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maureen_fox's review against another edition
3.0
Good series for those kids who need larger font size and shorter books, but still want something good.
msghani's review against another edition
5.0
Zayd just wants to follow his dream and play basketball for the gold team, but his parents want him to play the violin.
I LOVED this story. For a short book, there's enough going on that rounds out Zayd's character as well as his school and family life. It's a great setup for what's to come in the next installment. I have a 9-year-old brother who loves sports (football, but with the same level of enthusiasm as Zayd's passion for basketball) and I bought this series for him. I couldn't resist reading them first. Glad I did! It's not often we get to see a brown Muslim boy taking the spotlight in his own story.
I LOVED this story. For a short book, there's enough going on that rounds out Zayd's character as well as his school and family life. It's a great setup for what's to come in the next installment. I have a 9-year-old brother who loves sports (football, but with the same level of enthusiasm as Zayd's passion for basketball) and I bought this series for him. I couldn't resist reading them first. Glad I did! It's not often we get to see a brown Muslim boy taking the spotlight in his own story.
suzannedix's review against another edition
5.0
I have got to start book talking this series! The kids will love it! It’s just the right mix of laughs, heart and sports.
A quick read that even the most reluctant will enjoy. Grades 4 and up.
A quick read that even the most reluctant will enjoy. Grades 4 and up.
abigailbat's review against another edition
A great contemporary sports story, perfect for elementary basketball fans. Zayd dreams of being an NBA superstar, but his commitment to playing violin in the orchestra is getting in the way of his practice time and he's a small kid. Can he make his dreams come true? Can he do it without getting himself in huge trouble for ditching violin? This series starter is a sure bet for readers of Jake Maddox or early chapter book sports series like MVP, etc.
panda_incognito's review against another edition
3.0
This chapter book is a quick, fun read for children who are interested in sports. The main character, Zayd, is a Muslim from a Pakistani family, and in this first book, he deals with his mother's pressure for him to study the violin, which conflicts with his interest in basketball. He learns important life lessons in the story, and has entertaining interactions with his immediate and extended family.
This book is easy to read, with lots of illustrations, and the dialogue is snappy and engaging. The book incorporates Zayd's culture and family background in a natural way, bringing his life experiences into the story without becoming didactic or dragging down the plot. The author incorporates Islamic phrases and Pakistani foods without over-explaining them to other audiences, and the book reads as a seamless whole.
This first book in a series will definitely appeal to children who share Zayd's culture or religion, but the story has general appeal because of its engaging narrator, emphasis on relatable family dynamics, and fast-paced, well-written sports elements. Some kids will also relate to Zayd's anxiety, and his frustration with family member's comments and teasing about how skinny he is. I completely related to this from my childhood, and it was very authentic. Early on, he mentions that his mother had to alter his basketball pants so that they could fit, because even though they had a drawstring, the drawstring didn't function, and just hung there being useless. YES. So relatable.
Even though overly skinny kids don't have to deal with the kinds of prejudice and barriers that overweight kids usually do, body-shaming comments, insecurities, and frustrations with clothes are still an issue, and are rarely seen as significant because the person's body type is socially accepted. I'm interested to see how the author handles the subplot about body image issues throughout the rest of the series.
This book is easy to read, with lots of illustrations, and the dialogue is snappy and engaging. The book incorporates Zayd's culture and family background in a natural way, bringing his life experiences into the story without becoming didactic or dragging down the plot. The author incorporates Islamic phrases and Pakistani foods without over-explaining them to other audiences, and the book reads as a seamless whole.
This first book in a series will definitely appeal to children who share Zayd's culture or religion, but the story has general appeal because of its engaging narrator, emphasis on relatable family dynamics, and fast-paced, well-written sports elements. Some kids will also relate to Zayd's anxiety, and his frustration with family member's comments and teasing about how skinny he is. I completely related to this from my childhood, and it was very authentic. Early on, he mentions that his mother had to alter his basketball pants so that they could fit, because even though they had a drawstring, the drawstring didn't function, and just hung there being useless. YES. So relatable.
