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Planet Omar #1
Accidental Trouble Magnet
*Previously published as 'THE MUSLIMS', this was the winner of the Little Rebels Award in June 2018. The text has been revised, expanded and re-illustrated.*
Welcome, readers, to the imaginative brain of Omar! You might not know me yet, but once you open the pages of this book you'll laugh so hard that snot will come out of your nose (plus you might meet a dragon and a zombie - what more could you want?).
My parents decided it would be a good idea to move house AND move me to a new school at the same time. As if I didn't have a hard enough time staying out of trouble at home, now I've also got to try and make new friends.
What's worse, the class bully seems to think I'm the perfect target and has made it his mission to send me back to Pakistan. But I've never even been to Pakistan! And my cousin told me the pizza there is YUCK.
The only good thing is that Eid's just around the corner which means a feast of all my favourite food (YAY) and presents (DOUBLE YAY). I'm really hoping I can stay in Mum and Dad's good books long enough to get loads...
The combination of Zanib Mian's hilarious text and Nasaya Mafaridik's fantastic cartoon-style illustrations make the PLANET OMAR series perfect for fans of Tom Gates and Wimpy Kid.
Welcome, readers, to the imaginative brain of Omar! You might not know me yet, but once you open the pages of this book you'll laugh so hard that snot will come out of your nose (plus you might meet a dragon and a zombie - what more could you want?).
My parents decided it would be a good idea to move house AND move me to a new school at the same time. As if I didn't have a hard enough time staying out of trouble at home, now I've also got to try and make new friends.
What's worse, the class bully seems to think I'm the perfect target and has made it his mission to send me back to Pakistan. But I've never even been to Pakistan! And my cousin told me the pizza there is YUCK.
The only good thing is that Eid's just around the corner which means a feast of all my favourite food (YAY) and presents (DOUBLE YAY). I'm really hoping I can stay in Mum and Dad's good books long enough to get loads...
The combination of Zanib Mian's hilarious text and Nasaya Mafaridik's fantastic cartoon-style illustrations make the PLANET OMAR series perfect for fans of Tom Gates and Wimpy Kid.
224 pages, Paperback
First published April 18, 2019
104 people are currently reading
1040 people want to read
About the author
Zanib Mian
62 books105 followersZanib grew up in London, UK. She began writing stories and poetry when she was just a little girl, and was well known by her teachers, friends, and family to rhyme about anything that meant something to her. If you’re lucky, she will allow you to see some of her writing, which she has kept safe for over twenty five years!But you might have to visit her in her little Hobbit house in the Shire to see it!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 355 reviews
June 27, 2021
SO MUCH LOVE FOR MY BOY OMAR ❤️
Included in my May Wrap Up video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xNv-...
Diary of a wimpy kid-esque type book - so if you like that series you’re going to love this.
This was packed with action but also had underlying themes that I think we should be discussing as a society with kids.
This book could be used as a tool for schools to open up these kinds of discussions, and its still got a really fun, entertaining story to it as well
Where was this book in my childhood?!
Included in my May Wrap Up video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xNv-...
Diary of a wimpy kid-esque type book - so if you like that series you’re going to love this.
This was packed with action but also had underlying themes that I think we should be discussing as a society with kids.
This book could be used as a tool for schools to open up these kinds of discussions, and its still got a really fun, entertaining story to it as well
Where was this book in my childhood?!
September 1, 2020
I love, love, love this book! I will have a copy of this text in all my future classes and would recommend it to all.
As an adult, it has highlighted how much more there is to learn about all the wonderful people on this earth. Planet Omar has taught me some of the key traditions in Islam and inspired me to research further.
Zanib Mian is a very talented writer and engages readers from the first page, she explores important themes that many young children can relate to. Omar's character will inspire readers to always be the hero. Nasaya Mafaridik's illustrations complement the story perfectly, I love this style of text. It's so creative, eye-catching and adds excitement for the reader.
My favourite aspect of this book is the fun fonts, broken text and illustrations. Masses of text can be overwhelming and this book could be way more appealing to all kids, especially those who may struggle with their reading stamina. I also think that finishing a 200 page book with more ease can help motivate children to become a more engaged independent reader.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
As an adult, it has highlighted how much more there is to learn about all the wonderful people on this earth. Planet Omar has taught me some of the key traditions in Islam and inspired me to research further.
Zanib Mian is a very talented writer and engages readers from the first page, she explores important themes that many young children can relate to. Omar's character will inspire readers to always be the hero. Nasaya Mafaridik's illustrations complement the story perfectly, I love this style of text. It's so creative, eye-catching and adds excitement for the reader.
My favourite aspect of this book is the fun fonts, broken text and illustrations. Masses of text can be overwhelming and this book could be way more appealing to all kids, especially those who may struggle with their reading stamina. I also think that finishing a 200 page book with more ease can help motivate children to become a more engaged independent reader.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
September 11, 2020
Troublesome boys. Lifeblood of early chapter books. Where would we be without them, after all? It seems to me that at some point in history it because a well-established fact that the best way to get kids reading on their own was to hand them a series of incurably naughty heroes and heroines. Here in America you have your Iggy books by Annie Barrows, your Julian stories by Ann Cameron, your Horrible Harry titles by Suzy Kline, your Stink books by McDonald, and on and on the list goes. In England they’ve their own crop, with titles like Horrid Henry. Of course, overwhelmingly, these boys tend to be white (Julian being the rare exception). Their books might discuss world views, but never religion. They’d mention mummies and detention, but never prejudice and racism. So when you pick up a copy of Zanib Mian’s Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet it looks like those other books. It feels like those other books. It has just as many laughs and action and mistakes. It just also happens to raise the bar by having juuuuust a little more going on under the surface. Omar’s the Muslim hero we’ve been waiting for. The start of something big.
Shenanigans. Omar’s sort of prone to them. If he’s not accidentally spitting on his brother when trying to rid himself of a nightmare then he’s trying to get away with wearing barbecue stained clothes to school on the first day or attracting the attention of Daniel, the mean kid at school. He’s just moved with his family to a new house and things are complicated. I mean, there are good things, sure. He likes Charlie, a kid at school with a toothy grin, and he loves his mom’s cooking (particularly her biryani), and even his little brother. But then there’s that mean old lady next door that keeps complaining on her phone about “the Muslims” or Daniel, talking about how the Muslims will all get kicked out of the country. Fortunately Omar has his family, his friends, and best of all his sense of humor to turn any situation on its head.
Children’s books written for the mainstream public don’t tend to talk much about religion. Think of a bunch of children’s classics off the top of your head, if you please. Obviously fantasies like Wizard of Oz or Alice in Wonderland wouldn’t have, but let’s look at realistic fiction. Harriet the Spy. Holes. One Crazy Summer. A Single Shard. Any religion or spirituality in any of those? Not so much. And there’s nothing wrong with including or not including religion. The only reason I bring it up is to explain why it can feel so surprising when you encounter religion in Accidental Trouble Magnet. You do it right away, honestly. At the beginning of the book you meet Omar, his little brother Esa, and his older sister Maryam all within the span of three pages. Each kid gets one page all to themselves and there are around four to five facts about each kid per page. Maryam’s says stuff like she loves peanut butter cups and is thirteen, but also contains the statement that she, “Knows 28 surahs of the Qur’an by heart.” As for Omar himself, he’s no stranger to big, grandiose, spiritual questions. And while he does have a tendency to treat prayer the same way one might treat magic wishes from a genie, his heart’s in the right place.
I called this title an “early chapter book” at the beginning of this review, but that’s not entirely accurate. Accidental Trouble Magnet actually occupies a much stranger, much more interesting niche. Indeed, this might be the book that you hand a kid after they’ve graduated past some of those other books I mentioned. That doesn’t make it any less remarkable when Mian chooses to include moments of pure racism on her pages. At one point in the book, Omar has had an encounter with Daniel, the bully. Standing behind Omar in line, Daniel hisses, “You’re Muslim. I saw your mother the other day, looking like a witch, in black. You better go back to your country before we kick you all out.” Right there. Front and center. That’s racist kid territory that is. After reading it, I was very curious to see how Mian would choose to handle this situation. Let the bully get away with being mean? I see that way too often in books and, quite frankly, that solution wouldn’t fly with this kind of book. Have the bully get caught in the act of a minor hate crime? Probable but unsatisfying. Give the bully a complete change of heart? Please. Respect the reader’s intelligence. I hadn’t counted on the hybrid solution of change of heart + context. It eventually comes to light that Daniel picked up this language from his cousin. Well… that’s what he says. I think a lot of parents reading this book to their kids might cultivate alternative theories as well.
