SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About TLT
  • Reviews
    • Book Reviews
    • A to Z Book Lists
    • Book Review Policy
  • Teen Issues
  • Middle Grade Mondays
  • Programs
    • TPiB
    • Tech Talk
  • Professional
    • Teen Services 101
    • Things We Didn’t Learn in Library School
  • MakerSpace
  • Projects
    • #SVYALit
    • #FSYALit
    • #MHYALit
    • #Poverty in YA Lit

June 22, 2021 by Amanda MacGregor

Book Review: Ahmed Aziz’s Epic Year by Nina Hamza

June 22, 2021 by Amanda MacGregor   Leave a Comment

Publisher’s description

This hilarious and poignant #ownvoices tween debut about dealing with bullies, making friends, and the power of good books is a great next read for fans of Merci Suárez Changes Gears and John David Anderson.

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.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

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?

Amanda’s thoughts

12-year-old sixth grader Ahmed Aziz (who is Indian American, but he says he just prefers to say “American” as he’s never even been to India) isn’t exactly excited to move from Hawaii to his dad’s hometown in Minnesota. But it’s one of the only places his dad can get an experimental treatment for his hepatitis, so off they go! It’s not an easy time for Ahmed, whose dad undergoes surgery and then spends a long and scary time recovering in the ICU. That alone would be enough. But he’s also in a new place, a new school.

Listen, sixth grade is a terrible time. I would like to erase the memory of having had to raise my own child through 6th and 7th grades. Bad times. Bad. And Ahmed is definitely not thrilled to be at a new school at this point in his life, especially once he becomes the target of his neighbor, Jack’s, bullying. Jack is horrible to Ahmed, but thankfully he has other new friends he’s made in his language arts class who stick up for him and help him feel less alone. Together, they read some modern classics of children’s lit and explore the common feelings and experiences that help make Ahmed feel less different, less alone. Ahmed also finally begins to learn more about his uncle, who died as a child from the same disease Ahmed’s father has now. Though things are often quite rough, all of these new connections help Ahmed forge ahead in middle school.

Ahmed’s story about courage, identity, and trying on personalities shows that while it may be okay to fake it till you make it, the real best thing is getting to just be who you are. He learns that he gets to define himself, that he gets to choose who he is. And when he finally has the perfect moment to exact his revenge on bully Jack, he learns that that self he wants to be is not someone who tears others down. A solid read full of heart, friendship, and growth.

Review copy (ARC) courtesy of the publisher

ISBN-13: 9780063024892
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date: 06/22/2021
Age Range: 8 – 12 Years

Filed under: Uncategorized

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
Book reviewsBulliesIllnessIndian AmericansMiddle GradeMiddle SchoolMoving

About Amanda MacGregor

Amanda MacGregor works in an elementary library, loves dogs, and can be found on Twitter @CiteSomething.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

September 2023

Cindy Crushes Programming: Book Page Painting

by Amanda MacGregor

August 2023

Cindy Crushes Programming: Summer Reading is Over, Now What?

by Amanda MacGregor

July 2023

Can't wait For Barbie? Try these graphic novels!

by Amanda MacGregor

July 2023

Have Some Barbie Movies to Start Off Barbie Season Right by Riley Jensen

by Amanda MacGregor

May 2023

Have Some New 2023 Mysteries and Thrillers by Riley Jensen

by Amanda MacGregor

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

A JUST ONE FLAKE Preorder Secret

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Apply for the Bechtel Fellowship, You Clever Librarians Out There!

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Superman vs. Meshi | Review

by Johanna

Heavy Medal

Friday Exercise: Take backs allowed. #NotsoNewbery

by Emily Mroczek-Bayci

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Grief, Hope, and Bittersweet Endings, a guest post by Victoria Wlosok

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Peter Brown Visits The Yarn to talk about The Wild Robot Protects

by Colby Sharp

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Best Young Adult Books 2020 | SLJ Best Books

6 YA Short Story Collections with Wide Teen Appeal

Fun and Games: Capitalize on Olympic Excitement with These Titles

Best Young Adult Books 2022 | SLJ Best Books

14 New Installments in Popular YA Series

Commenting for all posts is disabled after 30 days.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

Follow This Blog

Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

Primary Sidebar

  • News & Features
  • Reviews+
  • Technology
  • School Libraries
  • Public Libraries
  • Age Level
  • Ideas
  • Blogs
  • Classroom
  • Diversity
  • People
  • Job Zone

Reviews+

  • Book Lists
  • Best Books
  • Media
  • Reference
  • Series Made Simple
  • Tech
  • Review for SLJ
  • Review Submissions

SLJ Blog Network

  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal
  • Neverending Search
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn

Resources

  • 2022 Youth Media Awards
  • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
  • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
  • Summer Reading 2021
  • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
  • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
  • Summer Programming Survey
  • Research
  • White Papers / Case Studies
  • School Librarian of the Year
  • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
  • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

Events & PD

  • In-Person Events
  • Online Courses
  • Virtual Events
  • Webcasts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Media Inquiries
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Content Submissions
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Sale
  • FAQs
  • Diversity Policy
  • Careers at MSI


COPYRIGHT © 2023


COPYRIGHT © 2023