"Irresistibly appealing and genuinely inspiring--a story that helps us
to see the world more clearly, and to see ourselves as powerful enough
to change it." --Rebecca Stead, author of Newbery Award Winner When You
Reach Me
In this compelling companion to New York Times bestseller Amal
Unbound, Amal's friend Omar must contend with being treated like a
second-class citizen when he gets a scholarship to an elite boarding
school.
Omar knows his scholarship to Ghalib Academy Boarding School is a game
changer, providing him--the son of a servant--with an opportunity to
improve his station in life. He can't wait to experience all the school
has to offer, especially science club and hopefully the soccer team; but
when he arrives, his hopes are dashed. First-year scholarship students
aren't allowed to join clubs or teams--and not only that, they have to
earn their keep doing menial chores. At first Omar is dejected--but then
he gets angry when he learns something even worse--the school
deliberately "weeds out" kids like him by requiring them to get
significantly higher grades than kids who can pay tuition, making it
nearly impossible for scholarship students to graduate. It's a good
thing that in his favorite class, he's learned the importance of being
stubbornly optimistic. So with the help of his tightknit new group of
friends--and with the threat of expulsion looming over him--he sets out
to do what seems impossible: change a rigged system.
