Jan31

Mr. Wolf’s Class by Aron Nels Steinke

Posted on January 31, 2020 by islamicschoollibrarian

I know this AR 2.1, 156 page graphic novel probably doesn’t deserve a review, but for as important as OWN voice books are, books with Muslim characters thrown in the mix are important for representation too. Yes sometimes we are the star and we definitely need to tell our own stories, but we are also friends, and side-kicks and supporters too. In this case we are a purple duck with a headscarf named Aziza, that thinks she is smarter than the other 4th graders in Mr. Wolf’s class, but fits right in with the quirkiness of the anthrmorphized cast too. There is nothing mentioned about the scarf or about Aziza’s faith, there is also a boy named Abdi in the class that is a cat and could also be Muslim, but really, in this silly book which is the start of a series, I was just so giddy to see a Muslim included and grateful for the representation.

SYNOPSIS:

It is the first day of 4th grade and Mr. Wolf is nervous. Margot is new too, but the other kids seem to know each other already. Aziza, Abdi, Randy, Sampson, Henry, Penny, Bobby, Lola, Oliver, Stewart, Miguel, Noah, Molly, Lizzy, Oscar, and Johnny are all different animals and all unique. The book is really just a handful of the characters trying to survive the first day of school. Whether it be confronting another teacher about stealing your stapler, making a friend on the bus, having rats steal your lunch, falling asleep in a box because your new baby brother kept you up on all night, or trying to figure out why you have to show your work when on a math assessment. The book will resonate with kids 2-4th grade and make them giggle at the silliness of it all.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love that the teacher is more nervous than the kids about the first day of school and that they all seem to be doing the best they can. Aziza is earily irritated by her classmates who don’t seem to want to do their work, but she is no more annoying than the other students and all seem to have diverse backgrounds and issues at hand. The author was an educator and the book reads true to any one who has littles or has been in a school environment, making it all the more charming. There are four books thus far in the series and my kids say Aziza features prominantly in the second book too. I have had this book in my house for a while now, and for some reason just now paid attention to the cover today when begrudgingly scolding my kids about leaving books out everywhere. I asked if the duck had on a hijab and two of my boys without budging to put away said book, replied, “yeah it is Aziza.” As if seeing a muhajaba duck is the norm, who knows maybe it is. So, I sat down to read the book with enthusiasm and 20 minutes later, thought how great it is to be included. Representation does shape perception, and non Muslim kids may not think anything of it, or my own kids who are flooded with Islamic fiction books, but I can only imagine how ecstatic I would have been as a kid to be included as the norm without fanfare or explanation given.

FLAGS:

They talk about if farts are better or ice cream in the creation of a venn diagram.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

Wouldn’t do it for a book club, but would definitely have it in a class library and school library. Fun book, seemingly fun series, and easy reading for all levels.

https://www.mrwolfsclass.com/interviews-and-press

Jan27

Teach Us Your Name by Huda Essa illustrated by Diana Cojocaru

Posted on January 27, 2020 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Teach Us Your Name by Huda Essa illustrated by Diana Cojocaru

This book will resonate and empower anyone who has a “different” name, and hopefully provide insight and awareness for us all. This 32 page picture book for grades 1st and up has a self empowering message, a confidence building approach, and problem solving tips to achieve a desired goal in a respectful way. Written by a Muslim author, the book’s text is well done, unfortunately the pictures are inconsistent to me, some are beautiful and detailed, others seem rushed and unfinished.

There are 20 letters in Kareemalayaseenadeen’s name, and the first day of school is such a stress for her. She fears the teacher stumbling over her name, the other children laughing, and her unable to tell them how to pronounce her name correctly. Her mom tries to explain that for some people the kids at school have hard names, and that for some people her name is easy.

She reflects that in fact no one has ever made fun of her for her name, but that in history class she never sees her name, or on TV or in movies or on key chains. She can hardly fit her name on her worksheets, and fitting it on banners is impossible too. Eventually the kids kust call her Karma-Deen and even though she dislikes it, she is too shy to speak up.

