Power Forward

March 1, 2018
Fourth-grader Zayd has the passion to make the gold basketball team, but his latest obstacle might make him miss the upcoming tryouts.Zayd has one goal: to improve his basketball skills in time for the tryouts. His small size is not on his side, but his Pakistani-American family is loving and supportive (with the exception of his annoying older sister), and his best friend is encouraging. Zayd also plays violin in the school orchestra, a commitment of time and money that his parents do not take lightly. When Zayd decides that his rehearsal time would be better spent practicing basketball, two weeks of sneaking about are followed by a harsh punishment when he is discovered: He is not allowed to play, watch, read, or talk about basketball for two weeks--which means no tryouts at all. Will Zayd find a way to achieve his dream? Zayd is a sympathetic protagonist, and his story is told with humor and artfully filled with interesting cultural matter, from his grandmother's television shows and his grandfather's games to the family-powered courtship process his uncle goes through. The family dynamics are refreshingly portrayed: Money is a concern; parents are firm though loving; and each generation has a unique perspective. The moral of staying true to yourself and honest with others is easily digested.Readers will cheer for Zayd and look forward to the next volume. (Fiction. 6-11)

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May 1, 2018

Gr 3-6-Fourth grader Zayd Saleem is facing challenges, both on and off the basketball court. He is torn between obeying his parents by taking violin lessons and getting ready for tryouts to be a part of the Gold Team with his best friend Adam. Zayd makes an important decision: if he skips morning violin rehearsals, he can get in twice the practice for the tryouts. After two weeks, he is discovered and in big trouble. He must somehow convince his parents that playing basketball is suitable for a Muslim boy. Bits of jovial humor from characters like Jamal, Zayd's uncle, and Naano, his grandmother, add to the lightheartedness of this straightforward tale. VERDICT A fine purchase, especially where young readers are transitioning from chapter books to longer middle grade sports fiction.-Martha Rico, El Paso ISD, TX

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2018
Grades 1-4 Zayd Saleem plans on being the first Pakistani American player to make it to the NBA. Unfortunately, he has a few roadblocks to overcome. First, he is the shortest kid in his class, which has resulted in being placed on the D team at school, instead of the vaunted Gold Team where his best friends play. Second, his parents expect him to become a master violin player by attending extra practices before school. So Zayd begins skipping violin practice to play basketball. His parents, of course, naturally wise up and are furious enough to ban him from tryouts for Gold Team. Will Zayd be able to make them understand that basketball is his true passion? Khan nicely incorporates many Urdu words into Zayd's narrative (though note that there is not a dictionary to provide translations). Overall, this is a promising series opener featuring a main character with a refreshing perspective, which will appeal to plenty of sports-loving readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)