Ali the Great and Too Many Cooks

by Saadia Faruqi, Debby Rahmalia (Illustrator)

Overview

Ali is annoyed by his little brother, but Fateh is just looking forward to a special treat! It’s cooking day with Dadi! Ali is excited, but Fateh is getting in the way—as usual! Why does Fateh keep blowing in Ali’s face? But when Dadi brings out the delicious treats, Ali realizes that his little brother might be a lot smarter than he thought! 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:	9781484692301
Publisher:	Capstone
Publication date:	08/01/2024
Series:	Ali the Great
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.70(h) x 0.10(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 author of the Yasmin and Ali the Great series, and the Eisner award-nominated graphic novel Saving Sunshine. She also writes chapter books, picture books, and middle grade novels. Saadia is editor-in-chief of Blue Minaret, an online magazine of poetry, short stories, and art. 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

Ali and his family are back in this latest selection of illustrated early chapter books that finds them encountering a variety of everyday activities: Ali and his Dadi make pakoras together while Ali struggles to figure out what his little brother Fateh wants; Ali and his classmates (including Yasmin from Faruqi’s other series) compete to make a robot; Ali tries and fails (at first) to show off his magic skills during Show and Tell; and Ali goes on a bug hunt with his mom in the park, learning about different kinds of bugs along the way. Each title has three chapters, large print, and full-color illustrations on every spread. Young readers will delight in Ali’s earnest attempts to overcome whatever new challenge is thrown at him. An Urdu glossary is included at the start of each book, while additional supplemental information is ­appended. Examples include discussion questions, jokes, and more information about the book’s topic, such as Ali’s favorite foods and bug facts. VERDICT Recommended for purchase in most collections where kids’ beginning chapter books circulate frequently.

School Library Journal