In this companion to Amal Unbound (rev. 11/18), Omar, son of Amal Khan's house servant, wins a full scholarship to attend seventh grade at Ghalib, "one of the most prestigious schools in Pakistan." There, Omar dreams of joining the soccer team and astronomy club, but he quickly learns that all of the "SBs" (Scholarship Boys) must maintain an A-plus average and cannot join any extracurricular activities their first year. They must instead do chores (grounds maintenance, kitchen work, laundry duty), all tasks that are deliberately intended to remind them of their status. As a result, many SBs lose their scholarships and become "Ghost Boys" who never return to school. Omar, inspired by the work and activism of real-life contemporary Pakistani artist Shehzil Malik (who created the eye-catching jackets for this book and Amal), challenges the system instead of accepting its cruel logic. By speaking up about the unfair conditions and forming a community with other students, he reveals how Ghalib makes it impossible for underprivileged students to succeed. 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, Omar "will be okay." Julie Hakim Azzam January/February 2022 p.121(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 5 Up--When 12-year-old Omar gets accepted into Ghalib Academy for Boys, he knows it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In this companion novel to Saeed's Amal Unbound, Omar's Pakistani village is all rooting for him. Omar's mom works as a servant for Amal's family, and Omar and Amal have been lifelong friends. While Omar is excited for this opportunity, he hates how beginnings are always tied to endings, but he realizes he has to leave behind all he knows to create a better life for himself. When he arrives, Omar's roommate is fellow scholarship student, Kareem. Across the hall, wealthy Aiden arrives with servants in tow, declaring their new school a dump. Omar observes that he and Aiden are at the same school but somehow see it so differently. Initially unbenownst to them, scholarship students face different unspoken criteria. Unofficially, they are in a "weed out" year their first year, and have to get a nearly impossible A+ average to keep their scholarship. Omar works diligently, doing everything possible to stay at Ghalib. As the year progresses and the other students learn of the inequities, the students band together to help. Omar learns many lessons along the way about people not being who he thinks they are, including Aiden and Headmaster Moiz. Saeed has successfully created multi-layered characters who are rich in their culture, their drive to succeed, and their family values. VERDICT 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.--Michele Shaw

A Pakistani boy learns to speak out against inequality and unfairness in this companion novel to the bestselling Amal Unbound (2018). When readers again meet Amal's friend Omar, the soccer-loving seventh grader is about to leave home for the first time to be a boarder at the exclusive Ghalib Academy for Boys. Though he does not know what to expect, he is eager to join the school's astronomy club and play on a sports team. Omar also realizes that attending the school is the best chance for the child of a widowed servant to lift himself and his mother out of poverty. He is startled to discover that he and his fellow scholarship students are treated with disdain by faculty and students alike. In addition to having to do chores around campus, they are prohibited from participating in extracurricular activities and are held to much stricter academic standards than the rest of their peers. 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. (Fiction. 9-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

When Omar gets word that he's a scholarship winner to the prestigious Ghalib Academy, his hopes rise for a future beyond his life as the son of a loving but poor servant. A skilled soccer player, he plans to play on the school team and to join all manner of interesting clubs, but these aspirations are dashed by the school's rules for first-year scholarship students--no sports or clubs, plus loads of daily chores! Omar persists through exhaustion but can't understand his low marks until he learns that scholarship kids are held to impossible standards to weed them out. 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.