Over the summer, Kareemalayaseenadeen goes on vacation to visit family. She doesn’t even think much about her name where everyone can pronounce it and say it with ease. Her Sittee though, has heard about her anxiety and sits with her to help her work through it.

Sittee asks Kareemalayaseenadeen if she knows that her name means “excellent guidance” and that her name is a big part of her. If she doesn’t like her name she isn’t liking an important part of herself. She then urges her grandaughter to guide others on the proper way to pronounce her name.

On the flight home, she ponders her grandma’s words and how to guide others to proper pronouncation, without being rude or settling on them shortening her name. When she gets home she puts her plan in to action. And it works!

When Kareemalayaseenadeen grows up, she becomes a teacher and each year she reads this book she has written (the one I’m reviewing) and asks her students to teach her how to say their names.

The importance of how valuing someones name values the person and their family and culture is really one that as a society we have to keep working on. We can say names from Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars and Game of Thrones with no problem, so why can’t we try and pronounce someone’s name who is real and next to us and important to us? We have become lazy, and we need to do better, this book is sweet and kind and should really be read regularly as a reminder to us all, that names are beautiful.

There is nothing religious about the book or even culture specific. There is a hijabi in the illustration of the market place in the unspecified “overseas country” and the name Kareemalayaseenadeen has Arabic bits, but a lot of names do as well, grandma is refereed to as Sitti, but isn’t defined, so the book is definitely meant for eveyone, especially those who will never find their name on a mug at a gift shop!

Jan24

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Posted on January 24, 2020 by islamicschoollibrarian

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In many ways this 338 page dystopian YA fiction book focuses more on romance than the super human powers the 17 year old protagonist has and the role she will play in the resistance. That isn’t to say the book is bad, just that it isn’t as high action, or reform-a-broken-world, or even use-my-super-powers-to-save-myself-and-those-around-me as I had hoped. It is more a lot of self loathing, desire, and anger. That being said, I am on the fence about reading the rest of the series, as this is the start of a six book series, with two “half” novellas interjected in and being told from other characters’ perspectives. If this was a show pilot, however, I would let Netflix automatically start the next episode until I had binge watched the entire season, not necessarily because the story is great, or the characters amazing, or the writing stellar, but because it is easy and fun and you really want to suspend belief and know who all these attractive mutated teens running a broken world are, and yes you will roll your eyes at the syrupy sweet lust filled pages, but it is YA so maybe I’m just overly cynical and 15 year olds and up will enjoy it. It is an AR 4.3, but the language, violence, and romantic build ups should not be read by 4th graders.

SYNOPSIS:

The book starts with Juliette counting how many days she has been locked up in a cell, 264, void of human interaction of any sort and hinting at the reason her parents feared her and turned her in. She is then joined by a male cellmate, Adam, one she slowly realizes she remembers from her youth and is in love with. As he asks her questions we learn a bit about her power and the state of the world. Juliette can kill people with her touch and apparently has killed someone, a child. Her parents, along with everyone else, have always feared her, and not being hugged or touched her whole life has definitely been a painful existence for her. Adam is a soldier and can touch her, he is also planted to learn about her as part of his job. Warner, another teen, is in charge of a soldiers in the Reestablishment and has been following Juliette for a long time trying to see how they can weaponize her and use her for their cause. Adam was playing a role, and now Juliette will have to play one in a world where the food is fake, the clouds the wrong color, and artifacts of culture and life before it all fell apart are destroyed and deemed illegal. Along the way she will have to see the world in shades of gray and be willing to forgive and understand that people are not just for or against the way things, are, that sometimes you just have to do things to survive and protect the ones you love.

WHY I LIKE IT:

With all the talk of Iran in the news, I felt compelled to read a book with a Persian character, or at least by a Persian author, so I revisited the works of Iranian-American Muslim Tahereh Mafi. The book reminds me of a Bollywood drama from the 90s where the hero and heroine do everything suggestive, except kiss, in this book they do a lot, but I guess don’t quite cross a line. The scenes with Adam and Juliette are too much at times, where the story building about her understanding herself, her world, and what her powers can be, too little. The stage however, is set for the book and characters to grow in the series and with that optimism of knowing that the story stretches on, I have to hope the twists and turns make for a more interesting ride than this first book presents. Most of the drama is already spelled out on the back cover, she can kill people just by touching them, she wrestles with seeing herself as a monster, or as being more than human. It really doesn’t start getting good until she finds others like her, but then she is bored of them and the book ends. The book has a huge following, so much like perhaps the Twilight series, maybe I’m just too cynical, and not in the target demographic, or maybe I need to keep reading.

FLAGS:

There is violence, *SPOILER* Juliette accidentally kills a child. There is language, there is suggestive talk, there are romantic passages with kissing and touching. For a book about a character who can’t touch, I feel like the majority of the book is about her touching and being touched.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I wouldn’t do this as a book club, because I feel like it really is just a book setting the stage for what more is to come and because it ends so abruptly it feels almost like a teaser, yes a 300+ page teaser. I was hoping that I could at least suggest it to readers of Hunger Games, City of Ember, The Giver, etc., but I don’t think it spends enough time on the crisis of the world at hand, and the adjustments made by a select few to appeal to the same readers. It really is a romance, at least thus far, and the destruction of life and the environment just a back drop for their storyline.

Jan21

Amira Can Catch! by Kevin Christofora illustrated by Dale Tangerman

Posted on January 21, 2020 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Amira Can Catch! by Kevin Christofora illustrated by Dale Tangerman

This is book four in the Hometown All Stars series aimed at 4-7 year olds. The purpose of the series is to teach real coaching skills to help children learn about baseball, get out of the house to play, and have fun. The 34 page book is baseball technique heavy with a fictional storyline to move it along. Most sports books focus on team work and being a good sport, but this one takes it a step further by emphasizing the basic skills needed to play the game, as well as sneaking in lessons about inclusion and acceptance. If your child is American and likes sports, the book will be a hit, pun intended, but there is a lot of text on each page and as America’s pastime, there is a lot of space dedicated to what it means to be American.

A refugee Muslim girl from Syria, Amira, is invited to play on the after school baseball team, but first needs some help at school with spelling and adding. Luckily the kids in class are super nice and accepting and help her learn about life in America, while similarly listening to her tell about life in Syria and at the refugee camp. Not only do they all become friends, she also gets everyone to appreciate how much food they have, and the variety, as well as gets everyone to try pickles. Yum! They like them.

The kids at baseball practice are also incredibly welcoming as they get Amira a jersey, and teach her all about #24 Willie Mays. From here, it is like a virtual baseball practice, the kids warm up with stretches, running the bases, and practicing their stances. There are little info headers explaining things such as what hand to wear your mitt on and explaining how to squat, why the coach is using foam balls, and reminding the reader not to throw balls in the house.

The kids learn three different types of catches. How to stand, how to position their hands and how to be ready. They run drills and practice, practice, practice. They find out Amira is really good, and she tells them that they had a lot of time to practice catching and throwing in the refugee camp.

The coach then asks the kids and readers questions before Amira’s parents arrive to pick her up. With big smiles on their faces, the mom is wearing a hijab and chatting with the narrators mom.

The book ends with a whole page on “What Does It Mean to be American,” a review of new words learned in the book, and all the kids answering who’s the most American of all, with “We are!” The back cover has a reflective patch with the statement “Americans come from all over the world. Look in the mirror, and tell me where are you from?”

The book and series are a great way to learn about a game, that really a lot of kids today may not know much about. Some of the terms, the skills, and just familiarity is clearly conveyed, with the illustrations providing the visuals and diagrams for what the coach is talking about in the text. The fact that the author chose to add a refugee to such an “American” book and have the supporting characters so welcoming, really does show the best of what Americans can be.

Jan13

My Voice is my Super Power by Shariea Shoatz illustrated by Kilson Spany

Posted on January 13, 2020 by islamicschoollibrarian

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My Voice is my Super Power by Shariea Shoatz illustrated by Kilson Spany

I want to believe most parents and/or caregivers discuss body boundaries and what’s appropriate and what’s not, with their children regularly. But if you don’t, or haven’t, or just glossed over it while at the doctors office, this book is a great discussion starter and road map. The author comes from a place of educational and personal experience and the 33 page book tells a story that children can read independently with a discussion guide for parents to follow at the end. Even if you don’t feel comfortable letting your children read the story independently or with you, there is a page depicting male and female private parts, I still think the book is a way for adults to face their own squeamishness of discussing it, and get ideas of how to present to their children. Being nervous or uncomfortable is not an excuse to not discuss sexual abuse against children with our children. For their voice to be their super power, we must first be willing to use ours to open the subject with them, educate them, and empower them. Abuse happens in every culture, religion, socio economic bracket, period, to think differently is naive and dangerous.

Nine-year-old Buddy is heading to his cousins’ house for a sleepover, but before heading out, he addresses the readers to make sure they know the body safety rules and to make sure his super power, his voice, is ready. His voice is what he can use if he feels unsafe, or to help his friends if they feel unsafe. He can say “Stop” or “No” if someone breaks one of the Body Safety Rules.

His mom, a muhajaba, has being teaching him since he was three to use his voice to let people know his body belongs to him. He knows he can say no when he doesn’t want to hug or kiss or touch someone, even if they are a family member.

The book then talks about body parts that everyone can see and labels them with a diagram before explaining private parts and labeling them as well. The book also discussing using the proper names, not nicknames or “cute” names, such as hotdog and cookie, to describe anatomy and body parts.

If someone breaches or doesn’t listen to the “No” or “Stop” the book encourages everyone have a safety circle of adults you trust and like and that you feel safe and comfortable talking to. It also mentions that if one person doesn’t listen or believe you to go to another person in the circle until someone does.

Another rule is No Secrets, and the book explains the difference between a secret and a surprise, which does eventually get told.

When Buddy gets to his cousins house, the kids play and have fun, when a friend of the aunt’s stops by and gives only Keisha a treat before leaving. When Buddy asks about the friend, his cousin talks about how they play pretend and tickle and how they have a secret touch game. Buddy explains the rules to his cousin and then goes with her to help her talk to her mom about the breaking of Body Safety Rules.

The story ends with the mom calling “people” to take the friend away and the kids feeling empowered that they kept their bodies safe.

The Activity Guide for Adults gives information for each of the pages in the story to help the adult understand why that part of the story is included (i.e. grooming, disclosure, etc.) and activities to ensure understanding and mastery.

The book is not religion specific, and would be a great benefit to all children, everywhere with parental involvement and dialogue.

May Allah swt keep all our children safe, ameen.

Jan10

Luv Ya Bunches by Lauren Miracle

Posted on January 10, 2020 by islamicschoollibrarian

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A book about 5th grade friendships told from the perspective of four different girls in a variety of styles: instant messages, chatroom conversations, video scripts, and traditional text. The author seems to have a checklist of diverse characters and afflictions that all must make an appearance in the 335 page story. It is written on an AR 4.4, but with one of the main characters having two moms, details of a suicide mentioned, talk of pole dancing, male anatomy joked about, thongs, crushes, and mental illness, four girls coming together to form friendships and take down a bully, might raise more questions for young readers than they are ready to handle. Yasaman the Muslim girl in the group, also borders on perpetuating more stereotypes than she breaks, and while I definitely don’t think this book is a good fit for 4th and 5th graders, I don’t really recommend it for readers of any age, there are just better books out there.

SYNOPSIS:

Asian American Katie-Rose doesn’t have friends, unless you count her neighbor Max, but she doesn’t. She dreams of having blond haired Camilla as a best friend, but the Camilla she went to Pioneer camp with is not the Milla at school who hangs out with Modessa (aka Medussa) and Quin, and is popular. Katie-Rose also dreams about being a cinematographer or director, she isn’t sure yet, but she loves to imagine scenes and scripts and how things ideally should play out, even when in reality they never quite seem to do so.

Milla, isn’t sure if she wants to stay friends with Modessa and Quin, they aren’t nice and she has a lot more fun with Katie-Rose, but somehow she always ends up going back to the popular crowd. She also has a lot of anxiety and needs various totems with her at all time to feel secure. When her little plastic turtle goes missing, she struggles to stay composed, and her and her turtle will end up changing a lot at Rivendell Elementary.

Violet, is the new girl at school and she is not liking her life at home or at school. Her mom is in a mental hospital and she misses her desperately, her dad brings home fast food every night for dinner and life just isn’t the same since she moved to California. Immediately able to tell who the popular kids are at school, she hasn’t decided which group of friends is the best fit for her, but when she stumbles on Tally the turtle, and doesn’t immediately return it to Milla, she has to understand what that says about her, and figure out if she is strong enough to make things right.

Yasaman is the quiet computer wiz, she is also Turkish-American, Muslim, and a hijabi. She designs a platform where kids who are too young to join Facebook can chat, stream videos and send cupcakes. The only problem is, she has no friends to get to join. When Katie-Rose and her strike up a friendship, the first seeds of the four flower named girls are planted, but it will take all four of them to put Modessa in her place, rescue Tally, and deal with stereotypes, emotions, and family along the way.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love that a Muslim, muhajaba is included in the quartet, and that her religion, her scarf, her culture, and her belief in Allah, actually are sprinkled in. I don’t love how in the book’s efforts to include such diversity, that it also seems to fall for a lot of the stereotypes that it on the surface seems to be dispelling. Katie-Rose asks her if she even knows what YouTube is before being made aware of how computer savvy she is. All this is to subtly show the assumption that Muslims are not aware of technology and whatnot, and set the record straight, but also regularly thrown in are side comments from Yasaman that her father would never let her wear something, or she wouldn’t be allowed to do that because of her dad, definitely reinforcing a male dominated, authoritarian, out-of-touch patriarchal view. Even her mother, an artist, is shown to demand a lot of Yasaman and be incredibly strict. A lot of things aren’t spelled out, they are just dropped in and assumed that the reader get’s it. But only Yasaman’s parents are portrayed this way. Milla’s two mom’s are caring, Violet and her dad seem close, and Katie-Rose’s parents are rarely highlighted. So, I felt like it was noticeable, and not in a positive way.

I’m still completely confused as why pole dancing and male anatomy made appearances in the book. And the pole dancing reference appeared not once, but twice when Yasaman is talking to an older cousin who is talking about a friend who’s aunt is a pole dancer, and then later when Katie-Rose’s babysitter also mentions the same friend. They also discuss people as being slutty and boy crazy and skanky. The male anatomy isn’t spelled out it is hidden with a girl with major orthodontia reading a Wikapedia page on the greek satyrs, discussing their physical pleasures and talents.

There is also a lot of mental health issues that I’m glad are present, but I’m not sure if they are handled seriously enough. I’m glad they are addressed, because awareness is a good thing, but discussing how someone swallowed pills to commit suicide and even though she changed her mind still died, and not giving any context seems to make the concept come across as a bit trivial to me in its presentation. Same goes for Camilla’s anxiety and Violet’s mom being in a mental hospital. These girls have some major stuff going on that their preoccupation with a snotty group of girls, and the obsession of mud being consumed in an ice cream shake, seems a bit off.

Overall, the girls seem incredible perceptive and articulate in their self reflection and understanding of social personas, that I found their banter completely disjointed. I don’t think the author’s voice is consistent, and the heavy stuff is too much coming from 5th graders in my opinion.

FLAGS:

Stereotypes, and discrimination against Yasaman and her younger sister Nigar. Possible triggers with talk of suicide. Milla has two moms, it is never labeled or made an issue, she just refers to them as Mom Abigail and Mom Joyce. Talk of boy private parts and erections, crushes, pole dancing, words such as skanky, and slutty and dingleberry (poop hanging on) used. There is lying and bullying and retaliation and poetic justice.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I wouldn’t use this book for a book club or even have it in the classroom. I think it gets a bit crass unnecessarily and the cute flowery cover and inside flap, makes it all the more surprising. You might expect some potty humor in other books, but knowing it is there allows the reader to make a decision to read it or not, I would imagine most Muslim parents would see four diverse girls on the cover, one wearing hijab, get excited and hand the book to their 3rd or 4th or 5th grade daughter and have no idea what the book also includes in passing, with no relevance to the story lines highlighted on the inside flaps and back of the book.

Jan6

My Grandfather’s Masbaha by Susan Daniel Fayad illustrated by Avery Liell-Kok

Posted on January 6, 2020 by islamicschoollibrarian

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My Grandfather’s Masbaha by Susan Daniel Fayad illustrated by Avery Liell-Kok

This 20 page story is endearing and sweet for children aged 4 and up, with a great lesson. At first I thought it was an Islamic fiction book, but after thinking about it, I’m not so sure. Lots of faiths use prayer beads, although maybe only Muslims have 33, and the setting, Lebanon, is a pretty diverse place. Regardless, the character’s names, and the lessons taught are universal and children will benefit from being reminded about how blessed they truly are, in a gentle loving way.

When little Adam’s friends go home and he has nothing to do, he enters his grandparents house stomping and complaining. In response, Adam’s Jidoo, grandfather, starts to laugh. This only makes Adam more angry.

Jidoo Yousef then shows Adam his misbaha and explains that some people use it like an abacus to count, to mark prayers, some use it as decor, and that he uses it to remember God’s blessings.

He and Adam, then go around and count all the blessings of toys, and people, and friends, and family, and food, and before Adam knows it, he is feeling blessed and thankful.

The basic illustrations show the bond between Jidoo and Adam, but are nothing overly fabulous on the large 8.5 x 11 pages. There is a lot of text on some of the pages, but it flows well and goes quickly.

The book teaches a great lesson and if you get a chance to read it to your children, you definitely should.

Dec30

Saffron Ice Cream by Rashin Kheiriyeh

Posted on December 30, 2019 by islamicschoollibrarian

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The book may seem to be a lighthearted diverse read about a little girl comparing a beach in America to those of Iran, BUT there is also some pretty charged portrayals about gender divided beaches, religious police, and hijab. I’m not saying this own voice book is exaggerating or saying anything that isn’t true, but it is an oddly belittling perspective to slip into a brightly illustrated children’s book with the words “ice cream” in the title. The 40 page book for ages 4-8 is not one I would recommend for its negative undertones and dismissal of understanding another culture.

Rashin’s first trip to a beach in America has her and her family getting ready to go to Coney Island. She remembers past trips to the Caspian Sea in Iran. Trips where they would wake up early, her mom would prepare halim and they would drive through the countryside stopping for a picnic lunch. Often her best friend Azadeh would come along and they would listen to Persian music and share kebabs. On this trip they are going on the subway and there is diversity and music and excitement too.

The next few pages detail and depict the curtain that would divide the women’s side of the beach from the men’s. While the words say how fun the women’s side is and that even the ice cream vendor is a woman and the beach goers can remove their covers and get a tan, the inclusion of the Islamic guards with their aggressive faces and full black abayas and hijabs, is a stark contrast to the happy faces throughout the other pages.

Rashin then recalls one trip where little boys poked holes on the men’s side to look at the female’s side. While it might be taken as silly to children, there is a lot to unpack with such “peeping,” the concept of respect and of covering. It then seems to make the whole situation seem ridiculous by having the women covering themselves with umbrellas, newspapers and whatever they can find.

When Rashin finally gets to Coney Island, the ice cream stall doesn’t have saffron ice cream and another little girl suggests she try chocolate crunch, she concedes and discovers it is pretty good, and the beginning of a new friendship is implied. She then asks the girl about the rules of the beach and the accompanying illustration has the Islamic police seeming to try and stop the fun.

It is natural to compare new things to those that we know, but this book has a very strong negative, judgmental tone to what could have simply been presented as different without the criticism. The author is the illustrator as well, so there wasn’t a divide in continuity. I appreciate that there is a visibly Muslim family at Coney Island, but it seems too little, in a book very aggressively passing opinion on a religion and how it is “enforced.”

I find it rather disappointing that Scholastic chose to publish such an angry book masked in smiling characters and a trip to the beach. It may be how life is in Iran, but I don’t know that a children’s book is the platform to air grievances without explanation. This book does nothing to open dialogue and acceptance, it definitely would cause more harm than good.

Dec27

Internment by Samira Ahmed

Posted on December 27, 2019 by islamicschoollibrarian

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The premise of this book is amazing, the writing and execution of it, unfortunately, falls flat. The failure to set the stage, develop characters the reader cares about, and create a world in the near future that is both riveting and horrifying doesn’t come through in the book’s 387 pages written on an AR 4.7, but meant for high school aged readers grade nine and up.

SYNOPSIS:

Indian-American Layla Amin is 17 and since the census that her family honestly filled out and identified themselves as Muslim, their life under the new president has been shattered to say the least. Her poet father lost his job as a professor, her chiropractic mother has lost numerous patients, Layla has left high school and they all live in fear. With curfews and people they’ve known their whole lives turning on them openly, the book opens with Layla chooses to sneak off to see her Yemeni Jewish boyfriend, David after curfew. The next day suits arrive to take the family to an internment camp in the desert, near the old Manzanar detention camp used to house Japanese Americans during WWII.

The new camp, Mobius, is the first one to house Muslims and the first of many slated to be built. The detainees are divided by ethnic background, Layla’s FEMA trailer is in a block of other Desi families, Arabs a few blocks away, LatinX, converts, etc., all given minders to control them from within their own community. As Layla whines about her cell phone being taken away and how much she misses David, a guard, Jake, takes pity on her and regularly risks his own position and Layla’s, as he sneaks her access to phones, gets her burner cell phones and even sneaks David in so the two can make out. Somewhere along the way it seems Jake and Layla develop feelings for each other, but it really isn’t explored. Layla makes friends and somehow becomes a revolution leader with her writing notes about life on the inside and having Jake and David get them to the media.

Those that speak out against their situation or complain, disappear and never return. The Director of Mobius, ensures it. In their refusal to eat dinner one night, and their protest at the front gate in front of protestors and the media, eventually Layla gets taken, but with her friendly guards, she finds she isn’t completely alone and that she just needs to be brave a little longer, stand up at the right time and get incredibly lucky to be successful in the revolt.

WHY I LIKE IT:

The President in the book is undoubtedly Trump, and I love the passages that reflect how the fictitious America didn’t become racist overnight, but that the leadership allowing it, ignited the ugliness that already existed. It mentions making America great again and really sets the foundation of a simple “what if” that really could happen very easily.

The parts that struggle are the story elements, I really didn’t find myself cheering or even liking Layla, I didn’t find her charismatic or interesting, she was really whiney and flat to me. I didn’t care one bit about her and David’s relationship, it seemed forced and completely not necessary. A friend or concerned neighbor might have been more hope inspiring than a high school boyfriend she is brooding over to save her. Her sneaking out and sneaking him in, all seemed selfish and juvenile for a character who in other arenas seemed pretty mature and level headed. The disconnect is pretty prominent and I really cringed at all of the passages involving the two of them.

