BISMIILLAH AL-RAHMAN AL-RAHIM
Reviewing Children & YA Islamic Fiction, Books by Muslim Authors, & Books Featuring Muslim Characters
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Landing in Place by Sherine Hamdy illustrated by Myra El Mir
I think first and foremost I want to stress that this is a mature YA read. The majority of the book takes place after the protagonist has graduated high school, it involves a toxic mother who smokes, politics, romantic relationships, generational trauma, death, commentary on Islamic practices, relationships with opposite genders including when they are LGBTQ+, lying, and some profanity. YA is classified as 12 and up, which given the graphic novel format, and the plot of her coming of age, I entered the book viewing it from an Islamic school librarian lens of handing or shelving the book for…
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Hafsa’s Way by Aisha Saeed
It definitely helped going in to this 224 page middle grade novel knowing that it would not have any Islam, and would most likely be a cultural read at best, based on the previous two companion books. By managing my expectations, I wasn’t overly bothered that there were only two Islamic references: fajr, as a time denoter, and the mosque, as a location marker. Sadly no salaams, religious expressions as a storm ravages a city, or duas made even when a supporting characters mentions that his dad says they should pray, and Hafsa dismisses it as not being enough. Overall,…
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Hail Mariam by Huda Al Marashi
In 188 pages, this middle grade book packs a lot in: immigrant children expectations, the similarities and differences between Catholics and Muslims, Sunnis and Shias, culture and religion, all while sixth grader Mariam is starting a new school, a Catholic one- as a Muslim, having her first period start during church, and handling her sister’s health crisis. Throw in Ramadan, Bibi coming to visit, family dynamics, friendships new and old, and a school Christmas play, and phew, just writing all that out seems exhaustive, yet somehow the book doesn’t get bogged down in the heaviness of it all. It stays…
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I’m learning how to build this website and make it user friendly, forgive me that it is a work in progress. I am not sure how to include more than 100 posts in each age group, nor why some are so terribly miscategorized.
Reviewing Children & YA Islamic Fiction, Books by Muslim Authors, & Books Featuring Muslim Characters
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Islamic School Librarian 