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Omar Rising Hardcover – February 1, 2022
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In this compelling companion to New York Times bestseller Amal Unbound, Amal's friend Omar must contend with being treated like a second-class citizen when he gets a scholarship to an elite boarding school.
Omar knows his scholarship to Ghalib Academy Boarding School is a game changer, providing him—the son of a servant—with an opportunity to improve his station in life. He can't wait to experience all the school has to offer, especially science club and hopefully the soccer team; but when he arrives, his hopes are dashed. First-year scholarship students aren't allowed to join clubs or teams—and not only that, they have to earn their keep doing menial chores. At first Omar is dejected—but then he gets angry when he learns something even worse—the school deliberately "weeds out" kids like him by requiring them to get significantly higher grades than kids who can pay tuition, making it nearly impossible for scholarship students to graduate. It's a good thing that in his favorite class, he’s learned the importance of being stubbornly optimistic. So with the help of his tightknit new group of friends—and with the threat of expulsion looming over him—he sets out to do what seems impossible: change a rigged system.
- Reading age10 - 14 years
- Print length224 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade level5 - 9
- Lexile measureHL540L
- Dimensions5.75 x 0.76 x 8.5 inches
- PublisherNancy Paulsen Books
- Publication dateFebruary 1, 2022
- ISBN-100593108582
- ISBN-13978-0593108581
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Amal Unbound | Omar Rising | Written in the Stars | |
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Customer Reviews |
4.6 out of 5 stars
1,507
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4.6 out of 5 stars
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4.5 out of 5 stars
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Price | $6.99$6.99 | $10.29$10.29 | $11.64$11.64 |
More from Aisha Saeed | A New York Times Bestseller! Amal has big dreams of being a teacher, until a nightmarish encounter with her village's ruling family has her facing her biggest setbacks yet . . . | In this compelling companion to New York Times bestseller Amal Unbound, Amal's friend Omar must contend with being treated like a second-class citizen when he gets a scholarship to an elite boarding school. | When Naila breaks her parent’s “no dating” rule by falling in love with Saif, her parents rush her to Pakistan to quickly marry her to a husband they’ve found. Her only hope of escape is Saif… if he can find her before it’s too late. |
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Review
★ "Saeed thoughtfully portrays the power dynamics and income inequality present at Ghalib while also highlighting the strong bonds Omar creates with his fellow scholarship winners. The cooperation and organization the boys demonstrate while figuring out how to advocate for themselves also serve as inspiring models for readers. A powerful tale about a preteen pushing back against systemic injustice." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★ "Saeed has successfully created multi-layered characters who are rich in their culture, their drive to succeed, and their family values. A richly woven tale with characters all will root for; readers will be outraged at life’s unfairness, and cheer for Omar’s success. A stellar novel which may open eyes to the inequities many young people face in their lives." —School Library Journal, starred review
"An uplifting story about an underdog whose work ethic and 'stubbornly optimistic' outlook drive him to make real change for himself and others while gaining the confidence that no matter what other challenges life brings, he 'will be okay.'” —Horn Book
"Will he be kept down, or will he fight the system? Fight, of course! Saeed has woven an illuminating and inspiring companion to the popular Amal Unbound (2018), giving readers a wonderfully detailed look at life in Pakistan. Readers will root for Omar and his friends, deflate when they are detoured, and rise with their successes. An excellent story of perseverance that resonates long after the last page." —Booklist
“Irresistibly appealing and genuinely inspiring—a story that helps us to see the world more clearly, and to see ourselves as powerful enough to change it.” —Rebecca Stead, author of Newbery Award Winner When You Reach Me
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
A gust of wind blows through the field as my friends and I wrap up our soccer game. It rustles through the neat rows of sugarcane growing behind us and sweeps over the orange trees in the distance.
“That does it!” Fuad shouts. He kicks the soccer ball toward me. “I’m never playing with either of you again. I mean it this time.”