And it’s fun! I’m sorry. I’m one of those adults that too often forgets to mention the fact that a book is fun before launching into lofty theories about contemporary attitudes towards racism and allyship in modern children’s literature. Those are important but fun is important too. Fun is what gets kids past that first page. You know what the first page of this book is? It’s a picture of Omar that reads “ME” in big bold letters and explains “My name is Omar – this is my face.” It also explains that “I have a HUGE imagination,” “I hate carrots,” and “I once raced against my dad’s car on my bike – and won!” And to make clear how perfect that opening is, it would behoove me to give a little credit to illustrator Nasaya Mafaridik who somehow manages to match Mian’s tone for this book, pitch for pitch, word for word. Together, Mian and Mafaridik work in tandem to keep the tone and feel of the book light. When Mian opens the first chapter with the sentence, “There was a big puddle of spit on my little brother’s forehead,” Mafaridik’s there to draw that spit. And Omar pointing at the spit. Because if there’s one thing I know about children’s books it is this: You can never go wrong beginning a book by accidentally spitting on the head of a little sibling. That’s just science.
So give me all those troublesome boy books. Give me more of them even! Give me differently abled troublesome boys. Give me (please please give me) a troublesome transgender boy who gets into all kinds of mischief. Give me Native American boys. Give me Asian American boys. Give me boys with stutters and bald boys and army brats and all the different kinds of troublesome boys that are out there. To say nothing of equally troublesome girls! Omar is doing his part, but he can’t do it alone. If we want to show our child readers the wide, wonderful, wild world out there in all its myriad forms, we need as many different perspectives as we can find. And until that happens, let’s hand Omar to as many kinds as we can name. Because as far as I’m concerned, funny books that also prove to be smart and socially conscious (not to mention anti-racist) might help us get out of the mess this world is in.
For ages 6-9.
Shenanigans. Omar’s sort of prone to them. If he’s not accidentally spitting on his brother when trying to rid himself of a nightmare then he’s trying to get away with wearing barbecue stained clothes to school on the first day or attracting the attention of Daniel, the mean kid at school. He’s just moved with his family to a new house and things are complicated. I mean, there are good things, sure. He likes Charlie, a kid at school with a toothy grin, and he loves his mom’s cooking (particularly her biryani), and even his little brother. But then there’s that mean old lady next door that keeps complaining on her phone about “the Muslims” or Daniel, talking about how the Muslims will all get kicked out of the country. Fortunately Omar has his family, his friends, and best of all his sense of humor to turn any situation on its head.
Children’s books written for the mainstream public don’t tend to talk much about religion. Think of a bunch of children’s classics off the top of your head, if you please. Obviously fantasies like Wizard of Oz or Alice in Wonderland wouldn’t have, but let’s look at realistic fiction. Harriet the Spy. Holes. One Crazy Summer. A Single Shard. Any religion or spirituality in any of those? Not so much. And there’s nothing wrong with including or not including religion. The only reason I bring it up is to explain why it can feel so surprising when you encounter religion in Accidental Trouble Magnet. You do it right away, honestly. At the beginning of the book you meet Omar, his little brother Esa, and his older sister Maryam all within the span of three pages. Each kid gets one page all to themselves and there are around four to five facts about each kid per page. Maryam’s says stuff like she loves peanut butter cups and is thirteen, but also contains the statement that she, “Knows 28 surahs of the Qur’an by heart.” As for Omar himself, he’s no stranger to big, grandiose, spiritual questions. And while he does have a tendency to treat prayer the same way one might treat magic wishes from a genie, his heart’s in the right place.
I called this title an “early chapter book” at the beginning of this review, but that’s not entirely accurate. Accidental Trouble Magnet actually occupies a much stranger, much more interesting niche. Indeed, this might be the book that you hand a kid after they’ve graduated past some of those other books I mentioned. That doesn’t make it any less remarkable when Mian chooses to include moments of pure racism on her pages. At one point in the book, Omar has had an encounter with Daniel, the bully. Standing behind Omar in line, Daniel hisses, “You’re Muslim. I saw your mother the other day, looking like a witch, in black. You better go back to your country before we kick you all out.” Right there. Front and center. That’s racist kid territory that is. After reading it, I was very curious to see how Mian would choose to handle this situation. Let the bully get away with being mean? I see that way too often in books and, quite frankly, that solution wouldn’t fly with this kind of book. Have the bully get caught in the act of a minor hate crime? Probable but unsatisfying. Give the bully a complete change of heart? Please. Respect the reader’s intelligence. I hadn’t counted on the hybrid solution of change of heart + context. It eventually comes to light that Daniel picked up this language from his cousin. Well… that’s what he says. I think a lot of parents reading this book to their kids might cultivate alternative theories as well.
And it’s fun! I’m sorry. I’m one of those adults that too often forgets to mention the fact that a book is fun before launching into lofty theories about contemporary attitudes towards racism and allyship in modern children’s literature. Those are important but fun is important too. Fun is what gets kids past that first page. You know what the first page of this book is? It’s a picture of Omar that reads “ME” in big bold letters and explains “My name is Omar – this is my face.” It also explains that “I have a HUGE imagination,” “I hate carrots,” and “I once raced against my dad’s car on my bike – and won!” And to make clear how perfect that opening is, it would behoove me to give a little credit to illustrator Nasaya Mafaridik who somehow manages to match Mian’s tone for this book, pitch for pitch, word for word. Together, Mian and Mafaridik work in tandem to keep the tone and feel of the book light. When Mian opens the first chapter with the sentence, “There was a big puddle of spit on my little brother’s forehead,” Mafaridik’s there to draw that spit. And Omar pointing at the spit. Because if there’s one thing I know about children’s books it is this: You can never go wrong beginning a book by accidentally spitting on the head of a little sibling. That’s just science.
So give me all those troublesome boy books. Give me more of them even! Give me differently abled troublesome boys. Give me (please please give me) a troublesome transgender boy who gets into all kinds of mischief. Give me Native American boys. Give me Asian American boys. Give me boys with stutters and bald boys and army brats and all the different kinds of troublesome boys that are out there. To say nothing of equally troublesome girls! Omar is doing his part, but he can’t do it alone. If we want to show our child readers the wide, wonderful, wild world out there in all its myriad forms, we need as many different perspectives as we can find. And until that happens, let’s hand Omar to as many kinds as we can name. Because as far as I’m concerned, funny books that also prove to be smart and socially conscious (not to mention anti-racist) might help us get out of the mess this world is in.
For ages 6-9.
July 4, 2020
This is a book packed with action, Religious festivals, a dragon, a sulky next-door neighbour, a new school and a class bully. Nobody likes a bully, but maybe you’ll find out that this one is not your average bully.
Planet Omar discusses issues such as bullying and prejudices and the impacts of these. This type of bullying can make others think negative of themselves even when they've done nothing wrong. It can affect the way people think about themselves and make them feel ashamed of who they are. Every person is unique and we should celebrate differences as it makes the world we live in an interesting and inspirational place. Anyone who is different shouldn't be excluded from anything, whether it's a game, a school or anything for that matter. In the story Omar and his family overcome these negative emotions by educating others about their religion and beliefs.
I loved this book and couldn’t read it quick enough. Omar is a great character who doesn’t have the easiest of times. I loved how Omar overcomes being different and I think that it is a great book for anyone, boy or girl who are going through any issues with bullying or feeling different.
The book also taught me lots of new things about different cultures and it has left me wanting to know more. This would make it a fantastic class book in conjunction when learning about Islam with religious education lessons.
Planet Omar discusses issues such as bullying and prejudices and the impacts of these. This type of bullying can make others think negative of themselves even when they've done nothing wrong. It can affect the way people think about themselves and make them feel ashamed of who they are. Every person is unique and we should celebrate differences as it makes the world we live in an interesting and inspirational place. Anyone who is different shouldn't be excluded from anything, whether it's a game, a school or anything for that matter. In the story Omar and his family overcome these negative emotions by educating others about their religion and beliefs.
I loved this book and couldn’t read it quick enough. Omar is a great character who doesn’t have the easiest of times. I loved how Omar overcomes being different and I think that it is a great book for anyone, boy or girl who are going through any issues with bullying or feeling different.
The book also taught me lots of new things about different cultures and it has left me wanting to know more. This would make it a fantastic class book in conjunction when learning about Islam with religious education lessons.
January 4, 2021
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
July 5, 2020
Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet by Zanib Mian
Likes: I really enjoyed reading Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet. It was a fun read packed with adventure, such as getting lost on the school trip, but it also included more sensitive topics such as bullying and stereotypes to give the character of Omar greater depth and make him more believable and relatable to a young audience. The layout of the text with different sized fonts for certain words and eye-catching illustrations throughout makes it appealing to children, particularly those who may be reluctant readers, and contributes to the fun nature of the book. Omar’s imagination is also explored through these illustrations and the idea of his dragon, H2O, helps him to deal with difficult situations. This could lead to talking about how children cope with worries as a circle time activity. The book also has the themes of friendship and bullying throughout so it could be used as a conversation starter for talking about this. It stems from the idea of stereotypes, particularly judging people on their appearance. This leads to the comments from Daniel about Muslims being sent out of the country, Omar and Daniel running from a homeless man who was only trying to help them when they were lost, and the hostility shown by Mrs Rogers towards Omar and his family. However, when the characters got to know each other better, they realised that actually they were all really nice and looked out and supported one another. I think the book deals with these sensitive issues, particularly around race and religion in a very sensitive, child-friendly way reinforcing that it’s what people are like on the inside that matters. Having a character who is a Muslim also provides greater diversity of representation in children’s literature which personally I think is really important. It also includes details on Omar’s religion and festivals such as Eid, which provides a great link to RE as well as links to science with the different experiments Omar does with his family, some of which could be tried in science lessons, such as the hurricane in the bottle to replicate science being fun and exciting. The character of Daniel is also interesting as whilst he is nasty towards Charlie and Omar before he gets to know them and becomes friends, he actually has his own worries and difficulties at home due to his sister being poorly. Whilst this doesn’t make his actions towards Omar at the beginning justified, I think it enables exploration into why people may act in different ways and Daniel’s character could be explored through role on the wall and hot seating well. I think this book would be good to use with Key Stage 2 children; it has lots of opportunities for teaching and discussion points whilst being a fun, enjoyable story. The chapters are quite short, making it suitable as a read aloud class story, however I think it would be better for group or guided reading so that children could enjoy the detailed illustrations more, unless a visualiser could be used for whole class reading.
Dislikes: none - I really enjoyed this book!
Patterns: The concept of challenging stereotypes and getting to know what people are really like runs throughout the book as different characters are introduced. It shows how easy it can be to do this and the harmful effect it can have on people who experience this, particularly people who are most likely to experience this such as those from ethnic minorities, homeless people etc. The book shows how difference is actually a good thing, which I think is a really positive message for children. Omar’s imaginary dragon also features whenever he is worried or unsure which I think is effective.
Likes: I really enjoyed reading Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet. It was a fun read packed with adventure, such as getting lost on the school trip, but it also included more sensitive topics such as bullying and stereotypes to give the character of Omar greater depth and make him more believable and relatable to a young audience. The layout of the text with different sized fonts for certain words and eye-catching illustrations throughout makes it appealing to children, particularly those who may be reluctant readers, and contributes to the fun nature of the book. Omar’s imagination is also explored through these illustrations and the idea of his dragon, H2O, helps him to deal with difficult situations. This could lead to talking about how children cope with worries as a circle time activity. The book also has the themes of friendship and bullying throughout so it could be used as a conversation starter for talking about this. It stems from the idea of stereotypes, particularly judging people on their appearance. This leads to the comments from Daniel about Muslims being sent out of the country, Omar and Daniel running from a homeless man who was only trying to help them when they were lost, and the hostility shown by Mrs Rogers towards Omar and his family. However, when the characters got to know each other better, they realised that actually they were all really nice and looked out and supported one another. I think the book deals with these sensitive issues, particularly around race and religion in a very sensitive, child-friendly way reinforcing that it’s what people are like on the inside that matters. Having a character who is a Muslim also provides greater diversity of representation in children’s literature which personally I think is really important. It also includes details on Omar’s religion and festivals such as Eid, which provides a great link to RE as well as links to science with the different experiments Omar does with his family, some of which could be tried in science lessons, such as the hurricane in the bottle to replicate science being fun and exciting. The character of Daniel is also interesting as whilst he is nasty towards Charlie and Omar before he gets to know them and becomes friends, he actually has his own worries and difficulties at home due to his sister being poorly. Whilst this doesn’t make his actions towards Omar at the beginning justified, I think it enables exploration into why people may act in different ways and Daniel’s character could be explored through role on the wall and hot seating well. I think this book would be good to use with Key Stage 2 children; it has lots of opportunities for teaching and discussion points whilst being a fun, enjoyable story. The chapters are quite short, making it suitable as a read aloud class story, however I think it would be better for group or guided reading so that children could enjoy the detailed illustrations more, unless a visualiser could be used for whole class reading.
Dislikes: none - I really enjoyed this book!
Patterns: The concept of challenging stereotypes and getting to know what people are really like runs throughout the book as different characters are introduced. It shows how easy it can be to do this and the harmful effect it can have on people who experience this, particularly people who are most likely to experience this such as those from ethnic minorities, homeless people etc. The book shows how difference is actually a good thing, which I think is a really positive message for children. Omar’s imaginary dragon also features whenever he is worried or unsure which I think is effective.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2020
This novel is excellent. It is an easy read with sketchy pictures illustrated throughout the book to capture the positive and negative moments that Omar experiences. The novel starts with an illustration of Omar and his family, which introduces the reader to the main characters; learning about the families religious background( Muslim) and their lifestyles. Each chapter has puzzles and patterns to describe Omar feels during different events in the book. This helps the reader to understand the feeling of what it is like to be different. The children can notice the repeating patterns and think about the puzzles based on how Omar may be feeling in each chapter depending on what has occurred with his lifestyle. This book would be excellent to use for teaching children about the importance of bullying. It will help children that are targeted by bullies to overcome the thoughts they experience being different. The class teacher could discuss with the pupils their thoughts of the book to help children feel positive about their differences and not experience negative thoughts about themselves.
I think the story will be appropriate for children in year three. The children at this age will be able to understand Omar’s feelings and thoughts he experiences being different. The children will enjoy looking at the pictures on each page to identify, explore, and guess the ideas the main character Omar is trying to express. This book would also be appropriate for children that are less confident readers or dislike reading. As it may encourage these readers to feel confident to understand the basic plot of the story and enjoy the humour and entertainment in various chapters.
I would recommend this book as an English class read. The book is full of different themes that the class teacher can explore with the children. I think the text is useful to teach children about the power of love and the influence our siblings, families, and friends have on us. The teacher can use the main character (Omar) to help children explore Omar’s imaginative world and lifestyle. The class teacher may focus on the importance of Omar creating an imaginative world and having the support of his family to help him manage with difficult or scary situations he experiences (moving house, being bullying, getting lost, etc). From reading the book the class teacher may help the children to understand the importance of sharing their problems with responsible adults they trust. The teacher can also explore with their class the Muslim religion and help the children to understand the different faiths, festivals and traditions.
There is a range of teaching opportunities and themes the class teacher could use to help children have a discussion about the novel.
Likes and dislikes
I like the themes in the book and I enjoyed exploring Omar’s positive thoughts to help him understand that he is different. I liked the different fonts and pictures in the book. This will encourage children to read the book and challenge themselves to identify what the images represent.
Dislikes
N/A
English
Investigate other chapter books with sketchy pictures, such as Planet Omar Adventure and Horrid Henry books. Think about the similarities and differences between the books are the themes the same.
Use the style of the pictures and bold and different sized writing in the book to encourage children to create a book of their own lifestyles or challenging situations they have experienced.
Use the example where Omar’s feeling frightened, nervous, or worried. The class teacher will encourage the children to write a diary entry to express the feelings of Omar’s imaginative world with the dragon (H20) helping him to overcome these feelings. The children could think about why the dragon is important to Omar and how it supports his thoughts and feelings
Use the example of Omar getting lost and encourage the children to write a first-person narrative to describe the emotions and feelings that Daniel and Omar may be experiencing.
