Category Archives: islamic fiction

Oct23

The Kaabah Cat by Shifa Saltagi Safadi illustrated by Nabila Adani

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The Kaabah Cat by Shifa Saltagi Safadi illustrated by Nabila Adani

If you only pre-order one book this year, it should be this one. If you have never pre-ordered a book, this book should be your first. If you regularly pre-order, don’t miss out on this one, even if you do not have young children, but especially if you do. Am I biased? Absolutely, but the story, the illustrations, the theme, the heart…40 pages fly by and leave readers of ALL ages wanting to dive back in, to be close to the Kaabah, to be searching for cats, and to journey for Umrah in real life.  This is why I love Islamic fiction. This is the power of stories, to entertain and educate, but also bring us closer to our creator. SubhanAllah, this book is truly a gift to us all, and that it is traditionally published and widely available just another example of Allah swt being the writer or our rizq and that no dua is too big of an ask, Alhumdulillah.

Zayd and his parents are heading to Mecca for Umrah, and with the knowledge that duas are answered, he cannot wait to ask for a cat.  When one appears before the words are even out of his mouth, Zayd is delighted to chase his new Kaabah cat down to take home and play with.  Dad has to deflate the dream with a dose of reality though, and as the steps of Umrah carry the story along, we see him work through his emotions and have his duas answered in a way better than he ever imagined.


I love that Muslim kids will see themselves so clearly and unapologetically in this book, and non Muslims will relate to wanting something with their whole heart and realizing that there might be something better than they ever even considered waiting for them.  Additionally, with a solid three page backmatter opening the book up to educational avenues, author connection, and insight, sweeping illustrations complete with Palestine, Syria and Sudan flag rep in the crowds, and Shaykh Abdul Rahman Chao named at the start as verifying the Islamic accuracy, this book is a must have to share and enjoy over and over again.

Oct21

That Counts! A Wudu Story by Jenny Molendyk Divleli illustrated by Ava Haghighi

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I love funny books for our little Muslims and this one manages to take the kid giggling topic of passing gas and combine it with the educational element of making wudu and what breaks it, in an adorably illustrated way.  Mercifully it does not get too “gross” with discussing fluctuance and I absolutely adore that the imam is so patient and kind.  Over 32 pages we see Hamza and his friends make wudu, Hamza break his wudu and have to make it again and Imam Mustafa field questions about what counts as breaking wudu and what doesn’t.  Perfect for toddlers and early elementary kids learning the basics and reviewing the infractions, my only criticism is the wasting of paper towels.  The book is not a manual, and feels like a story, not a fictionalized how-to, but part of wudu is not wasting water, and the amount of paper towels Hamza appears to use in the illustrations is wasteful.  The book works great on its own, but I hope if discussion about wudu and manners and bodily functions does take place around the sharing of this story, that not wasting will also be part of the discussion.  Perhaps if the author sees this, she might even consider adding a line to balance the Imam telling Hamza to use a paper towel after the first making of wudu, and reminding him not to waste paper, and water, after the second trip to the wudu station.  And while I’m making imaginary requests, a pullout wudu poster like the one in Hamza’s masjid would also be a great addition in the future.

Oct8

The Steinway Seven: A Novel by Badees Nouiouat

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The Steinway Seven: A Novel by Badees Nouiouat

This 308 page book is classified as a YA read for content, but it plays out in dual points of view by adults.  Years ago I would have classified it as, “Islamic fiction,” but those lines have been blurred in recent years, and the author mercifully doesn’t get overly preachy or didactic with the ample Islamic references and framing- it is who the characters are, or strive to be, and part of their world.  I’ll admit by the fourth chapter, I was nervous.  The author does not shy away from positioning his characters in rough spots from the get go: an escaped convict and non practicing young Muslim man joining the NYPD, and I didn’t know if he would be able to keep it believable and engaging, but alhumdulillah he did, and I enjoyed the book. In very much a YA framing, the self awareness and character arcs of realization is the underlying heart for the surface story of being on the run and attempts to capture and avoid being caught.  With heavy themes of understanding and coming to peace with one’s past, the reader is shown historical turmoil in Algeria, insight into motives and struggles of undocumented immigration, and given plenty to ponder about forgiveness, laws, faith, kindness, and second chances.  This book would be an easy recommendation for all readers 14/15 or up, there is crime, drugs, racism, gun violence, killing, arson etc., but nothing is overly graphic or dwelled upon. The characters are “good,” but exist in situations where gray surrounds them and would offer a lot to discuss in classrooms or book clubs.

SUMMARY (from the back of the book):

The night before 22-year old Saif Belkacem starts his new job as an NYPD officer, seven convicts escape a prison van and disappear into the streets of New York City.

Among them is Yasin Bamba, a wrongfully imprisoned Guinean immigrant who decides to seize the opportunity to find freedom.

While Saif and his colleagues race to find the seven fugitives, Saif slowly uncovers the story of his father’s death in Algeria, and his life starts to intertwine with Yasin’s in more ways than he could have imagined.

WHY I LIKE IT:
It is clear the author understands craft and storytelling, and I really think if he dug a little deeper and fleshed out some of the tension and rising action, this book could be traditionally published if he wanted to pursue it.  I’m not critiquing it to be picky for the potential readers, but rather for the author (a first for everything, forgive me if I’m overstepping), as I have a feeling he has been waiting for this review. Nonetheless here I go, voice: Saif’s voice is too immature at times, and his mother’s underdeveloped and non existent. Yasin, should be a bit wiser and hardened as a result of his circumstances and lived experience, he seems to just float from encounter to the next, not moving around like someone who has been in his own head since leaving home and mulled over some of his perceived truths.  Pacing: raise the stakes at every turn, keep the reader on the edge of their seat, for the surface story but also show the turmoil of Saif uncovering his past, at the 200 page mark it breaks from the story to info dump the historical and personal past in a way that really takes Saif out of the action. Weave it in, provide tension and motive of why his mother so easily now gives up all the information and why Saif never Googled it on his own.  The ending is beautiful and truly I wanted to know which way and what choices Yasin and Saif would make, but you didn’t really make me, the reader, work for it, and I think some twists and turns and emotional pain for the reader rather than just resolving it all for us, would give the book more depth and excitement. Show us the internal struggles, the temptation, the uncertainty raging inside them.  The heart and character arcs are there, they just feel a little too easy and surface at times, and yes I say this because I think the writing has a lot of potential and the author can do it.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I would love to do this as a book club read, high school for sure, possibly middle school, depending on the kids.  There is a lot to ponder and unpack, discuss and consider.  Muslim kids particularly will have some stereotypes to grapple with and hopefully think over as the book doesn’t make the characters and their situations black and white, haram and halal.

 

Sep18

Mission Memorise: The Twins’ Hifdh Quest by Quranic Tarbiyah

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Mission Memorise: The Twins’ Hifdh Quest by Quranic Tarbiyah

This 145 page full colored nonfiction book, uses a fictionalized story to cover some important concepts and topics to consider, work through, and be inspired by in a child’s hifdh journey.  A mix of story, information, comic style panels, pull out boxes and every font in the system, gives this 8 inch by 5.5 inch book a lot of visual appeal to readers and fulfills an important gap in our literary options.  I’m not entirely sure how best to utilize the book aimed at 8 year olds and up, I don’t know if handing it to any child to read from start to finish will overwhelm them, or if it should be read and shared with an adult for those seeking to inspire their child to consider memorizing the whole Qur’an, or should be used for those who have already made the commitment and are seeking to see themselves reflected and motivated to not give up.  I think the creators, there is no single author listed, want it to be for all of the above, and as a result the book often feels very repetitive. And yes I get the themes and benefits of memorizing the Qur’an do need to be repeated in various ways, but the phrase “the Qur’an your best friend” is in the book a lot.  Like it isn’t uncommon to see it three times on a page.  Additionally a concept or benefit of the Qur’an is mentioned more than once in multiple ways and then repeated again later, not in a circling back way, or even in a let me further emphasize this way, or even a lets go deeper in understanding this important matter, it reads as if the chapters were written and edited in isolation and then just put together, and thus the continuity from the start to end doesn’t feel smooth, hence I don’t know the best way to utilize the book. All that being said, the book covers some desperately needed topics such as: am I failure if I can’t memorize, is hifdh only for boys, what if my teacher is strict, etc.. Unfortunately, I feel like some of these important topics get lost in a lot of repetitive fluff that distracts from the clarity of what the book sets out to do.

The book has some Zanib Mian vibes with the characters being introduced at the start and the fictionalized story carrying the non fiction lessons and information with fun fonts and illustrations throughout.  I like that it is a “how to” in many ways for those wondering what to consider before making a commitment, and how to get started. And I love that it tries to connect through characters past and present, real and fictional, and all ages.  The references to Gaza and Bosnia are nice, but not woven in particularly well, again I could go both ways, I appreciate that too much information is not given that would distract from the theme of the book, but if kids aren’t knowledgeable about the situation, I don’t know that they will fully gleam the intent of their inclusion.  I appreciate the references in the backmatter, thank you. I would love to hear how parents have used the book and what kid’s think.  I read the book as an adult, who struggles with memorization from cover to cover, my children have memorized portions of the Quran and work at it daily, but not at the level of become a hafidh, so admittedly I may not fully grasp the potential this book offers and the full utility of it. I’ve included inside pages to help parents make an informed decision for their children and decide how best the book can be used.

