I absolutely loved this story. Omar's perseverance and continuing push for equal treatment for all students at his boarding school was inspiring.

This was a very uplifting story and I really loved the premise. Omar's perseverance and want to break free of society's vision for what the child of servant should be is appealing for young readers looking to be extraordinary in their own lives, This was a really hopeful-toned story about growing and working past injustice and sends a great message that working together can be really impactful.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the review copy of Omar Rising by Aisha Saeed. Because Amal Unbound was a favorite the year I read it, I knew I needed to get my hands on Omar's story as soon as it was available. As little as Omar was in Amal's story, he was a likable character, and I couldn't wait to see what Saeed would do with him.

Omar Rising begins shortly after the events of Amal Unbound. It follows Omar to his boarding school as a scholarship kid. Although he had high hopes of being as involved as possible there, his hopes are dashed when he soon discovers that scholarship students are treated very differently than traditional students. Omar must look deep within himself to have the courage to rise above the limitations placed on him.

I absolutely loved this story and the characters. It is a story worth sharing and discussing over and over.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book.

Omar's story is a wonderful one. His effort, work ethic, and quiet determination are worth so much to this story.

This is a worthy companion volume to Saeed's "Amal Unbound." She writes a fun middle grade novel with relatable characters, while raising questions about the privileges of wealth and societal prejudices. While I've not worked in Pakistan, I have seen many of the same dynamics at work in the countries where I've lived. I appreciated the multi-layered portrayals of characters, and the ways we find out the deeper motivations behind the actions of people Omar struggles with. Omar discovers friends and allies along the way, and in the end, they all work together to make a difference. While he ends with a new confidence in himself, I liked how that is firmly rooted in the relationships around him. I look forward to recommending this to middle grade readers and hearing their reactions..

Re-entering the world of Amal in 'Amal Unbound', this companion book about Amal's best friend Omar paints a vivid picture of his life as a scholar at the prestigious Ghalib Academy for Boys. When the first joy of being accepted and reuniting with friends from summer school has settled, the harsh truth of scholarship life descends on Omar and his friends. They have to work extra hard to achieve what turns out to be almost impossible, the approval to stay on beyond the first year. Battling regulations that make it practically impossible for scholarship students to succeed, the boys work together and find that friendship and optimism carry them a long way, but will it be enough for all of them in the end?

I will add this title to our international school elementary library to ensure that my students get a window to other children's lives and struggles to achieve what many take for granted.

I fell in love with Saeed’s previous book, Amal Unbound, so I knew that I would equally love Omar Rising. And I did. Oh, this book. This book is like a warm hug from a loving family, a dose of optimism from unlikely friends and a reminder that hard work and good intentions can change the world. The story follows Omar as he heads off to Ghalib Academy on a scholarship, the hopes of his family and village squarely on his shoulders. But those hopes are dashed when he finds out scholarship students are unable to participate in sports and extracurricular activities, must put in weekly volunteer hours and must maintain an impossible A+ average to stay. Rather than give up, Omar and his stubborn optimism, along with a few new friends, fight back to not only claim his own place at the Academy, but change how it works for good.

A beautiful sequel to Amal Unbound that shares Omar's experience when he gets the opportunity to go to a private school and extend his education. A wonderful 'windows and mirror' book for young readers from developed countries to understand the experiences of a young person in a developing country. Beautiful characters, powerful themes, and wonderful writing make this a must-read for home and school bookshelves.

Omar Rising was a wonderful follow up to Amal Unbound. As Saeed looked at the private school injustices for scholarship students through a student lens. Omar and his friends faced greater hardships to try and stay at a private school simply because they were on scholarship. Fighting back, protesting and learning at the same time, the book was incredible.
This book is a MUST READ!

I LOVED Aisha Saeed's "Amal Unbound," the precursor to this book, so I eagerly awaited this one's publication. Perhaps too eagerly; I found that "Omar Rising" paled somewhat by comparison with "Amal Unbound." Don't get me wrong, this was a great book, and had I read it first, I think I might have judged it less harshly. "Omar Rising" is a relatable story about a boy working hard to do his best against difficult odds and to fight back against an unfair system that is rigged against him. The reader is drawn in quickly and wants to root for Omar. Like all Saeed's books (at least the ones I have read), it is well-written, approachable, full of vivid description, and has multi-dimensional characters. And of course the cover art is gorgeous! It is appropriate for middle-grade readers (I teach grades 4 and 5 and will recommend it to students). I enjoyed it quite a bit. I just don't feel that it has the depth and complexity that made me love "Amal" so much.