Even though overly skinny kids don't have to deal with the kinds of prejudice and barriers that overweight kids usually do, body-shaming comments, insecurities, and frustrations with clothes are still an issue, and are rarely seen as significant because the person's body type is socially accepted. I'm interested to see how the author handles the subplot about body image issues throughout the rest of the series.
smallgourd's review
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jess_reads's review
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
jennybeastie's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty straightforward basketball kid story. Main theme, being true to yourself and not lying. In the background an uncle thinking about a semi-arranged marriage and traditional Pakistani foods and games, casual mentions of Islam -- I love that this is a story that is clearly set in an immigrant family (at some point they were immigrants) but it isn't about that at all. It's about a kid who loves basketball, who missteps and has to make it up, and who has some underlying anxiety/food issues. Fast paced, easy to fall into.
backonthealex's review against another edition
4.0
There is nothing like the comfort that comes from knowing that the character you have just met in a book will be back in subsequent books. One of our favorite series is the Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream trilogy by Hena Khan. These three chapter books are wonderful sports stories that are ideal for kids ready to move on from easy readers to longer, more complex stories, or even for reluctant early middle school readers. They are clearly written, narrated in the first person by the protagonist, the issues are age appropriate, and they are diverse. Yes, the Pakistani American Saleems - Baba, Mama, older sister Zara, Naano (grandmother), Nana Abu (grandfather), and Jamal Mamoo (uncle) - are a Muslim family, but this is also a basketball story. The Saleem's culture and religion are a big part of Zayd's family life, and readers are given a nice window into what that is like, but most of the conflicts and challenges he faces are the kind that any kid might be confronted with at that age, both within the family and in the outside world.
In Book 1, readers meet Zayd. He's a fourth grader who loves basketball way more than he loves playing the violin in the school orchestra. And all he really wants is a chance to tryout again for the winning gold team and play his favorite game with his best friend Adam. So when Adam encourages him to skip orchestra practice and practice basketball in the gym instead, Zayd is all for it...until his mother finds out and he is grounded from anything basketball related for two weeks. And that includes the gold team tryouts. Zayd learns an important lesson in this book, but it's not the one you might think it should be. It's even better. There's also a nice story line about Zayd's favorite uncle beginning to think about marriage, an event Zayd has no interest in, but it does present a dilemma for him. If Jamal Mamoo gets married, he'll probably be too busy to hang out, shoot baskets or play basketball video games with Zayd. How can Zayd find the courage to let his family know how he really feels about playing the violin, playing basketball, and possible abandonment by Jamal Mamoo?
I loved this trilogy and was sorry to say goodbye to Zayd and his family. Khan did a great job of seamlessly weaving in so many details about Zayd's life as a member of a Muslim family, while also showing that other aspects of their lives are similar to all families. I especially like how Zayd's budding maturity over the three books was depicted by his ability to incorporate the lessons he learned about good sportsmanship into his life off the court.
In Book 1, readers meet Zayd. He's a fourth grader who loves basketball way more than he loves playing the violin in the school orchestra. And all he really wants is a chance to tryout again for the winning gold team and play his favorite game with his best friend Adam. So when Adam encourages him to skip orchestra practice and practice basketball in the gym instead, Zayd is all for it...until his mother finds out and he is grounded from anything basketball related for two weeks. And that includes the gold team tryouts. Zayd learns an important lesson in this book, but it's not the one you might think it should be. It's even better. There's also a nice story line about Zayd's favorite uncle beginning to think about marriage, an event Zayd has no interest in, but it does present a dilemma for him. If Jamal Mamoo gets married, he'll probably be too busy to hang out, shoot baskets or play basketball video games with Zayd. How can Zayd find the courage to let his family know how he really feels about playing the violin, playing basketball, and possible abandonment by Jamal Mamoo?
I loved this trilogy and was sorry to say goodbye to Zayd and his family. Khan did a great job of seamlessly weaving in so many details about Zayd's life as a member of a Muslim family, while also showing that other aspects of their lives are similar to all families. I especially like how Zayd's budding maturity over the three books was depicted by his ability to incorporate the lessons he learned about good sportsmanship into his life off the court.