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Came across this link on Twitter. It's a 360-degree animated film created to accompany a story by Khaled Hosseini. Powerful stuff

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Sea Prayer: a 360 story inspired by refugee Alan Kurdi

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Exclusive: Novelist Khaled Hosseini marks the second anniversary of three-year-old Syrian boy's death with an illustrated story animated in a virtual reality film

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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With summer vacation fully underway hanging out with my three boys and squeezing in writing time has been keeping me quite busy but I'm happy to have some time now to share some amazing updates for AMAL UNBOUND. Thank you so much for supporting this book, for buying it and recommending it to your local libraries and reviewing it. It means so much to me. Without further ado:

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Thrilled to share that AMAL UNBOUND now has four starred reviews. The latest one is from School Library Journal which stated in part:

Saeed's middle grade debut shares an empowering message about the importance of family, literacy, and cultural ties. The rich storytelling, nuanced characterization of an all-Pakistani cast, complex and layered look at the socioeconomics of the region, and richly described setting make this ultimately hopeful contemporary tale a good alternative to Gloria Whelan's Homeless Bird and Patricia McCormick's Sold. VERDICT A strong choice for all middle grade shelves, especially where readers are seeking stories about young girls in non-Western countries overcoming adversity.

You can read the full review here!

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AMAL UNBOUND debuted on the New York Times Best Seller List! Link

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Grateful to indie bookstores who voted AMAL UNBOUND as a Summer 2018 Indie's Next Pick!

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Amazon editors named AMAL UNBOUND one of the best books of 2018 so far! Link

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AMAL UNBOUND is part of The Washington Post's Summer Book Club series of Unlikely Heroes along with other really amazing titles! Amal will be discussed with a closer look on August 1st.

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The Christian Science Monitor reviewed AMAL UNBOUND here. They said in part:

This empowering story from Pakistani American writer Saeed will show young readers how equality, justice, and bravery - even when you're frightened of the consequences - are more than headlines.

And other amazing places that have covered AMAL UNBOUND recently:

The Statesman: review here

Literary Atlanta: interview here

New Hampshire Public Radio: shout out here

Atlanta Journal Constitution: review here

Publisher's Weekly: interview here

ABC Action News: shout out here

My Statesman (Austin): review here

Buffalo News: Review here

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Global Read Aloud Information!
I am so thrilled and honored that AMAL UNBOUND has been chosen as a GRA2018 title and I am loving hearing from teachers around the world. I am looking forward to participating in GRA in the fall and to that end here are a list of a few upcoming things I will be doing for GRA:

- Extension Activities and Resources: I will have a tab coming up by end of August with extension activities and resources that I have compiled as well as resources and lesson plans and hyperdocs that amazing teachers have put together. (These would be beneficial even beyond GRA!)

- Student Q&A Video Blog: I will be doing a video blog once a week to answer questions received throughout the week during the GRA time frame. I will make every effort to get through as many questions as I can.

- Skype Drawings: I will draw one name of a classroom each week of GRA to do a free Skype visit with the class. You only need to enter once, once you enter your name will be in each drawing for the remainder of GRA until//if your class is chosen. Winner will be announced on the Video Blog each week.
(Note: Paid Skype Visits will also be available, for more information on that please feel free to e-mail me.)
- Author Letter Drawings: I will draw one name of a classroom each week of GRA to receive a personalized letter from me which will include some fun facts about AMAL UNBOUND and a class set (30) of sticker quotes as well. Winner will be announced on the Video Blog each week. You only need to enter once, you'll stay in the drawing through the course of GRA. To enter please e-mail me at aishasaeedwrites@gmail.com with a) your name b) school name c) City and/or State

( Note: You may enter for both the author letter drawing and skype drawing in the same e-mail)

Want a reminder of these opportunities? I send out newsletters very sparsely (four times a year at the most) and my next one will be sent out right before GRA begins. Link to subscribe to my newsletter is here.

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AMAL UNBOUND is a 2018-2019 Project Lit Community Selection! Link here.
Please note: Project Lit Community participants may also participate in the GRA opportunities outlined above!
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And finally, school visits for the 2018-2019 school year are starting to fill up! As a former teacher I love to do school visits. School visit information is here. To book a school visit please contact The Author Village at: hello@theauthorvillage.com

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AMAL UNBOUND updates and Global Read Aloud information!

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With summer vacation fully underway hanging out with my three boys and squeezing in writing time has been keeping me quite busy but I'm happy to have some time now to share some amazing updates for AMAL UNBOUND. Thank you so much for supporting this book, for buying it and recommending it to your local libraries and reviewing it.