Accidental Trouble Magnet

November 18, 2019
Originally released in the U.K. as The Muslims, Mian’s middle grade debut features some stock elements: after his family moves, Omar fears he won’t make friends at his new school and that his teacher will be a space alien, is vexed that he’s targeted by bully Daniel, and gets frustrated that his teenage sister has become a “snitch.” In Omar’s daily life and close-knit Muslim family, religion plays a focal role. His narrative incidentally relays—with readers and with his new friend, Charlie—the prayers his family says daily; fasting, feasting, and other rituals of Ramadan; and his scientist mother’s commitment to wearing hijab. Mian also credibly integrates Omar’s hurtful experiences with prejudice, as when Daniel tells the boy that “the worst thing about you” is “You’re Muslim.... You better go back to your country before we kick you all out” (Daniel adjusts his attitude and Omar learns the genesis of Daniel’s bitterness). Yet the dominant tone of wildly imaginative Omar’s free-association narrative, laced with expressive hand lettering and Mafaridik’s playfully exaggerated line art, remains chipper and uplifting. Ages 8–12.

January 1, 2020
Omar, a British Pakistani boy, and his family have just moved to a new home in London, where he will be starting at a new school. Omar worries about a lot of things, especially "walking into a brand-new classroom with everyone watching and a teacher who might or might not be an alien zombie." He has a little brother and an older sister, and his mom and dad are both scientists. (Published in the U.K. in 2019, the text has been Americanized for the U.S. edition.) Omar has a huge imagination that helps him get through difficult situations, envisioning, for instance, "a better way to get to school...on a SUPER-Awesome, Magnificent DRAGON." Mafaridik creatively embellishes the text with sketches and a variety of display types. At his new school, Omar makes friends with Charlie but also meets Daniel, a bully. (Both boys present white.) Omar does not tell his mom because he does not want her to worry, instead using humor and creativity to escape Daniel's cruelty. Mian seamlessly weaves Islamic values and teachings through Omar's chatty narration. At prayer in the mosque, "we went into Rukhu. That's when your hands are on your knees....Then we went into Sujood." These descriptions and definitions are consistent and brief throughout, moving with the flow of the story. While the story's tone is light, anti-Muslim sentiment is acknowledged and integrated into the narrative. Readers will be excited to see where Omar's imagination will take him next. (Fiction. 8-12)

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February 1, 2020

Gr 3-6-When Omar's family moves to a new house, that means the 10-year-old must start the year at a new school. Omar is nervous because he thinks he will stand out as the new kid and because he is Muslim. Luckily for Omar, he has a great teacher and makes a new friend, Charlie, right away. But Omar and Charlie become the target of a bully, Daniel, who seems to dislike Omar for no other reason than he is Muslim. Daniel even goes as far as saying that all Muslims will be kicked out of the country. When Omar and Daniel are thrown together into a scary situation, the boys learn more about each other and realize that maybe they don't have to be enemies. Told from Omar's point of view, the playful text is bolstered with illustrations throughout that show off his creativity and imagination. VERDICT A great #OwnVoices story for children to learn more about connection and empathy.-Jayna Ramsey, Douglas County Libraries in Parker, CO

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from November 15, 2019
Grades 3-5 *Starred Review* In their #OwnVoices debut, Mian and Mafaridik create a relatable and hilarious story for the elementary-school set. Omar is the middle child of a British Muslim family, and he's feeling anxious about his first day at a new school. Thankfully, he gets seated beside a nice kid named Charlie (instafriend!), but Daniel, the class bully, has his mean eyes on Omar. Outside of school, Omar's family is observing Ramadan, and Omar takes his first crack at fasting, mostly to score bonus points with Allah, which hopefully will get him a prize like a Ferrari! Exploding with personality and imagination, Omar is an easy character to love. His explanations of Muslim faith and culture, such as when and how to pray, his favorite foods to eat (even when they're smelly to cook), and how it's hilarious that non-Muslim people sometimes think his mom never takes off her head scarf, flow naturally through the story. What emerges is the picture of a somewhat harried family that is smart (Omar's parents are scientists) and kind. Doodle illustrations adorn every page, in perfect sync with the story's humorous and dramatic moments. Racist assumptions held by an elderly neighbor and Daniel are excellently handled and evaporate once these characters actually get to know Omar and his family, reinforcing the idea that difference can be a lovely thing.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)