At Virtual Roundtable Reading, young readers are invited to read aloud to each other from the opening pages of a good book. We read from on-screen text for about an hour. A few days later, children who participated in the session will get a copy of the book in the mail to continue reading at home. Sign up for this event on Wednesday, September 8, or Thursday, September 9, when the sign-up link will be active on this page. The meeting link will be sent to you on the morning of Saturday, September 11.

Shenanigans! Omar’s sort of prone to them. He also has a HUGE imagination. And compared to his sister, who “knows 28 surahs of the Qur’an by heart,” maybe he treats prayer like magic wishes from a genie. When his family moves to a new town and school, he makes new friends, but at the same time, a mean neighbor complains about “the Muslims next door” and a school bully tells him to leave the country “before we kick you all out.” Omar’s stouthearted responses to the bullying and narrow-mindedness he encounters will surprise and encourage you. Zanib Mian’s text is broken up with fun illustrations by Nasaya Mafaridik; the text and images combine to express Omar’s irrepressible spirit and sense of humor while addressing prejudice and racism in a relatable way.