Aarzu All Around is making the rounds!
I'm a published MG author- find out more, engage on socials, read a helpful blogpost and enter the giveaways!
AAA is finally out…
I thought this day would never come, but it’s been three whole days that Aarzu has been out in the world and it feels surreal.
Please judge this book by its cover ;)
About the book
Living with her aunt and patriarchal uncle in Karachi, Pakistan, recently orphaned twelve-year-old Aarzu detests the way she and her younger sister get treated like extras and excluded from all the fun stuff. Aarzu dreams of playing cricket, just like her male cousins and the neighborhood boys in the streets, but her uncle will hear nothing of it. According to him, girls ought to master the art of making round rotis, not play sports.
When her sister requires urgent medical treatment but finances are tight, Aarzu decides to earn money herself. She hears of a part-time job at a bungalow near her school—but it’s only open to boys. Aarzu has no choice but to disguise herself as a turban-wearing boy to get the gig.
Now, Aarzu must find a way to balance school, work, chores, and secret cricket practices—all without burning out or getting caught by her uncle—or else her dreams of making the girls cricket team and her quest to save her sister will crumble around her.
When I saw Chaaya Prabhat’s gorgeous art for this book, I fell in love. Since the book is set in Karachi, and since Bougainvillea are in bloom all year round in Karachi, I couldn’t resist getting some gorgeous shots in my neighborhood!
Raves and Reviews
Heartfelt and triumphant. Like a sharply bowled cricket ball, Aarzu All Around spins the story of an orphaned Pakistani girl’s efforts to overcome societal expectations and save her sister.
– Rajani LaRocca, Newbery Honor-Winning Author of Red, White and Whole
As skillful as an all-rounder, Abbas delivers a lyrical action-packed debut full of determination and grit. Underneath beautiful sensory details lies an empowering message: Never give up or take no for an answer. As a cricket fan, I’ve been searching for a feel-good story like Aarzu’s all my life!
– Reem Faruqi, Award-winning author of Unsettled, Golden Girl, Call Me Adnan, and upcoming Zarina Divided,
Giveaway
I designed my giveaways keeping everyone (teachers, librarians, readers, authors, asiring authors) in mind.
Giveaway 1- For teachers and librarians: A free virtual author visit for your students (preferably once they’ve read the book)
Giveaway 2- For Aspiring and Published Authors: an AMA call or a free manuscript critique or a class of your choice from the offerings on my website www.marziehabbas.com/classes
Giveaway 3- For Readers: A copy of AAA
For details about how to enter, click the botton below. Good luck!
Guest Blog Post and Giveaway with Literary Rambles
I am also giving away a book through Literary Rambles and have a blogpost aspiring and published authors would find helpful. Here’s an excerpt:
It’s been two years since my debut picture book, A DUPATTA IS…, was published by Feiwel & Friends, Macmillan. I have since had the pleasure of birthing five more picture book babies and two board book babies. And this July, my debut novel, Aarzu All Around, a novel in verse, comes out with Simon & Schuster. I’ve also written eighteen books in the Nadia & Nadir early reader series and about twelve books for various publishers in the educational market. I’m also learning to illustrate and maybe someday I’ll make the art to go with my words *fingers crossed*. Over the years I’ve learnt a thing or two about the publishing industry and my own process that I would love to share with fellow creators.
Learning As You Go Through Your Author Career
1. Write Across Genres: The publishing industry is slow (from writing to revising, and then even once a manuscript is acquired to the time the book releases). The main advice I got at the start of my career was to start work on my next manuscript. But with limiting option clauses and the slow pace of the industry, it became apparent that selling more work in the picture book market was going to take a while. That’s when I began working on longer form manuscripts and reading and writing across several genres.
This cover is stunning!