Published by Picture Window Books

Summary:  Like Yasmin from another series by Saadia Faruqi, Ali is part of a Pakistani-American family, introduced on the first page.  When Dada, Ali’s grandfather, takes Ali and his little brother Fateh to the South Asian market to shop for snacks, Ali has his hands full keeping Fateh out of trouble.  The story unfolds in three chapters, with the three returning home safely with Dada’s favorite spicy chips by the end.  A few Urdu words are introduced with pronunciations and definitions before the story starts, and the back matter includes some jokes, a list of Dada’s favorite Pakistani snacks, and three questions/writing (and drawing) prompts about the story.  Three other books about Ali were published simultaneously.  32 pages; grades K-3.

Pros:  A cheerful early chapter book that introduces another Pakistani-American family and their everyday activities in a way that kids will connect to while learning a little bit about another culture.

Cons:  The plot was pretty mundane.