About Ahmed Aziz’s Epic Year

How I pronounce the title​

Editor : Alexandra Cooper (HarperCollins/Quill Tree)

Cover design by David DeWitt

Cover illustration by Shreya Devarakonda

Ahmed Aziz is having an epic year—epically bad.

 

After his dad gets sick, the family moves from Hawaii to Minnesota for his dad’s treatment. Even though his dad grew up there, Ahmed can’t imagine a worse place to live. He’s one of the only brown kids in his school. And as a proud slacker, Ahmed doesn’t want to deal with expectations from his new teachers.

 

Ahmed surprises himself by actually reading the assigned books for his English class: Holes, Bridge to Terabithia, and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Shockingly, he doesn’t hate them. Ahmed also starts learning about his uncle, who died before Ahmed was born. Getting bits and pieces of his family’s history might be the one upside of the move, as his dad’s health hangs in the balance and the school bully refuses to leave him alone. Will Ahmed ever warm to Minnesota?

 

Also – in case you’ve read the book and still wondering what those things on the cover are – they’re nut goodies, samosas and falooda. But you will have to read the book to understand why!

Reviews

“Her debut is a warmhearted book full of honesty, loss and love”

Star Tribune’s 33 must read books for summer

 “…anchored by the likable Ahmed, who has a fresh, funny and authentic tween voice.”

– Starred review from Bookpage

“ A strong debut destined to become a classic”

– Starred review from School Library Journal

“An emotionally perceptive book about grief, identity, and change”

Kirkus Review

“As for Ahmed, he is a kind, intelligent underachiever who readers will feel for as he struggles and perseveres”

– Boolist

“Even kids who scorn the very idea of rereading curricular materials may grudgingly admit books can, occasionally, pry open a closed mind”

– Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books