Omar Rising by Aisha Saeed – Book Review

Title: Omar Rising Author: Aisha Saeed Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books Release Date: February 1, 2022

Omar, a son of a servant, has an opportunity of a lifetime. His scholarship to Ghalib Academy Boarding School can provide him with the education, resources, and network to change is place in Pakistani society. When Omar arrives, he quickly learns that his status as a scholarship student prevents him from benefiting from the amazing opportunities Ghalib affords its wealthy, tuition-paying scholars. In fact, Omar and a handful of his scholarship friends learn that they must earn near-impossibly high grades and perform weekly chores just to stay at the school. Once Omar learns the school deliberately weeds out scholarship students, he taps into his unshakeable optimism. His goal is to not only achieve the impossible but also permanently change the system. He aims at nothing less than making sure everyone – regardless of their background – gets the opportunities they deserve.

Omar Rising is a strong and hopeful companion to author Aisha Saeed’s incredible Amal Unbound. Omar’s voice can be loudly heard, providing another insightful and revealing perspective of a young person from Pakistan. While the novel is set in Pakistan, its universal themes of class, friendship, and hope will resonate with readers everywhere. Omar’s drive to effect change amidst a rigged system will also inspire readers and inspire them to contemplate how to overcome any barriers they face. Still, Omar’s lack of knowledge or involvement in the school’s enrollment decision may leave readers with many questions about realizing change, including the conflicts that inevitably arise and the power dynamics that surface when systems are finally challenged. In the end, the novel would have been well served to devote more time on these complexities. It would have made a difference for readers invested in Omar’s future and helped readers grasp a more realistic understanding of the deeply entrenched obstacles that stand in the way of his goals.

Omar Rising is a fantastic novel to spark classroom conversations about access to education, class, society, and the power of positivity. The book offers extensive text-to-world and text-to-self connections. Whether using the novel as a follow-up to Amal’s story or as a standalone unit, Omar Rising gives educators a plethora of ways to examine and critically think about the connection between education, class, and the systems that connect the two.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Nancy Paulsen Books, for an eARC of this book.

Classroom Applications

• Cross-curricular Study – Teach the novel in conjunction with a study of access to education or schooling across the globe.
• Literature Circles – Use novel for small groups or choice reading with a variety of fiction books about educational experiences around the globe.
• Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading #diversevoices.

Nonfiction Connections

The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.

• Global Education
• Access to Education Across the World

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with Omar Rising. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

• Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)
• The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)
• The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)
• A Thousand Questions by Saadia Faruqi (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)

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