PSHE
The teacher can use the example of Omar to help children discuss and understand the importance of friendships and bullying. The teacher could help the children to develop their knowledge of the importance of happy friendships positively influencing our emotional well-being(self-esteem and self-confidence and mental health).
They could then have a discussion with children about negative feelings and the negative impact that bullies have on our emotional well-being. The class could brainstorm the key issues that Omar experiences. They could then record the key points on how well Omar dealt with the bullying and what he could have done to obtain support from responsible adults to sort out the bullying problem sooner. This would encourage children to celebrate and honor their differences, be aware of bullying, develop strong friendships, include everyone in their games at playtime, and understand the importance of how they should deal with bullying.
I think the story will be appropriate for children in year three. The children at this age will be able to understand Omar’s feelings and thoughts he experiences being different. The children will enjoy looking at the pictures on each page to identify, explore, and guess the ideas the main character Omar is trying to express. This book would also be appropriate for children that are less confident readers or dislike reading. As it may encourage these readers to feel confident to understand the basic plot of the story and enjoy the humour and entertainment in various chapters.
I would recommend this book as an English class read. The book is full of different themes that the class teacher can explore with the children. I think the text is useful to teach children about the power of love and the influence our siblings, families, and friends have on us. The teacher can use the main character (Omar) to help children explore Omar’s imaginative world and lifestyle. The class teacher may focus on the importance of Omar creating an imaginative world and having the support of his family to help him manage with difficult or scary situations he experiences (moving house, being bullying, getting lost, etc). From reading the book the class teacher may help the children to understand the importance of sharing their problems with responsible adults they trust. The teacher can also explore with their class the Muslim religion and help the children to understand the different faiths, festivals and traditions.
There is a range of teaching opportunities and themes the class teacher could use to help children have a discussion about the novel.
Likes and dislikes
I like the themes in the book and I enjoyed exploring Omar’s positive thoughts to help him understand that he is different. I liked the different fonts and pictures in the book. This will encourage children to read the book and challenge themselves to identify what the images represent.
Dislikes
N/A
English
Investigate other chapter books with sketchy pictures, such as Planet Omar Adventure and Horrid Henry books. Think about the similarities and differences between the books are the themes the same.
Use the style of the pictures and bold and different sized writing in the book to encourage children to create a book of their own lifestyles or challenging situations they have experienced.
Use the example where Omar’s feeling frightened, nervous, or worried. The class teacher will encourage the children to write a diary entry to express the feelings of Omar’s imaginative world with the dragon (H20) helping him to overcome these feelings. The children could think about why the dragon is important to Omar and how it supports his thoughts and feelings
Use the example of Omar getting lost and encourage the children to write a first-person narrative to describe the emotions and feelings that Daniel and Omar may be experiencing.
PSHE
The teacher can use the example of Omar to help children discuss and understand the importance of friendships and bullying. The teacher could help the children to develop their knowledge of the importance of happy friendships positively influencing our emotional well-being(self-esteem and self-confidence and mental health).
They could then have a discussion with children about negative feelings and the negative impact that bullies have on our emotional well-being. The class could brainstorm the key issues that Omar experiences. They could then record the key points on how well Omar dealt with the bullying and what he could have done to obtain support from responsible adults to sort out the bullying problem sooner. This would encourage children to celebrate and honor their differences, be aware of bullying, develop strong friendships, include everyone in their games at playtime, and understand the importance of how they should deal with bullying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2020
This books is lovely to read, easy to follow, and broken up by doodles and a variety of text fonts. The book is written from Omar's perspective and explores how he feels about starting a new school. It's a books about friendship, trust and explores the importance and power of getting to know someone. This book explores religion very well as well, teaching children about the celebrations of Islam. It also enables children to understand the importance of religion to some people, as well as how people in the same religion are willing to help you, even if you and never met them before. In this book, religion provides safety for Omar and Daniel. This book is packed with action and adventure and explores the importance of celebrating every child's individuality.
The book provides a good base to continue to explore religious festivals in Islam, for example Eid, during religious education lessons. It is one of the few books I have read which explored religion in this way, but I really enjoyed how the author used it throughout the story, to make connections.
It teaches children that bullying or unkind behaviour can be overcome, and often getting to know the person can be the best way to solve this.
I think most children would be able to make some connection with this book from their home life, as it talks about the use of modern technology, Xbox and iPhones, which most children have heard about. I think this book would be good for children in upper KS2 and could help them and understand the transition between schools and it may help them feel less nervous about their transition to secondary school.
However, I would have liked the book at the end to have said more about the consequences of bullying rather than “kids will be kids”. It’s important to make it clear that bullying is unacceptable, and covering this in other sessions e.g. PSHE, would be beneficial.
The book provides a good base to continue to explore religious festivals in Islam, for example Eid, during religious education lessons. It is one of the few books I have read which explored religion in this way, but I really enjoyed how the author used it throughout the story, to make connections.
It teaches children that bullying or unkind behaviour can be overcome, and often getting to know the person can be the best way to solve this.
I think most children would be able to make some connection with this book from their home life, as it talks about the use of modern technology, Xbox and iPhones, which most children have heard about. I think this book would be good for children in upper KS2 and could help them and understand the transition between schools and it may help them feel less nervous about their transition to secondary school.
However, I would have liked the book at the end to have said more about the consequences of bullying rather than “kids will be kids”. It’s important to make it clear that bullying is unacceptable, and covering this in other sessions e.g. PSHE, would be beneficial.
August 2, 2019
A really great read which I would recommend to be shared with a KS2 class.
This book offers many opportunities for morals, religion, beliefs and friendship to be explored.
This book could be used really nicely as a class text because it offers many opportunities for discussions to be held around some difficult and emotional topics such as bullying and feeling accepted. Also this book could be placed in the book corner providing children with opportunities to quietly engage with the book alongside friends or independently.
Using a text in this way adds value and purpose by giving children the opportunity to express their possible experiences and feelings on these topics. It may also give children something to relate to and aspire from. Furthermore, this text would lend itself well to many of the topics within the PSHE curriculum.
As a reader I like how the author chose to present some of the words as illustrations as this made it easier to follow and was also engaging. Also I like how the author has explained many of the key words in a child friendly manned which would help both children and teachers to understand their meanings and read them within context.
Overall, a lovely read!!
This book offers many opportunities for morals, religion, beliefs and friendship to be explored.
This book could be used really nicely as a class text because it offers many opportunities for discussions to be held around some difficult and emotional topics such as bullying and feeling accepted. Also this book could be placed in the book corner providing children with opportunities to quietly engage with the book alongside friends or independently.
Using a text in this way adds value and purpose by giving children the opportunity to express their possible experiences and feelings on these topics. It may also give children something to relate to and aspire from. Furthermore, this text would lend itself well to many of the topics within the PSHE curriculum.
As a reader I like how the author chose to present some of the words as illustrations as this made it easier to follow and was also engaging. Also I like how the author has explained many of the key words in a child friendly manned which would help both children and teachers to understand their meanings and read them within context.
Overall, a lovely read!!
August 18, 2020
As soon as I picked up this book, I knew I was going to love it. There are so many great aspects to this book that lend themselves to being addressed with this children.
The first and most obvious teaching point comes from the approach to different religions, in this case the characters were Muslim. Mian has included facts about this religion, such as the names for each prayer of the day, which will allow the children to learn about Muslims beliefs and traditions whilst reading. This would be a great teaching opportunity, to get the children to learn about different religions and appreciate the differences between people.
I also enjoyed the choices of font used throughout this book. It encouraged my imagination to run wild. It makes the book more accessible for children, in particular the children who may struggle with reading. This is because it breaks up the text into small and manageable chunks having the images and crazy fonts alongside to help with comprehension of the story. This could be used to look at language and how it can be represented. Such as when Mian has used lightening bolts instead of 'S' in the sentence 'as fast as humanly possible'. The children could discuss her choice to replace the 'S' and why she might have chosen a lightening bolt. This will help to develop their creative writing and think deeper about their language choice.
This book also approaches issues such as bullying and prejudice as well as true friendship and forgiveness. These themes would be great PSHE topics to discuss with the children, relating to the book as well as personal experiences.
