact age. As the summer drags on Molly must babysit for Heather while the parents create art and Michael disappears on nature collecting missions. This task becomes increasingly difficult as Heather keeps giving Molly the slip and landing in dangerous situations. Heather seems to have befriended the ghost of Helen and spends time hanging out and talking with her new friend. Heather becomes even more resentful of Molly and warns her to "Wait till Helen comes". How can Molly keep Heather safe, find others to believe that there is really a ghost, and get to the bottom of the secret behind Helen?

I remember this ghost story from the 80's (though I read it as a young librarian in the early 90's) and it scared the pants off me even as a grown-up. Possessed/ghost children are super-scary to me, as I expect they are to young readers. Following the success of the conversion of Took (involving a creepy doll-also very scary) to the graphic format this past spring, a new title is now receiving the graphic treatment. Horror is continuing to trend and the Queen of Scream, Mary Downing Hahn, is having another day. This is the perfect time to present her creepy tales to a new audience. I found this graphic version close to the original, as I remember it. The story is plot-heavy and lends itself well to the graphic format. The illustrations are dark and atmospheric, enhancing the mood of the story. It felt a little dated in that there were, blessedly, no electronics and that the parents completely left the kids to their own devices. I felt sorry for Molly, having complete responsibility for Heather with no adult support. That said-that's the point of the story. Molly is stuck tackling Helen on her own and finds allies where she can. The kid's independence is what makes the story work and readers will love to watch take charge through the scary situation from the comforts of their own couches. A deliciously spine-tingling edition to the graphic novel shelves.

The Fort

The Fort

Gordon Korman

Scholastic, 2022

256 pages

Grades 4-8

Realistic Fiction

Five different narrators tell the story of a group of friends who discover a long-forgotten underground bomb shelter belonging to a decreased millionaire. The shelter contains now obsolete, yet still working, audio and video equipment, still edible canned food, electricity secretly wired from the public library, a combustible toilet, and, best of all, sterling silver flatware worth a fortune. The boys can't believe their luck! They swear each other to secrecy and start hanging out, watching movies and enjoying snacks (and ancient canned food) purchased from the funds trickling in as they slowly sell off the silverware. All of the boys have their own burdens, problems, and secrets, which slowly are revealed as the book moves forward. A shared problem involves harassment by the town bully, who is determined to discover the source of their new-found funds. As the story reaches a climax, the personal problems come to a head and are resolved in a satisfying conclusion, leaving the small group better, though less rich, than before.

I think I have written about Gordon Korman's books more than any other author. I keep saying I'm not going to read his next book--and then it comes out and it sounds so interesting that I pick it up--and end up loving it! He writes what kids enjoy reading (not what an adult thinks they SHOULD read) and really knows his target audience. This story is no exception. Even though we are presented with five narrators they all have separate voices and are easily discernible. Every child longs for a space of their own and a little control over their lives, so this idea of a secret and well stocked underground fort sounds like a dream come true. These boys are all facing some real-world problems, which the author helps the characters to work out. Some of the adults in the story are flawed, but most are supportive and eventually all the characters find security and a stable family life. There is humor, suspense, twist and turns and character growth throughout the pages in this fast-reading novel and--best of all--no pictures. Readers will want to explore their own neighborhood woods to see if they can find such a fort or maybe be inspired to make a hideout of their own.