OMAR RISING

In the companion audiobook to AMAL UNBOUND, Omar is the only boy in his Pakistani village who is selected for a scholarship to Ghalib Academy for Boys. His new life at the exclusive boarding school is not quite what he expected, as scholarship recipients are treated like second-rate citizens and do menial work. When Omar finds out he cannot return because of low grades, he takes action. Telling the story largely in the first person, narrator Vikas Adam does an outstanding job of voicing Omar as a middle-grade boy, full of energy, wonder, and earnestness. He keeps listeners engaged. Pacing and tension are used to express stress, disappointment, and determination. Other voicings, including females, are well differentiated and sound authentic. Another fine taste of Pakistani culture. S.D.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2022]