Overall, I think this book would be a great teaching tool as well as an exciting and engaging book for the children to read for fun. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
The first and most obvious teaching point comes from the approach to different religions, in this case the characters were Muslim. Mian has included facts about this religion, such as the names for each prayer of the day, which will allow the children to learn about Muslims beliefs and traditions whilst reading. This would be a great teaching opportunity, to get the children to learn about different religions and appreciate the differences between people.
I also enjoyed the choices of font used throughout this book. It encouraged my imagination to run wild. It makes the book more accessible for children, in particular the children who may struggle with reading. This is because it breaks up the text into small and manageable chunks having the images and crazy fonts alongside to help with comprehension of the story. This could be used to look at language and how it can be represented. Such as when Mian has used lightening bolts instead of 'S' in the sentence 'as fast as humanly possible'. The children could discuss her choice to replace the 'S' and why she might have chosen a lightening bolt. This will help to develop their creative writing and think deeper about their language choice.
This book also approaches issues such as bullying and prejudice as well as true friendship and forgiveness. These themes would be great PSHE topics to discuss with the children, relating to the book as well as personal experiences.
Overall, I think this book would be a great teaching tool as well as an exciting and engaging book for the children to read for fun. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2020
Diary Entry
Blurb
Welcome to the imaginative brain of Omar! You might not know me yet,but once you open this book you’ll laugh so hard that snot will come out of your nose.*
It contains:
• A new school
• A stinky class bully
• A dragon and a zombie
• An Eid feast (yay)
• AND Eid presents (double yay)
• A whole heap of trouble
*snot not 100% guaranteed
Characters
• Omar
• Esa (Omar’s younger brother)
• Maryam (Omar’s older sister)
• Omar’s parents
• Uncle Fahad
• Aunty Sumayyah
• Reza (Omar’s cousin)
• Charlie
• Daniel Green
• Mr and Mrs Green
• Mrs Rodgers
• John (Mr Rodgers son)
• Mrs Hutchinson
• Aunty Iman (Omar’s Qu’ran teacher)
Plot
Omar and his family have had to move house due to Omar’s mother getting a new job. Omar’s family are of the Muslim faith and go to the Mosque. Omar starts his new school where he makes a new friend, Charlie. However, also in Omar’s class is Daniel who mean! During an art lesson, Daniel purposefully spills dirty paint water on Omar’s painting in an attempt to ruin it, but Omar manages to make it better and receives lots of praise from the teacher which infuriates Daniel.
Omar’s mother insists that they introduce themselves to their new neighbour, Mrs Rodgers, who is very rude to the family and is later overheard on the phone to her son referring to Omar’s family as they Muslims’ in a negative way.
One day after school, Charlie comes over to Omar’s house for dinner and once again Mrs Rodgers is overheard referring to her neighbours as ‘the Muslims’ in a negative manner.
Another day at school Omar’s bully, Daniel tries to hurt Omar but Omar is able to outsmart Daniel which angers him. In response, Daniel declares that the worst thing about Omar is that he is a Muslim, his mum looks like a witch (in her Hijab) and that him and his family should go back to their country before they’re kicked out. This is something that confuses Omar.
When Omar’s family go to Manchester to visit family, Omar asks his cousin Reza about what Daniel said and agreed that they will be kicked out. Omar admits that he’s never even been to Pakistan and doesn’t speak any Urdu.
Mrs Rodgers has a fall and is taken away in an Ambulance, Omar’s mother does to see if her support is wanted and Mrs Rodgers accepts this. When the pair return from the hospital Mrs Rodgers’ attitude towards the family changes and is over heard on the phone to her son saying how lovely Omar’s family are. As the family begin Ramadan, Mrs Rodgers joins the family to gain an insight into the Muslim faith.
Omar decides he wants to try and fast with his family (on the weekends) but finds it too hard. Yet he was able to complete a fast the following weekend.
There’s a school trip to the science museum, which Omar’s parents are thrilled about! Except, Omar ends up in a group with Daniel, not Charlie. Whilst on the London Underground the pair lose the rest of their class. Which unexpectedly leads to Daniel bursting into tears and wetting himself. Omar takes charge and gets the pair to Baker Street where he ends up praying to Allah for help. As it happens the pair end up at a Mosque where they manage to get help. Daniel is so grateful.
Daniel and his family go to Omar’s house for dinner where it is revealed that Daniel told Omar that he will be kicked out of the country. Daniel apologises and becomes friends with Omar.
Likes
I love the use of doodles and varied font types to enhance the story as it helps to portray Omar’s personality. I also like that it shows that racism is often due to lack of understanding and that once characters had actually gotten to know Omar’s family, their view changed. I also like how Omar’s teacher is so supportive and aware of his religion and shows willingness to adapt to his requirements. It’s good that it’s representing something children of a minority suffer through and can feel represented in literature. At the end of the story, Omar comments on how nice it is to see a range of people – different race, different body shapes and different genders and focuses on how a persons appearance isn’t a true representation of the person as a whole.
Dislikes
It’s not so much a dislike of the book, but I don’t like that Mrs Rodgers and Daniel actually needed to revive an act of kindness before being non-judgmental. I think it’s a shame that this is what happens and children have to suffer this.it is commented on that Mrs Rodgers views are probably front what she has read in newspapers and how those of the Muslim faith are often linked to terrorism and that therefore is the basis of her opinions. Again, this is a true representation of how many people make their views and acts as a reminder to not always trust the media.
How is the story told?
Planet Omar is told in the first person from Omar’s point of view. There’s a variety of text types and doodle images which are engaging for the reader whilst emphasising particular words or phrases as well as introducing personality and tone to the text.
What experiences of the world does then reader need to bring to the text?
It would be good for the reader to have some knowledge of the Muslim faith, including holidays such as Ramadan and Eid. However, the book is very informative about some of these areas and is explained in a child friendly way. It would be a good text to read alongside learning about Muslim festivals.
A lot of Pakistani food is mentioned throughout the story so if the reader has some idea of what these foods are it would help them to visualise what is being discussed (however, taste testing would make a fun lesson!)
Does the novel belong to a particular genre?
Planet Omar is a fiction text about an imaginary character and imaginary events. However, events such as Ramadan and Eid are real life Muslim festivals.
Are there links between this book and other texts?
Planet Omar can link to stories about friendship and overcoming bullies, such as Cloud Busting. There is also links to books about acceptance of others such as Skellig by David Almond, Beegu by Alexis Deacon and Welcome to Our World by Moira Butterfield. There is also a link to The Twits by Ronald Dahl as Omar believes that people with ugly thoughts are ugly people and that appearance isn’t the key to being a good person. Ronald Dahl writes “If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely”.
Patterns and Puzzles?
There is a pattern surrounding people (Mrs Rodgers and Daniel) judging Omar and his family by their religion. However, after Omar’s mother went with Mrs Rodgers to the hospital and Omar found help for him and Daniel when they were lost, their views changed based on the actions and interactions from Omar’s family. Showing that the views previously held were likely from stereotypes, not from interaction.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2020
This book was an enjoyable read overall. When I began reading, the first thing I compared this book too was those of David Walliams' due to the use of different fonts on certain words to make them stand out - like Walliams, the chosen fonts tend to be somewhat related to what the word is saying, e.g 'a big cheeky grin' is written on a face in the shape of a smile.
Likes:
I liked the character of Omar and how we were given some information and an image of each character at the beginning of the book before the story began. This is because I was therefore able to create a more visual image throughout the story. As mentioned above, I also liked the way the story was presented and the fonts and images used to help understand the story. I liked the character of Daniel in the story and how the character changed throughout the book, giving reasons for his behaviour and treatment of others when him and Omar are lost. This really helped me to connect to the character and may be relatable to some children who may read the book. I also think that children would be able to relate to this story due to the age of Omar and his friends - it would be similar to children in key stage 2.
Dislikes:
I personally found the beginning of the story quite slow and uneventful until Omar and Daniel get lost - that was where I found the story to pick up and from there I just wanted to find out more. I also thought that the book ended quite abruptly and was expecting more when I turned the page - it wasn't obvious to me that that was the end of the story. It is likely however, that it may be continued in the second planet Omar book.
This book could be used throughout the curriculum as a class text, most likely in key stage 2 due to the language used and being able to relate to the character due to age. For instance, due to the science mentioned in the book, this can be linked to science lessons, especially about experiments or genes and DNA. This could also be used in art lessons to focus on the illustrator and her style of drawing. Literacy and Art could be linked if children were to write their own stories in the style of this book using the different fonts for instance. These are just some ideas of how the book can be used in school however there are many other lessons and areas of the curriculum that it could be used in.