From the author of ‘Amal Unbound’ comes ‘Omar Rising’.
A story about education, expectations, hope and resilience.
A story that teaches and celebrates the power of unity and standing firm against injustice.
Twelve-year-old Omar has been accepted in the prestigious Ghalib Academy, his friends and family are overjoyed at this opportunity.
Omar, along with the other scholarship boys, arrive at Ghalib Academy with dreams and a plan to accomplish them. Omar knows a good education is key to a bright and secure future for his widowed mom and himself.
As Omar struggles to handle the workload, he learns about the ‘weed year’ for the scholarship students. Scholarship students must do chores and cannot take part in extracurricular activities.Aisha Saeed brilliantly brings forth the burden born by ‘the scholarship’ students. They know, recognize, appreciate, and understand the power of education.
Burdened by the system's expectations, Omar tries to juggle his dream and hopes.
Readers will appreciate Saeed’s sensitive handling and narration of the emotional and mental burden felt by the scholarship boys.
As the story progresses Omar learns about strength in numbers, how there are many who are willing to stand up in the face of injustice and advocate for others.
He learns about the power of speaking up and being ‘Stubbornly Optimistic.’
Amal makes an appearance and bonds with Omar over books and knowledge.
Omar Rising is a powerful read that will teach children to stand and speak up!
(Omar Rising releases Feb 1st. Thank you to @netgalley for an EARC in exchange for an honest review.)

I really enjoyed this book! I didn't know that it was a companion novel and had not read the first book but this book stood strongly on it's own. My heart broke for him at times but I really loved how his friends would encourage each other and their banter was great. This was a book that really displayed the importance of perseverance and self-advocacy!

4.5 stars.
Young Omar is accepted into a prestigious boys’ boarding school, Ghalib Academy, on scholarship, to the delight of his mother and friends. Omar is thrilled, but also feels the weight of his expectations, and his village’s. As the son of a servant, Omar sees graduating from this school as his first step to a career as an astronomer and the ability to buy a house for his mother.
So he’s full of optimism and ambition when he arrives. His friends from the school’s orientation are there, also scholarship kids, and they’re all excited and eager, and knowing what their acceptance into the school means to their working class and/or poor parents.
What the boys find out soon, and to their disappointment and horror, is that different requirements are put on scholarship kids, such as no extracurricular activities because the boys must do chores, whether in the kitchen, laundry or grounds, and must also maintain A+ averages, all with heavy and difficult homework loads. They learn that every year, several scholarship kids are dismissed from the school, despite high marks and lots of chores performed. As the school has mostly kids from wealthy backgrounds, and the Board wants to keep it that way, it’s not unusual for most kids from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to never make it beyond year one or two.
Omar has to find it within himself to be brave, and to fight for himself, his friends, and for change at the school for scholarship kids.

A terrific book! I loved Aisha Saeed’s story about Amal, in "Amal Unbound", and how Amal had to find the strength within herself to resist a bad situation and find a way to make her life better. Here, Omar finds that hard work alone doesn’t guarantee one’s acceptance, especially when the deck is deliberately stacked against oneself to unfairly support and promote those already with privilege. Aisha’s Omar begins finding the support and strength he needs in his friends, and in the wider community of students, once he begins sharing his situation, and describing the discrimination in the school’s system.

It’s an uplifting story about working together to make a change; the story is hopeful and hopefully empowering for other kids seeing injustice in their lives.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Penguin Young Readers Group for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Omar Rising was incredible! Hope for Omar’s opportunity, indignation for unfair double standards; how will he face his beaming family and friends back home? You’ll feel empowered to take a stand. Gripping, powerful, enriching.

I was gifted a copy of this book from @netgalley and Penguin Group in exchange for an honest review. This book is available February 2022. ⭐⭐⭐  I read this book to my 4th grade class after we finish Amal Unbound.  Personally, I liked Amal better, but I tend to like the first in a series better anyway. (Although this is a standalone, it does have cross over characters from Amal.) My 4th graders, however loved it and some said they liked it better than Amal. Overall, a solid read. I would read neither book by this author.

