Marya Khan and the ­Abominable Ski Trip

Gr 1-4–This fulfilling sixth installment of this series follows the ever-enthusiastic adventurer and third grader, Pakistani American Marya Kahn. It’s winter break, and all Marya wants to do is drink hot chocolate and have sleepovers with her best friend Hanna—but Marya’s “Winter Break of Fun” dreams are foiled when her frenemy, Alexa, invites them both to the very fancy Mountain Valley Ski Resort. Just before the girls head out to the mountains, Marya’s older sister Aliyah taunts her about the Abominable Snowman, sparking Marya’s determination to prove her bravery by catching the snow monster. Faruqi maintains a strong, sincere voice for Marya; her dramatic flair, spunk, and relentless ambition create laugh-out-loud lines while gently drawing out her real-kid vulnerabilities which will strongly resonate with readers. Marya’s internal dialogue is smooth and genuine, further developing relationships with well-loved secondary characters. As with previous titles, the authentic portrayal of a ­Pakistani family is neatly integrated ­throughout the plot. Readers don’t have to be familiar with the entire series to know and love Marya’s world; this title is certainly strong enough to stand on its own, however Marya Khan’s fans will appreciate brief callbacks to previous books. ­Bushry’s black-and-white illustrations provide ­helpful visual cues to Marya’s daydreams and challenges, emphasizing both emotional and plot-­driven turns in the story.