Throughout this book, I learned more about what it is like being Muslim and therefore think it would be great for teaching children about the Islamic faith. I would definitely recommend reading this book and look forward to reading the second 'Planet Omar' book.
Likes:
I liked the character of Omar and how we were given some information and an image of each character at the beginning of the book before the story began. This is because I was therefore able to create a more visual image throughout the story. As mentioned above, I also liked the way the story was presented and the fonts and images used to help understand the story. I liked the character of Daniel in the story and how the character changed throughout the book, giving reasons for his behaviour and treatment of others when him and Omar are lost. This really helped me to connect to the character and may be relatable to some children who may read the book. I also think that children would be able to relate to this story due to the age of Omar and his friends - it would be similar to children in key stage 2.
Dislikes:
I personally found the beginning of the story quite slow and uneventful until Omar and Daniel get lost - that was where I found the story to pick up and from there I just wanted to find out more. I also thought that the book ended quite abruptly and was expecting more when I turned the page - it wasn't obvious to me that that was the end of the story. It is likely however, that it may be continued in the second planet Omar book.
This book could be used throughout the curriculum as a class text, most likely in key stage 2 due to the language used and being able to relate to the character due to age. For instance, due to the science mentioned in the book, this can be linked to science lessons, especially about experiments or genes and DNA. This could also be used in art lessons to focus on the illustrator and her style of drawing. Literacy and Art could be linked if children were to write their own stories in the style of this book using the different fonts for instance. These are just some ideas of how the book can be used in school however there are many other lessons and areas of the curriculum that it could be used in.
Throughout this book, I learned more about what it is like being Muslim and therefore think it would be great for teaching children about the Islamic faith. I would definitely recommend reading this book and look forward to reading the second 'Planet Omar' book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed immersing in Omar’s world in this fast-paced chapter book from the minute I began reading to the end. Aimed for Lower Key Stage 2 - I think this book would be excellent for independent reading due to the accessible large font writing and short chapters. Also, the book could be used in whole class / shared reading sessions as there are lots of opportunities for discussion and reader interaction. I really enjoyed the interesting format of the words and pictures on each page which help engage and interest whilst reading, a good device for younger readers. I also liked the characterisation of the main characters and how many stereotypes were challenged, important for a book focused for primary ages.
September 14, 2020
I really enjoyed reading this book. I found it a very easy read which was easy to follow, which I think is really important for children, especially those who do not like to read as much. The sketches throughout are really good to break up the text and to keep entertained. At the start of the book, we meet the characters and find out information about them which I thought was really useful, I liked this a lot. The topics covered are educational for children, for example, the Islam religion but also themes such as making friends, starting school would be good in PSHE lessons.
August 18, 2020
Ontmoet Omar, een moslimjongen die net verhuist is naar een nieuwe plek en probeert vrienden te vinden en een plek te hebben waar hij blij kan zijn.
Ik was eerst een beetje onzeker of ik dit boek moest meenemen uit de bibliotheek, maar ik ben uiteindelijk heel blij dat ik het heb gedaan. Want dit was een grappig maar ook heel interessant boek.
Omar vond ik meteen een erg leuke hoofdpersoon, hij was grappig, vriendelijk, en hij was ook erg lief naar zijn zus en broertje. Ik vond het erg leuk hoe makkelijk hij vrienden maakte, ik zou ook wel die skill willen hebben, lijkt me een erg nuttige en handige skill.
Wat ik ook leuk vond aan het boek is dat Omar en zijn familie moslims zijn en we van alles leren over verschillende dingen in hun leven. Ik wist al een flink aantal dingen, maar ik heb ook wat nieuwe dingen geleerd. Ik moest wel lachen (net als Omar en zijn zus) hoe zijn moeder soms door het huis vloog omdat ze haar hoofddoek weer eens kwijt was en ze de deur open moest doen. We lezen ook over verschillende feesten, zoals het suikerfeest die ik wel eens heb gevierd met mijn basisschoolklas en ook met een vriendinnetje dat moslim(a) was.
Ik vond het tof dat de ouders wetenschappers waren en hun kinderen motiveerden om wat meer wetenschappelijk te denken en dat ze zelfs in het weekend proefjes deden. Waar je dan meteen ook het verschil zag tussen de ouders. Moeders wilde alles perfect, vaders vond het al best als de kinderen het tenminste probeerden.
Ondertussen zien we ook dat Omars zus in de puberteit belandt is en dat ze daardoor soms, voor Omar, vreemd reageert. Opeens boos worden, weglopen, maar dan ook weer heel vrolijk en blij zijn.
Ik vond het alleen heel jammer dat wederom (het lijkt wel een trend want ik zie het in steeds meer boeken) dat pestkopjes maar vergeven en bevriend moeten worden want boehoehohoeeh ze hebben het zo moeilijk vanwege (vul hier iets in wat toepasselijk is) en dus kunnen ze er niks aan doen dat ze een stel etters zijn. Ik vind het gewoon echt niks. Ik ben zelf een flinke tijd in mijn leven gepest, en sorry ik zou echt geen tiet geven om een zielige sobstory van een pester. Je hebt mijn leven verpest, me helemaal gebroken, ga weg met je sobstory. Dat geeft je echt geen reden om iemands leven te verpesten. Plus, het voelt voor mij gewoon alsof het een slecht bericht geeft aan mensen die gepest zijn. Ja, maar die arme pester(s) kon/kunnen er toch niks aan doen. Ach en wee. :|
We komen er ook achter waar de titel op slaat, en ik moest wel lachen. Omar toch. Wat een problemenmagneet ben je!
Het boek is ook heerlijk geillustreerd en er waren echt illustraties op bijna elke pagina, klein of groot.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Ik was eerst een beetje onzeker of ik dit boek moest meenemen uit de bibliotheek, maar ik ben uiteindelijk heel blij dat ik het heb gedaan. Want dit was een grappig maar ook heel interessant boek.
Omar vond ik meteen een erg leuke hoofdpersoon, hij was grappig, vriendelijk, en hij was ook erg lief naar zijn zus en broertje. Ik vond het erg leuk hoe makkelijk hij vrienden maakte, ik zou ook wel die skill willen hebben, lijkt me een erg nuttige en handige skill.
Wat ik ook leuk vond aan het boek is dat Omar en zijn familie moslims zijn en we van alles leren over verschillende dingen in hun leven. Ik wist al een flink aantal dingen, maar ik heb ook wat nieuwe dingen geleerd. Ik moest wel lachen (net als Omar en zijn zus) hoe zijn moeder soms door het huis vloog omdat ze haar hoofddoek weer eens kwijt was en ze de deur open moest doen. We lezen ook over verschillende feesten, zoals het suikerfeest die ik wel eens heb gevierd met mijn basisschoolklas en ook met een vriendinnetje dat moslim(a) was.
Ik vond het tof dat de ouders wetenschappers waren en hun kinderen motiveerden om wat meer wetenschappelijk te denken en dat ze zelfs in het weekend proefjes deden. Waar je dan meteen ook het verschil zag tussen de ouders. Moeders wilde alles perfect, vaders vond het al best als de kinderen het tenminste probeerden.
Ondertussen zien we ook dat Omars zus in de puberteit belandt is en dat ze daardoor soms, voor Omar, vreemd reageert. Opeens boos worden, weglopen, maar dan ook weer heel vrolijk en blij zijn.
Ik vond het alleen heel jammer dat wederom (het lijkt wel een trend want ik zie het in steeds meer boeken) dat pestkopjes maar vergeven en bevriend moeten worden want boehoehohoeeh ze hebben het zo moeilijk vanwege (vul hier iets in wat toepasselijk is) en dus kunnen ze er niks aan doen dat ze een stel etters zijn. Ik vind het gewoon echt niks. Ik ben zelf een flinke tijd in mijn leven gepest, en sorry ik zou echt geen tiet geven om een zielige sobstory van een pester. Je hebt mijn leven verpest, me helemaal gebroken, ga weg met je sobstory. Dat geeft je echt geen reden om iemands leven te verpesten. Plus, het voelt voor mij gewoon alsof het een slecht bericht geeft aan mensen die gepest zijn. Ja, maar die arme pester(s) kon/kunnen er toch niks aan doen. Ach en wee. :|
We komen er ook achter waar de titel op slaat, en ik moest wel lachen. Omar toch. Wat een problemenmagneet ben je!