“Don’t be such a sore loser,” Zaki responds. “It was a fun game.”
“Only because you and Omar cheated,” Fuad says, pointing at me.
I tilt my head. “Why is it whenever you win, it’s a hard-earned victory, but if anyone else does, they’re cheating?”
“Admit it,” Zaki says. “Omar’s last goal was epic.”
“Fine,” Fuad says grudgingly. “It wasn’t that bad.”
“I’ll take it.” I grin. Coming from Fuad, halfhearted praise is basically a standing ovation.
The soccer ball rolls until it settles next to my foot. As I kick it up to prop it under my arm, a wave of sadness washes over me. Fuad always vows never to play with us again, but this really is the last time I’ll be kicking the ball with him. There have been so many lasts lately. My last walk to the market yesterday. My last time feeding the chickens this morning. And tonight will be my last night sleeping in my own bed.
Tomorrow, everything will change. Tomorrow, I head to boarding school: the Ghalib Academy for Boys. Which means very soon my home, my village, and scrimmage games like these will no longer be part of my ordinary, everyday life.
It’s not that I don’t want to go. I filled out the forms myself. Asked my teacher for a recommendation. Sorted vegetables at the produce stand and cut sugarcane in the fields to save up for the application fee.
When I got the call, my mother’s eyes lit up like a thousand stars. She hugged me so tight I thought she’d never let go. The son of a servant getting a scholarship to a place like Ghalib? It opened up my world in ways I could only begin to imagine. Now better things are actually within reach, like college and a job that earns enough money to buy a home for my mother and me. A real home, with bedrooms and sofas and rugs, not a one-room space where we’ve strung up curtains that we pretend are walls. Ghalib is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rewrite my destiny.
“Isn’t that Amal?” Zaki asks. He points toward the gravel road that slices through our village.
Following his gaze, I brighten. Fuad and Zaki are good friends, but Amal is like family. My mother works for her parents, and we live on their property, behind their house. Born three days apart, we’ve never known life without each other.
“Your mother asked me to find you,” Amal says when she approaches with two of her younger sisters in tow. “She said it was important.”
“Time for your partyyy!” Amal’s three-year-old sister sings out.
“Safa!” Amal grimaces.
“But don’t say anything,” says four-year-old Rabia, placing a finger solemnly on her lips. “It’s a surprise!”
“It’s okay.” I laugh, looking at Amal’s stricken expression. “Auntie Fozia asked me for a list of my favorite sweets the other day. And Fuad let it slip when we started playing.”
“No one can keep a secret except me, huh?” Amal exclaims.
“Nope. Never.” I shake my head.
“Everyone’s just excited for you,” says Zaki.
“Tell me about it.” Fuad rolls his eyes. “My dad won’t stop going on and on. ‘Why can’t you be more like Omar? You need to apply yourself.’ If I didn’t like you so much, I’d probably hate you.”
“I just got lucky.” I flush.
“There’s no lucky about it,” Amal says. “You earned it fair and square. Tomorrow will be amazing.”
“Tomorrow?” Zaki repeats. “But school doesn’t start till next week.”
“Ghalib starts a week earlier,” I remind him.
“So today really was the last soccer game?” Fuad’s expression falls.
“It’s not like I’m moving to Jupiter,” I say. “I’ll be back. Winter break. Summer—”
“Yeah,” Fuad interrupts. “But it won’t be . . .” His voice trails off.
But I know what he was going to say. And he’s right. It won’t be the same. Not even close.
“So, are you ready for the partyyy?” Amal teases as the six of us walk down the road toward her home.
“I tried all the sweets,” Safa says.
“The laddu was my favorite!” Rabia chimes in.
“Thanks for the taste-testing,” I tell them.
When we reach the front door, Amal looks at me. “Pretend to be surprised, okay? Please? Everyone’s so excited.”
“I’ll do my very best,” I promise.
But it isn’t hard to look surprised. As soon as Amal opens the door, my jaw drops. Her home is packed! Neighbors fill the main room and spill into the courtyard outside. Fairy lights are strung along the windows.
“There’s the man of the hour!” Auntie Fozia sings out. She stands beside a table covered with trays and trays of sweets.
Everyone claps and cheers.
“Wow.” I blink. “Thank you!”
“Great work, Omar.” Amal’s mother ruffles my hair.
“Always knew you could do it,” says another neighbor.
“That’s right.” Auntie Fozia nods. “Not every day someone from our village heads off to one of the most prestigious schools in Pakistan.”
“More like not ever,” her daughter Hafsa chimes in. “You’re the first to get into a school like that, but you won’t be the last!” The crowd laughs.
“Oh.” I shift. “I don’t—”
“It’s true.” Amal’s father, Uncle Imtiaz, smiles. “You carry all of our pride with you, Omar. Carry it well.”
Looking at everyone’s beaming faces, I’m filled with a warm glow. I thank my neighbors, then grab a plate and fill it with carroty gajrela, yellow laddus, and sticky-sweet jalebis. So many desserts I can’t fit them all on my plate—I’ll have to come back for seconds, maybe thirds! My friends and I settle at the edge of the open-air courtyard as Banu and Shamu, the two farm kittens, beeline straight for me. Shamu sidles up to me and purrs. Banu sniffs the sweets on my plate.
“Sorry,” I say. They know I’m usually reliable for sneaking them leftovers. “Pretty sure cats can’t have jalebis.”
Fuad picks up a round laddu. “All right. Who can catch this in their mouth?”
“What do I get if I do?” Zaki counters.
“Ultimate respect?” I suggest.
Fuad leans back and torpedoes the sweet at Zaki. It bounces against his nose before landing in his lap. We burst out laughing.
I glance at Amal refilling trays. The kittens at my feet. These people. This place. It’s all I’ve ever known. Soon, it will become a memory.
I know I’m leaving to make a new life—a better one—but I hate how beginnings have to be tied to endings. That in order to start the next part of my journey, I’ll have to leave all I know behind.
Chapter 2
“What a nice party,” my mother says the next day. She sits on a stool by our partly opened front door, mending an old sweater. “You did a good job pretending to be surprised.”
“Wait!” My eyes widen. “How’d you know I knew?”
“Nothing stays secret in this village.” She chuckles. “Least of all a party. Although I never let it slip, and you and I live together!”
I glance at my mother. This is the part I’ve tried not to think about. It’s been the two of us as long as I can remember. My father died soon after I was born. Once I leave, she’ll be alone.
Amal pokes her head around the door. “All packed?”
“I think so,” I tell her. “But I keep feeling like I’m forgetting something.”
“It’s okay if you do. My dad can always drop it off. The school isn’t that far away.”
“It’s far enough.”
“Only twenty kilometers,” my mother chimes in.
“May as well be two hundred. It’s too far to get home much. I won’t be back until winter break.”
“Probably for the best,” my mother says. “You’re there to focus on your studies. Not everyone gets this kind of opportunity.”
“People are desperate to get in,” Amal adds. “I’m thinking of applying to the girls’ school next fall. Hafsa’s working on her application now.”
“Iqra?” I look at her. “That’s great! Of course you should!”
“I’m only thinking about it,” Amal says quickly. “There’s a lot that needs to happen first, like seeing if I even get in and figuring out how we’d pay for it. It’s expensive.”
“Well, I think living inside a school would be the ultimate dream for you.”
“Very funny, Omar.”
“Who’s joking?” I grin. “And don’t get me wrong, I’m excited about Ghalib . . . I am.”
“You should be! And if you need us, we’ll be only a phone call away,” Amal says.
My stomach unclenches a little. This is true. Amal always knows the exact right thing to say to help me feel better.
“I’ll call every day,” I promise.
“Uh, every day?” She laughs. “I don’t think so. Between school, soccer, chess club, and whatever, you’re not going to have time to think of us, much less call.”
