Read Planet Omar 1 – Accidental Trouble Magnet free for 7 days. £7.99/month after - less than a paperback.
Zanib Mian's Accidental Trouble Magnet is the first Planet Omar book, a funny family story for 7 year olds told by a boy with a HUGE imagination and a brand new school to face.
Omar doesn't like change. He'd keep his comfiest pyjamas forever if Mum let him. So moving house for Mum's dream job, and starting a new school on Monday, has given him bad dreams about teachers.
His way of coping is brilliant. He imagines a dragon called H2O (his parents are scientists) who flies beside the car and messes about at the classroom window.
School turns out mostly fine. Mrs Hutchinson has curls that bounce when she's happy. Charlie has a missing front tooth and a huge grin, and he's Omar's best friend almost straight away. The problem is Daniel.
Home is the best bit. Science Sundays mean tornadoes in bottles and glitter all over the floor. Little brother Esa blows a whistle in the middle of prayers at the mosque. Big sister Maryam is grumpy one minute and giggling the next. You get it all in Omar's chatty voice, and he's very good company.
His family's faith is simply part of the week. Omar explains things as he goes, like why he spat over his shoulder after a nightmare (and how it landed on Esa). When Ramadan comes he's desperate to try fasting. He's hoping the reward might be a Ferrari.
Then there's Mrs Rogers next door. She says "Humph" over the fence and shuts the door on them when they call round with chocolates. Omar's mum sends biryani anyway.
Daniel's bullying gets nasty. He tips sand over Omar's lunch and tries to headbutt him. He says Omar's mum looks like a witch and tells him to go back to his country before "we kick you all out". His twelve-year-old cousin says it's true, and Omar lies awake believing his family will be sent to Pakistan.
If your child has heard words like that, or would be frightened by the idea, read this one together. Omar meets it with jokes, prayers and his dragon, and his family couldn't be more loving.
This is the American edition, so it's Mom, soccer and recess, even though Omar's cousins live in Manchester.
If the new-school nerves and the noisy family go down well, try Anh Do's WeirDo. Weir is the new boy too, with a big sister, a toddler brother and a surname that makes the whole class laugh.
A library hand-picked by an English teacher, delivered through a calm, ad-free app. If your child already loves reading, we keep up.
7-day free trial. Then £7.99/month.