Het boek is ook heerlijk geillustreerd en er waren echt illustraties op bijna elke pagina, klein of groot.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
July 15, 2019
This book follows a young Muslim boy called Omar. Him and his family have just moved house as his mum has just gotten her dream job. As a result of this, he has to start a new school and this made him very nervous as he thought his new teacher might be an alien. As you read this book, you follow the everyday life of Omar and you also go through the struggles that he is encountering at school, specifically with a young boy called Daniel. However, later on in the book when Omar and Daniel get lost, they forget all of their differences and join together to try and find the rest of their class.
At the beginning of this book, the reader is given some information about each member of Omar's family and a little illustration of them which I thought was a really good idea because the reader then instantly gets an idea of Omar's life.
I really enjoyed reading this book as I feel like it is very educational as it explains quite a lot about the Islam religion which can be useful when teaching children about Islam. Especially as it tells the reader about the different prayers that they do everyday, tells the reader about Ramadan and why they do it and also about the two different Eid's that Muslims celebrate throughout the year. Also, this book can teach children how they can stand up to bullies and what should do if they are being bullied in school. This book has excellent illustrations that go alongside the text and they are illustrations that make you feel like you are inside Omar's head and following him through every emotion that he feels.
This book opens up a cross curricular link to DT as quite frequently, Omar talks about the types of food that he eats which are native to his culture. As a class, children can find some of these recipes thatOmar has talked about and make them theirselves so children can experience food from different cultures and religions which they might not have tried otherwise.
I feel like this is a high quality text that can be used throughout KS2 and it encourages all children to be inclusive and not to judge people purely because of their religion. This book really emphasises the message about being accepting.
At the beginning of this book, the reader is given some information about each member of Omar's family and a little illustration of them which I thought was a really good idea because the reader then instantly gets an idea of Omar's life.
I really enjoyed reading this book as I feel like it is very educational as it explains quite a lot about the Islam religion which can be useful when teaching children about Islam. Especially as it tells the reader about the different prayers that they do everyday, tells the reader about Ramadan and why they do it and also about the two different Eid's that Muslims celebrate throughout the year. Also, this book can teach children how they can stand up to bullies and what should do if they are being bullied in school. This book has excellent illustrations that go alongside the text and they are illustrations that make you feel like you are inside Omar's head and following him through every emotion that he feels.
This book opens up a cross curricular link to DT as quite frequently, Omar talks about the types of food that he eats which are native to his culture. As a class, children can find some of these recipes thatOmar has talked about and make them theirselves so children can experience food from different cultures and religions which they might not have tried otherwise.
I feel like this is a high quality text that can be used throughout KS2 and it encourages all children to be inclusive and not to judge people purely because of their religion. This book really emphasises the message about being accepting.
May 3, 2019
Perfect for fans of Tom Gates and Wimpy Kid, this story about Omar and his Muslim family is funny and sweet, and ultimately very hopeful. (7+)
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. If you use it in any marketing material, online or anywhere on a published book without asking permission from me first, I will ask you to remove that use immediately. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. If you use it in any marketing material, online or anywhere on a published book without asking permission from me first, I will ask you to remove that use immediately. Thank you!*
November 21, 2020
“Welkom in de fantastische gedachten van Omar! Je kent me misschien nog niet, maar als je dit boek opendoet moet je zo hard lachen dat het snot uit je neus spuit.
In dit boek vind je: een nieuwe school, een nare pestkop, een draak en een zombie, een suikerfeest (jippie) en cadeautjes (dubbeljippie) en heel veel toestanden…”
En heel veel toestanden, dat is zeker! Planeet Omar is een boek voor kinderen van een jaar of 7 met een uitbundige typografie en lekker veel verbeelding. Ik zal niet zeggen dat er wat uit mijn neus spoot, maar hard lachen deed ik zeker.
Het boek begint als de familie van Omar net is verhuisd naar een nieuw huis en dit helaas ook een nieuwe school betekent. Voor geen enkel kind leuk, maar Omar noemt zichzelf ook nog eens een ware “probleemmagneet”, want overal waar hij gaat trekt hij problemen aan. Maar of dat altijd de schuld van Omar is?
Want met een nieuwe school komen nieuwe kinderen, en kinderen kunnen zo gemeen zijn tegen elkaar. “Jij bent moslim… Jullie kunnen maar beter teruggaan naar je eigen land voordat we jullie er allemaal uitschoppen.” En hoewel dit boek zich in Engeland afspeelt, is dit ook al maar al te herkenbaar in een Nederlandse context. Deze agressie komt voort uit onbegrip, uit een buurvrouw die niets te maken wil hebben met haar nieuwe buren - ze maken herrie, ze gebruiken te veel kruiden en dat stinkt - totdat ze een keer oog in oog met elkaar komen te staan. Allebei mensen.
En hoewel Omar zich afvraagt waar hij dan naar toe moet als alle moslims uit het land geschopt worden, en hier toch wel wat zorgen over heeft, is het ook duidelijk dat deze jongen trots is op zijn geloof. Want tussen de zorgen door vertelt Omar in al zijn enthousiasme over zijn thuisleven, tradities die voor zijn eigen familie heel normaal zijn. Over het suikerfeest, de mooiste moskee die hij ooit heeft gezien. En met die trots kun je zelfde de ergste toestanden overwinnen, zelfs een pestkop.
Het is verfrissend om een boek als Planeet Omar tegen te komen, beide omdat het je toestaat om even echt te lachen, de verbeelding van Omar is heerlijk raar. En ook omdat Omar mag zijn wie hij is, ik hoop dat veel kinderen kennis met hem mogen maken.
In dit boek vind je: een nieuwe school, een nare pestkop, een draak en een zombie, een suikerfeest (jippie) en cadeautjes (dubbeljippie) en heel veel toestanden…”
En heel veel toestanden, dat is zeker! Planeet Omar is een boek voor kinderen van een jaar of 7 met een uitbundige typografie en lekker veel verbeelding. Ik zal niet zeggen dat er wat uit mijn neus spoot, maar hard lachen deed ik zeker.
Het boek begint als de familie van Omar net is verhuisd naar een nieuw huis en dit helaas ook een nieuwe school betekent. Voor geen enkel kind leuk, maar Omar noemt zichzelf ook nog eens een ware “probleemmagneet”, want overal waar hij gaat trekt hij problemen aan. Maar of dat altijd de schuld van Omar is?
Want met een nieuwe school komen nieuwe kinderen, en kinderen kunnen zo gemeen zijn tegen elkaar. “Jij bent moslim… Jullie kunnen maar beter teruggaan naar je eigen land voordat we jullie er allemaal uitschoppen.” En hoewel dit boek zich in Engeland afspeelt, is dit ook al maar al te herkenbaar in een Nederlandse context. Deze agressie komt voort uit onbegrip, uit een buurvrouw die niets te maken wil hebben met haar nieuwe buren - ze maken herrie, ze gebruiken te veel kruiden en dat stinkt - totdat ze een keer oog in oog met elkaar komen te staan. Allebei mensen.
En hoewel Omar zich afvraagt waar hij dan naar toe moet als alle moslims uit het land geschopt worden, en hier toch wel wat zorgen over heeft, is het ook duidelijk dat deze jongen trots is op zijn geloof. Want tussen de zorgen door vertelt Omar in al zijn enthousiasme over zijn thuisleven, tradities die voor zijn eigen familie heel normaal zijn. Over het suikerfeest, de mooiste moskee die hij ooit heeft gezien. En met die trots kun je zelfde de ergste toestanden overwinnen, zelfs een pestkop.
Het is verfrissend om een boek als Planeet Omar tegen te komen, beide omdat het je toestaat om even echt te lachen, de verbeelding van Omar is heerlijk raar. En ook omdat Omar mag zijn wie hij is, ik hoop dat veel kinderen kennis met hem mogen maken.
July 16, 2020
I really enjoyed this book - I finished it in around 2 hours during a slow shift at work! liked the way it was written, as writing from a child’s point of view can sometimes feel awkward as authors try to be overly silly. I didn’t feel this with this book - Omar’s fun attitude and extreme imagination were captured perfectly. I also loved the educational aspects, as I know a lot more about Islam and it’s traditions than I did before. This would be a great class read in general, but especially around the time of Ramadan as children could learn more about it in a fun way.
July 12, 2022
4.5 stars
January 16, 2022
Absolutely fantastic book that is very well written and is hilarious as well as being a good informative way to teach children about other cultures. Myself and my 9 year old son really enjoyed reading it
August 12, 2020
I found this book very mediocre, but both my kids (aged 6 and 9) absolutely loved it so maybe I'm wrong and they are right!
September 8, 2020
Really engaging read that introduces the reader to Islam.The character seems relatable to any child that has "felt being different is a negative thing."
I also liked that this booked showed one way of dealing negative emotions such as anger or fear by using your imagination, this could be useful in a classroom when dealing with a child who struggles with dealing appropriately with their emotions.
I also liked that this booked showed one way of dealing negative emotions such as anger or fear by using your imagination, this could be useful in a classroom when dealing with a child who struggles with dealing appropriately with their emotions.
September 30, 2019
This book is based on a Muslim boy called Omar and his experiences of moving to a new unfamiliar place. His family move to a new house and he has to join a new school- this book looks at the struggles he faces during his time there. Later on, in the book he gets lost on a trip with his enemy Daniel, they forget their differences are work together to find everyone else. What I really enjoyed about this book is Omar’s imagination, he finds ordinary things and creates his own world which is enjoyable to read. Also, this book offers good insights into a Muslim household which is something that we don’t often get- the education and cross curricular possibilities (especially in Re) are huge. This book is very relatable for children as well due to the big emphasis and focus on bulling- through this book children may gain knowledge on how to stand up to a bully and deal with the at school.
September 18, 2019
On the face of it, this book can come across in a humorous way, however the most important aspects of the book are the more mature themes such as acceptance. Omar faces th challenge of settling in to an entirely new environment. Although it was enjoyable reading this book for pleasure as an individual, I think it is a perfect text for use within a group or class as a tool for discussion of some of the issues that it effectively tackles.
The issue of inclusion is present in many, if not all classrooms in some form or another, and literature is the perfect way to make children aware of some of the things that are happening around them, in a more subtle way. Not only could this be used in a fictional way during English lessons but also as a way of introducing citizenship for example in PSHE to older children who can relate and empathise with the themes of the book.
All in all this book is definitely the type that I enjoy reading. The illustrations certainly help with the flow of the book and make the reading easier for young children.
The issue of inclusion is present in many, if not all classrooms in some form or another, and literature is the perfect way to make children aware of some of the things that are happening around them, in a more subtle way. Not only could this be used in a fictional way during English lessons but also as a way of introducing citizenship for example in PSHE to older children who can relate and empathise with the themes of the book.
All in all this book is definitely the type that I enjoy reading. The illustrations certainly help with the flow of the book and make the reading easier for young children.
April 29, 2021
I listened to this on audio and after reading other reviews I realize I missed the fun part of this book. The story was okay -- it felt forced childish at times, but the author did an amazing job presenting Muslim traditions without seeming like he was teaching the reader.
September 19, 2019
I really liked this book as it felt unique compared to other children's books I have read. This was in terms of it being informally written, being in 1st person and the use of different texts and fonts to reflect the characters feelings. The text and font also highlighted words that needed more emphasis and exaggeration. I also liked the fact that this book promotes diversity about a Muslim boy and is family but is also very informative about their religion and traditions. Therefore, I think this would be a great book to teach children about this religion in the classroom as it is a fun read and there are parts in the story that explain the relgion in very simplistic ways in an informal manner for children to understand.
Likes: I really like how their are lots of metaphors and similies used by Omar as this is what makes him have such a great imagination. It is informative as well as humorous so it is a fun way to learn about Islam.
Dislikes: I didn't dislike anything about this book.
Patterns: The Muslim traditions, the imaginary dragon popping into his head when he is in trouble as it helps to keep him calm.
Puzzles: The storyline kept you on your toes to see how Omar and Daniel were going to get on together when they were lost on the school trip.
Likes: I really like how their are lots of metaphors and similies used by Omar as this is what makes him have such a great imagination. It is informative as well as humorous so it is a fun way to learn about Islam.
Dislikes: I didn't dislike anything about this book.
Patterns: The Muslim traditions, the imaginary dragon popping into his head when he is in trouble as it helps to keep him calm.
Puzzles: The storyline kept you on your toes to see how Omar and Daniel were going to get on together when they were lost on the school trip.
October 2, 2019
I have to be honest, upon seeing the cover of this book I definitely wasn't pulled towards reading it. It looked too -comic like' for me. However, as the saying goes 'don't judge a book by it's cover', well that couldn't be more true in this case. I ended up loving it!! Firstly, the book is written in first person from the POV of Omar, a young muslim boy who has had to leave his old life behind and come and start a new one in England. I like this style of writing because it is almost childlike and very simplistic; therefore making it so much easier and accessible for any child to relate too. My favourite parts of the book were when Omar educated us as readers about his family traditions as Muslim's such as Ramadan and fasting and the different types of prayer. I think this would be a great book to use as a cross curricular link between RE and literacy, and I cannot wait to use it in my classroom.
Another reason I fell in love with the book was the journey we got to see Omar and Daniel go on, and how every child who has ever felt scared, alone or out of place will be able to see themselves reflected in this story.
Another reason I fell in love with the book was the journey we got to see Omar and Daniel go on, and how every child who has ever felt scared, alone or out of place will be able to see themselves reflected in this story.
April 9, 2020
The story: Omar has just moved to a new school and is kind of afraid that the teacher and the kids in his new class won't like him (it's already clear that the mean lady next door, Mrs. Rogers, doesn't.) It doesn't take long to find out that things aren't as bad as he expected, except for Daniel, who's much WORSE than he expected. It takes Omar and Daniel's getting lost on the subway, being chased by a homeless guy who just might be a zombie, and finally being saved by a man at the mosque, for both kids to come to a better understanding of who can become a friend.
June Cleaver's ratings: Langauge G; Violence (bullying) PG; Sexual content G; Language G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes G; overall rating G.
Liz's comments: While Omar really is very funny, he is also clearly about 10 years old, or in fourth grade. If you feel your MS kids will "read down" in age in order to get a book with Wimpy-Kid-type illustrations, go ahead and get it. If not--hand them Remy Lai's book "Fly on the Wall" for the same type of book with a clearly older main character.
June Cleaver's ratings: Langauge G; Violence (bullying) PG; Sexual content G; Language G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes G; overall rating G.
Liz's comments: While Omar really is very funny, he is also clearly about 10 years old, or in fourth grade. If you feel your MS kids will "read down" in age in order to get a book with Wimpy-Kid-type illustrations, go ahead and get it. If not--hand them Remy Lai's book "Fly on the Wall" for the same type of book with a clearly older main character.
August 8, 2019
I enjoyed reading ‘Planet Omar’ because it was funny and enjoyable. Also, it is not the usual type of book I’d pick up to read.
I liked the layout of the pages because they made it more interesting to read. I think that this would make children enjoy reading the book more. Also, I loved the fact that the story focused on Omar and I learnt a lot about his culture and religion. It would be great book to use in RE. However, it could also be used in PSHCE lesson when looking at bullying or starting a new school.
The book layout reminds me of ‘the Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ stories because of the use of illustrations and different font styles. Also, both of the books are told through the eyes of a young boy going to school. Personally, I prefer ‘Planet Omar’ to the ‘Diary of the Wimpy Kid’ books because it covers more challenging topics.
Overall, I loved reading the book and I recommend it to be used in the classroom.
I liked the layout of the pages because they made it more interesting to read. I think that this would make children enjoy reading the book more. Also, I loved the fact that the story focused on Omar and I learnt a lot about his culture and religion. It would be great book to use in RE. However, it could also be used in PSHCE lesson when looking at bullying or starting a new school.
The book layout reminds me of ‘the Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ stories because of the use of illustrations and different font styles. Also, both of the books are told through the eyes of a young boy going to school. Personally, I prefer ‘Planet Omar’ to the ‘Diary of the Wimpy Kid’ books because it covers more challenging topics.
Overall, I loved reading the book and I recommend it to be used in the classroom.
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