Marya Khan and the Spectacular Fall Festival (Marya Khan #3)

by Saadia Faruqi, Ani Bushry (Illustrator)

Overview

Perfect for fans of Ivy & Bean and Stella Diaz, Marya Khan and the Spectacular Fall Festival is the third adventure in Saadia Faruqi and Ani Bushry’s illustrated chapter book series about a Pakistani American third-grader whose ambition sometimes gets away from her.

Marya loves fall. Every year, her family goes to the town’s pumpkin patch and picks out the best pumpkin. But this year, after she sees her frenemy Alexa winning a big, cool pumpkin-shaped trophy, Marya knows she’s got to win a trophy for something.

It just so happens that her school is going to hold a fall festival, with games and food and even a hayride. All the ticket sales will go to an animal shelter, and the person who sells the most tickets will win a prize. Cue Operation Sell Tickets! But when Marya is so focused on winning, is she losing sight of what really matters?

Includes a Pumpkin-Based Recipe to Make and Enjoy

Marya Khan series
Marya Khan and the Incredible Henna Party (#1)
Marya Khan and the Fabulous Jasmine Garden (#2)
Marya Khan and the Spectacular Fall Festival (#3)
Marya Khan and the Awesome Adventure Park (#4)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419761218
Publisher:	Amulet Paperbacks
Publication date:	03/05/2024
Series:	Marya Khan
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 7.62(h) x 0.95(d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Saadia Faruqi was born in Pakistan and moved to the United States when she was 22 years old. She writes the Yasmin series and popular middle-grade novels such as Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero. Besides writing books for kids, she also loves reading, binge-watching her favorite shows, and taking naps. She lives in Houston with her family.


Ani Bushry graduated from the University of West England with a background in graphic design and illustration. She grew up listening to stories her mom used to tell her and always wanted to tell her own stories. She lives in the Maldives with her husband and cat, Lilo, whom she loves to spoil.

Editorial Reviews

"Sweet and savory, this enticing early chapter book is a clear winner."

Booklist

"[A] delightful, sweet read. Crisp and vibrant, just like a perfect fall day."

Kirkus

"[A] delightful, sweet read. Crisp and vibrant, just like a perfect fall day."—Kirkus

"Sweet and savory, this enticing early chapter book is a clear winner."—Booklist

From the Publisher

2023-09-23
Marya Khan finds that winning can mean different things.

Marya believes that bigger means better, especially when it comes to pumpkins. The bigger the pumpkin, the more pumpkin curry, cookies, cake, and bread Mama can make! But the family’s trip to the pumpkin patch sours for Marya when she sees her perfectly annoying classmate Alexa R. win the party dress competition and take home a pumpkin-shaped trophy. Fans of other books in the series will know that Marya has clashed with Alexa in the past. So when Marya’s school announces a prize for selling the most tickets to the fall festival, Marya knows she has to win. And she begins to plan Operation Sell Tickets. But then, of course, so does Alexa. Eventually, however, both girls realize that maybe—just maybe—things will go more smoothly if they cooperate. While the outcome’s a tad predictable, there’s a lot of action, making for a delightful, sweet read. Over the course of this chapter book, Marya does some growing up and learns a few lessons. Her relationships with others ring true, from her older siblings (with whom she often bickers), to her beloved grandmother, to her classmates. Marya and her family are Pakistani American and Muslim, while Alexa presents white. A recipe for pumpkin spice cookies closes out the book.

Crisp and vibrant, just like a perfect fall day. (Chapter book. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews