What a surprisingly delightful book about a Moroccan boy named Mustafa in his father’s rug shop. Helping his father, Mustafa finds a beautiful carpet with a hole in it and asks his father if he can have it. His father agrees if in turn he promises to work on phrases in a variety of languages to help them sell carpets to tourists. The boy agrees, but doesn’t put much effort in until in a moment of fun, he puts the carpet over his head, peeking through the hole, and runs out into the bazaar. A rooster begins following him and as the tourists gather around, Mustafa, and the reader learn what a rooster says in five languages. In Morocco:Kho Kho Hou Houuu!
In France: Co-co-ri-co! In Spain: Qui-qui-ri-qui! In England: Cock-a-doodle-doo! In Japan: Koke-ko-kooo!
The pictures really bring the story to life and connect the story to the reader. I look forward to reading this book aloud during story time as I think the kids will see themselves in the Muslim characters in the bazaar, and see the different cultures all in one place just as they do in their classes. At 32 pages the book is simple and memorable with large print and not too many words on the page. It has an AR level of 2.2 and I think the kids will laugh and contribute to the sounds roosters make. The story is completely clean, enjoyable, and memorable.