Ali the Great and the Market Mishap

by Saadia Faruqi, Debby Rahmalia (Illustrator)

Overview

Ali Tahir loses something important at the market—his brother! Who’s hungry? Ali, his grandfather, and little brother Fateh head to the South Asian market to stock up on snacks. So much to see! But what Ali can’t see is Fateh.… Where did he go? Will Ali’s quick thinking save the day? Ali the Great, by Yasmin author Saadia Faruqi, is a charming chapter book series about Pakistani American second grader Ali Tahir. Ali’s big ideas will resonate with young readers who believe that every problem has a creative solution—you just have to find it!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781484681138
Publisher:	Capstone
Publication date:	08/01/2023
Series:	Ali the Great
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	668,157
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Saadia Faruqi is a Pakistani American writer, interfaith activist, and cultural sensitivity trainer featured in O, The Oprah Magazine. She is the the author of the Yasmin series and also writes middle grade novels, such as Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero, and other books for children. Saadia is editor-in-chief of Blue Minaret, an online magazine of poetry, short stories, and art. Besides writing books, she also loves reading, binge-watching her favorite shows, and taking naps. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her family.

Debby Rahmalia is an illustrator and storyteller based in Indonesia. She graduated from Bandung Institute of Technology, where she earned a Bachelor of Interior Design degree. After her first baby was born, Debby was encouraged to pursue her dream of becoming an illustrator. She has been illustrating ever since and is looking forward to sharing the books she illustrates with her child. Working mainly with digital pencils, Debby is always looking for great stories to illustrate and opportunities to positively impact young minds.

Interviews

Written by Saadia Faruqi, author of the popular and long-running Yasmin series;

Editorial Reviews

Fans of Faruqi’s popular Yasmin series will be pleased to meet Pakistani American secondgrader Ali Tahir and his family. In this early chapter book, Ali, along with his grandfather and mischief-prone little brother, Fateh, go on a snack run. At the South Asian market, keeping an eye on Fateh is an adventure. Ali’s quick reflexes and creative thinking thwart a spicy-chips display disaster as well as a lost-sib debacle. A preface offers an introductory character guide and an Urdu glossary. Three ultra-readable chapters feature large type font, generous line spacing, and short sentences. Indonesian illustrator Rahmalia’s dynamic cartoon vignettes are full of energy and personality. Back matter includes “Think Big with Ali the Great” discussion questions, some jokes, and a snack lexicon of Dada’s favorite Pakistani tasty treats, like crispy nimko and salty chickpeas. An irresistible series opener that leaves young readers hungry for more.

Booklist - Linda Ludke

★ 09/01/2023

Gr 1–3—Readers meet Ali Tahir, a second-grade Pakistani American boy, in Faruqi's newest early chapter book. First, they can explore the guide to Ali's family members and learn some important Urdu words with pronunciation help. Next, readers follow Ali, his little brother Fateh, and grandfather Dada to the South Asian market on a hunt for snacks. While Dada goes to find the items on his list, Ali is tasked with watching his little brother, and "one thing Fateh was good at was trouble." In their short time at the market, Ali avoids chip-display destruction and finds his escape artist of a brother before his Dada finds out about his (nearly) missing sibling. This supermarket adventure is written with large black text, with plenty of spacing and relatively simple vocabulary for newly independent readers. The joyful cartoon illustrations on nearly every page are simple and not overwhelming. Following the main text is a page of jokes; a description of Pakistani snacks, like crispy nimko and kulfi; and a few discussion questions for readers. VERDICT A strong, charming first purchase for any library.—Kirsten Caldwell

School Library Journal

07/03/2023

Employing the feel of a classic aughts family cartoon, Faruqi (the Mayra Khan series) and Rahmalia (Gracie Brings Back Bubbe’s Smile) collaborate on a freewheeling series starter that emphasizes a child’s creativity and quick thinking. Pakistani American youth Ali Tahir is thrilled when his grandfather, whom he calls Dada, suggests an outing to the local South Asian market to pick up snacks. When Dada and Ali bring along Fateh, Ali’s toddler-age younger brother, Dada asks Ali to help him keep an eye on Fateh—after all, “one thing Fateh was good at was trouble.” Upon their arrival to the market, Fateh—awed by the many colorful and delicious snacks on offer—nearly knocks down an entire display in his haste to grab a bag of chips. Ali successfully circumvents disaster, but when he loses sight of Fateh, Ali draws upon his problem-solving skills to find his brother and prevent further trouble. Rahmalia’s dynamic and brightly colored illustrations portray the myriad emotions Ali experiences during his eventful market adventure. Includes an Urdu glossary, discussion questions, and lists of jokes and cultural snacks. Publishing simultaneously: Ali the Great and the Dinosaur Mistake, Ali the Great and the Eid Party Surprise, and Ali the Great and the Paper Airplane Flop. Ages 5–8. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly