Perfect for fans of Ivy & Bean and Stella Diaz, this charming chapter book series by the author of the successful Yasmin series follows a Pakistani American third-grader whose plans may backfire but whose persistence and heart are inspiring.

It’s time for her class’s country project, and Marya is super excited. She loves public speaking, and she’s assigned Pakistan, where her family is from.

But Marya has two problems: She doesn’t actually know very much about her grandparents’ country, and she’s paired with new kid Waleed, who is so shy he can barely talk, let alone present to the class. Marya figures if she can just befriend Waleed, he’ll help her make the best project ever.

It’s time for Operation Make a Friend! But how do you make a friend? Play sports? Make jokes? With time running out before the big presentation, Marya worries she’ll never get this Waleed kid to loosen up. But after researching a lot about friendship—and Pakistan—she might be able to save this project yet!

"A wonderful addition to any collection, this story offers insights into Pakistani culture and the challenges—and rewards—of making new friends in a new place."―School Library Journal

"The book’s strength lies in Faruqi’s ability to recreate the ups and downs of Marya’s experiences within her family and her school community. Both the vivid character portrayals and the many grayscale illustrations will please readers of this transitional chapter book from the enjoyable Marya Khan series." ―Booklist

Read all of the books in the Marya Khan series:

Marya Khan and the Incredible Henna Party (#1)
Marya Khan and the Fabulous Jasmine Garden (#2)
Marya Khan and the Spectacular Fall Festival (#3)
Marya Khan and the Awesome Adventure Park (#4)
Marya Khan and the Disastrous Class Project (#5)
Marya Khan and the Abominable Ski Trip (#6)

Saadia Faruqi