“Mr. Adeel said at orientation that the astronomy club is exploring exoplanets this year. I’m definitely joining that.”
“And soccer, for sure,” Amal says.
“Don’t know if I’ll make the cut. They won the regional championship last year.”
“But you’re so good!” Amal says. “How about archery? And robotics. I’d sign up for those if I were you.”
“Maybe all of the above?” I grin.
“Now, wait a second,” my mother interrupts. “You two sound like Safa in a candy shop.”
“It’s just exciting to have so many choices! But you know what I’m most jealous about?” Amal asks.
“Hmmm, I wonder. The library, maybe?”
“Don’t joke! You’re so lucky, Omar. I hear Ghalib’s library is enormous. Let’s pick a title and do a book club when you’re back for winter break.”
“Amal—”
“I’ll even let you pick a book on outer space or science fiction.”
“Amal, listen. I think our book-club days are over for a while,” I tell her. “I doubt I’ll have time to read for fun. Classes are supposed to be really hard.”
“You can try. If I could find time to read while catching up on an entire semester of school, you can squeeze a book or two in.”
I bite my lip. She’s right about that. Amal went through a terrible time this past year and had to drop out of school. Life only recently returned to normal for her, and she had to work so hard to catch up. The last person who needs to hear any complaints from me is her.
“Oh! I almost forgot.” I reach into my pocket and pull out a necklace. It’s a thin loop with a sparrow pendant. I saved up to buy it for Amal last month, but Safa immediately broke the clasp.
“You fixed it!” Amal exclaims.
“It wasn’t too hard. Your father lent me pliers, and I bent the broken bit back in place. The tough part will be making sure Safa doesn’t get her hands on it again.”
She looks down at the sparrow and then at me. Her expression grows clouded.
“I’m going to miss you,” she says.
“I’ll miss you, too.” I swallow.
“What’s with the long faces?” my mother asks. She stands and drapes an arm around each of us. “This is a new adventure. It’s what all of us have been hoping for.”
There’s a knock on our door. And then—
“Omar?” Uncle Imtiaz peeks in. “I’m ready when you are.”
I pick up my suitcase and step into the yard. The hot August sun beats against my skin. This same sun will be there to warm me at Ghalib, too.
Uncle’s motorcycle idles in the distance. My mother pulls me to her and hugs me. When we part, tears fill her eyes.
“I’m proud of you, Omar,” she says. “I can’t wait to see all you will do.”
“For us,” I tell her.
“For us.”
Product details
- Publisher : Nancy Paulsen Books (February 1, 2022)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 224 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0593108582
- ISBN-13 : 978-0593108581
- Reading age : 10 - 14 years
- Lexile measure : HL540L
- Grade level : 5 - 9
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.75 x 0.76 x 8.5 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #771,926 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #183 in Children's Middle East Books
- #652 in Children's Books on Prejudice & Racism
- #3,809 in Children's School Issues
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Aisha Saeed (aishasaeed.com) is a Pakistani American writer, teacher, and attorney. Her writings have appeared in publications including The Orlando Sentinel, Muslim Girl magazine, and BlogHer. As one of the founding members of the much talked about We Need Diverse Books Campaign, she is helping to change the conversation about diversity in literature. She is also a contributing author to the highly acclaimed Love, InshAllah: The Secret Love Lives of American Muslim Women, which features the story of her own (happily) arranged marriage. Aisha lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and sons.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2023My daughter loved reading it !!
- Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2022I listened to the audiobook and I highly recommend it as the narrator is top-notch. The story is just as excellent. Omar Rising is inspiring, hopeful, and powerful. It touches on topics like inequality, justice, and class disparities in a way that can open up important conversations with young readers of all backgrounds. I rooted so hard for Omar and his friends. This book is a must-have in schools, classrooms, and personal libraries.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2023I read the original Amal Unbound with my students this year. As an end-of-year activity, they chose our final novel and, since they had loved Amal’s story so much, selected Omar Rising as our last read. While they still enjoyed the book overall, the decreased intensity of the plot, the weaker themes, and the differences in author’s word choice (more common figurative language incorporated) left me somewhat disappointed.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2022Saeed can tell a story like no other. Her characters become your best friends.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2022What worked:
The book deals with important social issues of inequality, prejudice, and injustice. Initially, Omar is unaware he’s a victim of these problems and is thankful for the opportunities offered with his scholarship to a prestigious, private school. He continues to have dreams of becoming an astronomer but they’re challenged when he learns that he needs to complete community service each week and he can’t participate in extracurricular activities. He knows he’s from a poor family but he doesn’t feel poor until he’s called a charity case by a rich, enabled classmate.
The author delves into Omar’s thoughts and feelings allowing readers to experience his frustrations and fragile morale. He has high hopes for the school and understands it will be more difficult than his previous education. He experiences joy and success on the soccer field and in math class so he’s especially upset when he learns he can’t be part of the school team. Readers will fully understand the unfairness of the school when Omar’s effort and commitment are questioned while he’s already putting in extra time studying and working in the kitchen. Hopes for remaining in the school dwindle as the plot moves along.
Omar has a supportive group of friends, some with scholarships and some without. They come from different family backgrounds with different levels of wealth but they still treat each other as comrades. The scholarship students are burdened with extra expectations so they realize they may need to share their individual talents in order to survive their classes. Omar is constantly told that he needs to allow time to relax but he feels like he needs to spend all of his time studying. He doesn’t want to cause his family stress and he doesn’t want to let the school know about his troubles. He eventually confides in his best friend from home and she provides him with valuable advice that begins to produce optimism.
What didn’t work as well:
I’m not sure if a boy struggling to succeed in school will fully engage young readers but the story is so much more than that. Yes, much of the plot involves Oliver’s struggles with English class and meeting the school’s requirements but the true story is about an underdog battling to defeat injustice.
The Final Verdict:
The story will resonate with lovers of underdog stories and the author saves a couple of surprises for the second half of the book. Injustice always creates emotional responses within readers so their engagement should be guaranteed. I recommend you give this book a shot.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2023Omar Rising is a book that many people will identify with. It deals with inequality, social class, pressure, civil disobedience, and overcoming disappointment. Omar earns a scholarship to Ghalib Academy, a prestigious boarding school. It's a rare opportunity to change his and his family's future. Coming from a low-income family and growing up without a father, the odds have been stacked against him for years. All his family and friends are happy for him, but he carries the weight of responsibility for himself and others in his village who want him to succeed.
Omar and the other scholarship kids discover the deck is stacked against them. He has been excited about learning new things, playing sports, and joining clubs that stimulate his interests. Instead, he finds a school that makes it nearly impossible for the scholarship kids to succeed. The rules are different for them. Not only can they not join clubs and sports for the first year, but their educational demands cause them to spend most waking hours in class or studying. Unlike the non-scholarship students, they must also do menial labor tasks during the week. Omar and his friends learn that the system often weeds out the scholarship kids. He makes several friends, including the children who come from money. Most of his teachers are great, except for his demanding English teacher. Even hard work and perseverance may not be enough against an unequal educational system.
Aisha Saeed is an excellent writer. Omar Rising has well-developed and memorable characters who are easy to root for. As a retired educator, I recommend this book for upper elementary students in the 5th and 6th grades.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2023Amazing book. We will be using g it as a book study . Students were very interested in the book. I got the audible to save my voice and it has been great.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2022Had to get for my 8 year old for a summer reading list. Didn’t love the book. Felt the topics were very adult and my kid doesn’t understand the things mentioned like scholarships and rising up
Top reviews from other countries
- Miss F. MukulReviewed in the United Kingdom on October 24, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Really good
Easy read very enjoyable
- anbessaReviewed in France on May 31, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book
This story is fantastic I couldnt stop reading after I started... And even cryied out of stress then out of joy.. 🥰