There are flash backs to life before the new President, but it isn’t engaging and doesn’t really highlight how horrific life is now, because the lack of character development and world building, everything seems like it has to be said, not shown. Random characters at the camp would show up and then disappear, and we knew nothing about them, so there was no emotional connection or attachment to what happens to them, it really had so much potential to have heart and fear and insanity and it just doesn’t.

Layla identifies as Muslim, and lovingly recalls ayats and duas of her grandmother, but the family firmly believes that “there is no compulsion in religion” and thus doesn’t hide who they are, but don’t visibly display it in their clothing, or actions much either. They don’t have a problem with their daughter having a boyfriend and they support it. Layla and her mom don’t cover, but Layla does show massive respect for the Muslims that do. Layla’s parents seem to pray, Layla doesn’t, but she doesn’t seem against it.

FLAGS:

Lots of kissing between Layla and David, a gay couple that disappears in the camp, flirting between various other characters, violence, oppression, language, death, beatings.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I actually feel like this could work as a book club book because the discussion would be so great. Yes, there are flags, but the relationship stuff is so annoying and awkward, I don’t think any kids will find it titilating or compelling at all. The writing is subpar, but the issues brought forth are important, and the students would have infinitely better plot lines for the characters that I think could make the books premise reach closer to its potential.

A letter from the Author: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/articles/a-letter-from-samira-ahmed-author-of-internment/

Book Club Guide:https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/InternmentNovlBookClubGuide.pdf

Review podcast: https://teachnouvelle.com/internment-by-samira-ahmed/

There is a ton online, just google it and Happy Reading

Dec23

Ibn Yunus: The Father of Astronomy by Ahmed Imam

Posted on December 23, 2019 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Ibn Yunus: The Father of Astronomy by Ahmed Imam

This book is part of a new Muslim Scientist Series featuring 24 glossy colorful 8×8 pages highlighting a great Muslim from the Golden Age of Islam. Meant for Muslim children ages 4-7, the book sets out to teach and inspire little Muslims, and does a pretty decent job of presenting it in a memorable easy to understand way. Adults might have to explain and help out a bit, but the book accounts for that too.

The book starts off with some “Notes to Parents and Teachers” about supplemental activities and conversation starters to make the book relevant, and show how beneficial their contributions to science were and still are today.

The book is a simplified biography of Ibn Yunus, and I would imagine the other books: Ibn Majid, Ibn Battuta, Ibn Al-Batar, follow the same pattern. It tells about where he was born and when, and what he is famous for, before telling a bit about his family, an ayat from the Quran that inspired him is then given in English and Arabic and translated, before it shows how he worked toward his goal, and the accomplishments he made in his lifetime that still are used today.

The fun illustrations make Ibn Yunus’s field of study easier to understand and will keep the littler listeners interested. Adults will hopefully also learn something in the reading, and feel the same pride and inspiration of Muslim’s contributions to science.

It is critical to teach our children about the accomplishments and discoveries of Muslims, and this non fiction series is a great introduction to Muslim scientists, scholars, and adventurers, that they might not otherwise learn about.

Islamic School Librarian

Reviewing Children & YA Islamic Fiction, Books by Muslim Authors, & Books Featuring Muslim Characters

Mr. Wolf’s Class by Aron Nels Steinke

Teach Us Your Name by Huda Essa illustrated by Diana Cojocaru

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Amira Can Catch! by Kevin Christofora illustrated by Dale Tangerman

My Voice is my Super Power by Shariea Shoatz illustrated by Kilson Spany

Luv Ya Bunches by Lauren Miracle

My Grandfather’s Masbaha by Susan Daniel Fayad illustrated by Avery Liell-Kok

Saffron Ice Cream by Rashin Kheiriyeh

Internment by Samira Ahmed

Ibn Yunus: The Father of Astronomy by Ahmed Imam