I received an electronic ARC from PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group through NetGalley.
Powerful message about believing in yourself, asking for help, and finding trust in a community. Omar was accepted at a premier school as a scholarship student. Sadly, the rules governing scholarship students set them apart from the rest of the student body continuing a caste style system. Omar and his new friends accept their status and work hard to meet the requirements. Near the end of the story, readers learn that it is not enough. When Omar shares that he will not be returning, his friends, classmates and some staff make a statement about how unfair the rules are. Then ending offers hope and reaffirms Omar's belief in himself and what the future holds.
Saeed writes with a gentle touch on difficult topics. It's a delight to read Omar's story after he was so much a part of Amal's in Amal Unbound. Sharing this story will create settings for dialogue on social issues and serve to reinforce readers believing in themselves.

Amal Unbound is a favorite that I recommend all the time, so I was so excited to hear that there would be another book.

In Omar Rising, the book focuses on Amal's best friend, Omar. Amal is in it a bit, but only while Omar is at home. Omar was accepted into a private boarding school on scholarship. He can't wait to get there. Omar has plans to join lots of clubs including soccer and astronomy. His roommate was someone he met over the summer. While he misses home, things are going well at first. He plays soccer outside with other kids and they have movie nights. It doesn't take long to find out that scholarship kids aren't treated the same. They aren't allowed to join in clubs. They have to work at the school for 5 hours a week. And worse, they must maintain an A plus average. That's nearly impossible and most scholarship kids are sent home after a year. Omar studies all the time. He stops doing anything fun. Everything is work, just to stay at the school. Omar realizes how unfair this all is and gets the other kids to work together to try to change the school rules.

I really loved this and hope it ends up in the hands of a lot of kids. It really shows how standing up to wrongs can cause change.

I gave this 4 1/2 stars rounded up to 5 on Goodreads.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for my earc.

This middle grades 224 page read is quick and memorable.  The story is set in Pakistan and the characters are probably Muslim, but there is no religion mentioned until nearly the end, and even then only in passing.  The only culture specific references are the characters' names, social etiquettes, and the foods mentioned.  By and large, the story is universal and could take place anywhere, and probably does take place everywhere.  While I wish it would have had more touchstones, it is an OWN voice story after all, the book is enjoyable, the characters endearing, and I think young readers will benefit from spending the school year with Omar.

SYNOPSIS:

Omar is the son of a servant and when he earns a scholarship to a prestiges boy's school for seventh grade, the entire village is bursting with pride.  When he gets there though, it is hard, really hard.  The scholarship kids aren't allowed to participate in any extra curriculars, they have to do service hours, and they have to maintain the ridiculously high A plus grade average or be expelled.  It seems that that headmaster is out to get the scholarship kids, and Omar in particular.  As the scholarship students struggle to stay afloat, Omar has to determine if it is all worth it. He spends all his time studying, even when he goes home to visit his mother, and while he doesn't want to let the village down, he is struggling to find the optimism to keep fighting for his place.  When Omar learns that the system is designed to make the scholarship kids fail, and that those that are kicked out are called "ghost boys," he has to decide to how hard to push himself and ultimately how hard to push to break down the system that treats him and those like him like second class citizens.  Luckily, Omar has some supportive teachers, some loyal friends, and a whole lot of determination.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love that the story is universal, the YA book Ace of Spades explores second class citizens in posh private schools as a theme, and at times I even felt some Dead Poet's Society vibes.  The cultural setting and names however, to me is a mixed bag.  I'm glad that it didn't become another story about problems in another country with judgmental overtones, but at the same time, to be so void of cultural references seemed too far of an extreme in the other direction to make the story feel real richness and authenticity.  I love that the story isn't about bullying and that a number of characters have depth.  I was genuinely confused for a large portion of the book about what the orientation in the summer entailed.  It was clarified much too late that it was a weekend, but I was at a loss trying to figure out how he knew some of the campus, some of the other scholarship kids, had a roommate, yet knew so little of the school and what it would be like.  I am not sure why that information was delayed, but seeing as I read an arc, I hope it is clarified in the final copy.

FLAGS:

Omar and a girl are friends, they hug at the end, but it seems rather innocent, and more sibling like as they were raised together.  

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

This would be a good book on a shelf, and would possibly work as a read aloud to grades four or five.

Omar Rising is a great addition to any middle-grades bookshelf. Omar’s story has all the elements of a good story. The characters are well-rounded and the plot is solid.