Title: Power Forward
Series: Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream #1
Release Date: 05/08/2018
Published by: Salaam Reads / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genre: Middle Grade
Pages: 144
ISBN13: 9781534411999

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Praise for Power Forward

Zayd is a sympathetic protagonist, and his story is told with humor and artfully filled with interesting cultural matter…Readers will cheer for Zayd and look forward to the next volume. Kirkus Reviews
A promising series opener featuring a welcome diverse main character that will appeal to plenty of sports-loving readers. Booklist

Awards and Lists

A Junior Library Guild Selection

Young Hoosier Book Award Nominee (IN)

Oregon Battle of the Books List

Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best

Great Stone Face Book Award Nominee (NH)

Sunshine State Young Readers’ Award List (FL)

Bluestem Book Award Master List (IL)

Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year Selection Title

Horned Toad Tales List (TX)

Wisconsin State Reading Association’s Reading List

POWER FORWARD is the first book in an exciting chapter book series about a fourth-grader with big dreams of basketball stardom.

Fourth grader Zayd Saleem has some serious hoop dreams. He’s not just going to be a professional basketball player. He’s going to be a star. A legend. The first Pakistani-American kid to make it to the NBA. He knows this deep in his soul. It’s his destiny. There are only a few small things in his way.

For starters, Zayd’s only on the D-team. (D stands for developmental, but to Zayd it’s always felt like a bad grade or something.) Not to mention, he’s a bit on the scrawny side, even for the fourth grade team. But his best friend Adam is on the Gold Team, and it’s Zayd’s dream for the two of them to play together.

His mom and dad don’t get it. They want him to practice his violin way more than his jump shot. When he gets caught blowing off his violin lessons to practice, Zayd’s parents lay down the ultimate punishment: he has to hang up his high tops and isn’t allowed to play basketball anymore.

As tryouts for the Gold Team approach, Zayd has to find the courage to stand up for himself and chase his dream.

Also in this series:

Reading Guide

Reading Group Guide to Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream

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