STARRED REVIEW–Readers meet Ali Tahir, a second-grade Pakistani American boy, in Faruqi’s newest early chapter book. First, they can explore the guide to Ali’s family members and learn some important Urdu words with pronunciation help. Next, readers follow Ali, his little brother Fateh, and grandfather Dada to the South Asian market on a hunt for snacks. While Dada goes to find the items on his list, Ali is tasked with watching his little brother, and “one thing Fateh was good at was trouble.” In their short time at the market, Ali avoids chip-display destruction and finds his escape artist of a brother before his Dada finds out about his (nearly) missing sibling. This supermarket adventure is written with large black text, with plenty of spacing and relatively simple vocabulary for newly independent readers. The joyful cartoon illustrations on nearly every page are simple and not overwhelming. Following the main text is a page of jokes; a description of Pakistani snacks, like crispy nimko and kulfi; and a few discussion questions for readers. VERDICT A strong, charming first purchase for any library.–Kirsten Caldwell 

Fans of Faruqi’s popular Yasmin series will be pleased to meet Pakistani-American second-grader Ali Tahir and his family. In this early chapter book, Ali, along with his grandfather and mischief-prone little brother, Fateh, go on a snack run. At the South Asian market, keeping an eye on Fateh is an adventure. Ali’s quick reflexes and creative thinking thwart a spicy-chips display disaster as well as a lost-sib debacle. A preface offers an introductory character guide and an Urdu glossary. Three ultra-readable chapters feature large type font, generous line spacing, and short sentences. Indonesian illustrator Rahmalia’s dynamic cartoon vignettes are full of energy and personality. Back matter includes “Think Big with Ali the Great” discussion questions, some jokes, and a snack lexicon of Dada’s favorite Pakistani tasty treats, like crispy nimko and salty chickpeas. An irresistible series opener that will leave young readers hungry for more.