Sep4

You Only Live Twice by Autumn Allen

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You Only Live Twice by Autumn Allen

Your rizq is written by Allah swt, and this book is such an easy to see example of that, in a time when Islamophobia, DEI, book bans, and diverse stories are not being published, this 368 page YA book has more Islam than the majority of self-pubbed Islamic fiction reads I’ve EVER read, and it is traditionally published, SubhanAllah! it is a halal romance, that features niqabi (why doesn’t she have her niqabi on on the cover?), Black Muslims, supportive friends and family, it is written for everyone, but teenage Muslim girls are going to love this. If you are waiting on the but, here it is, I loved a lot about the book, but- it required me to accept the premise and I just don’t. I don’t have anything against getting married young, but I never really felt I understood the protagonist and her motives from the start: why did she all of a sudden just quit high school, why all of a sudden want to get married, and why were her reasonings told and not shown. Had high school been awful maybe I’d get it, but just because she missed the focus of deen that Ramadan held and now feels high school cuts in to, seems weak to me. Wants to get married because she sees a couple on the bus, but doesn’t really know what she wants in a spouse and why, seems unfortunate. Why couldn’t she be done with high school and then be looking to get married, would have definitely made the positioning craftwise less cumbersome, and perhaps would have allowed Zakiyyah to be seen as a more thought out and defined character.  Readers would have seen her determination, her stubbornness, her backstory and why we should be cheering her on and hoping she is making good choices, as is, I didn’t support her leaving school, she had at least one really good friend, she still will need to learn how to balance deen and duniya and Islamphobes, so what does it accomplish?  Also in many ways the book is a roadmap for young people looking to get married (intentional or not), what should be considered and discussed, but the protagonists age and the initial plot point I think will limit potential readers from engaging with the book, and thus miss out on a fun and informative read.  Ok back to the positives, I can imagine the emails, and post-it notes, and convo bubbles didn’t work for everyone, but I enjoyed them, and thought they added some levity and cuteness to the story. The book is YA, I think 15-16 and up will enjoy it, the Islam holds the halalness at it’s core, the focus is marriage, there is some conversations that younger readers might not be ready for, birth control pops in my head, and the Boston Marathon tragedy happens in the story and could be a potential flag for some readers, I hope mature readers though, will spend extra time reading those parts and understanding the author’s perspective and commentary from the mc’s perspective as I found them to be powerful and important.

SYNOPSIS: As provided by the publisher

An unforgettable, heartwarming, hilarious coming-of-age story about faith, family, all kinds of love, and a Black Muslim teen pursuing an ordinary goal in an extraordinary time.

Barely one week into senior year of high school, Boston native Zakiyyah is making her 2012-2013 Get Free Plan.

Step one: quit high school. (PSA: There are other ways to get to college!)

Step two: live like it’s Ramadan year-round.

As she gets deeper into her Plan, she starts to wonder if there’s someone out there who would be a good companion. To everyone’s surprise, Zakiyyah decides she wants to get married. But there are some complications.

Problem one: she’s never met a guy she liked. Zakiyyah’s family (reluctantly) and friends (eagerly) agree to support the search.

Problem two: what’s the secret to choosing a good life partner?

Enter Musa, by way of mutual friends. With marriage in mind, Zakiyyah and Musa get to know each other, progressing from email to instant messaging to phone calls. Things are going well… thrillingly well… until tragedy strikes Boston. In a moment of heightened emotion and stress, Zakiyyah and Musa have their first major disagreement.

Zakiyyah can call the whole thing off. But with or without Musa, what does it mean to live on her own terms?

WHY I LIKE IT:
I love the unapologetic Islam. I love the normalization of going to the masjid and watching baseball games, getting married over dating, and parents being kind and not toxic, and good solid friendships, and community support- like truly this book offers so much reality and insight that all Muslims long for living in the west particularly. I love how easy the read is, and that it honestly stays halal.

Also I love that grandma is not Muslim but so supportive, I have two non Muslim grandmas and one is super supportive of my choices, and one not so much, and I love seeing the supportive rep in books, alhumdulillah.

FLAGS:

relationships, terrorism, racism, stereotypes, hate crimes, talk about societal pressures, I think there were some discussions about birth control.

*Disclaimer, I read the book a while ago and was unable to write up the review immediately after, please forgive any errors, or oversights.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
Oh this book needs to be discussed in classrooms, book clubs, masjids, friend circles, it will be read, no doubt, but the discussion and putting it into practice will be such a gift to the youth group, moms, aunties, and community leaders already doing the work with our youth to get them aware of what marriage and looking for a life partner should look like.

 

Jun19

Eldar & Elnur Story of the Stolen Homes by Guzelya Marisova illustrated by Agia Putri

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Eldar & Elnur Story of the Stolen Homes by Guzelya Marisova illustrated by Agia Putri


The intent of this 22 page book, to increase solidarity and bring awareness about Palestinians being forced from their homes, is admirable; Having the characters at a museum to see a virtual reality exhibit about this, is a unique to way convey the story to the readers. But yikes, the early pages are walls of text, and the positioning of the kids and their families going to the museum is really wordy and hinders readers connecting with the information to come. An editor should have been consulted, and the text condensed and simplified. Once the “Story of the Stolen Homes” begins, the text slowly reduces, and with Islamic teachable moments worked in, the book does leave one satisfied at the end, it just takes some perseverance and encouragement to young children to get there. The book is not OWN voice, as neither the author nor illustrator are Palestinian.

The story starts with the twins and their parents, joined by their cousin from Indonesia, heading to see a virtual reality exhibition on stolen homes in Palestine. They meet their hologram tour guide Reem, and she begins with the first stop of her home, al-Khalil. She talks about Masjid al-Aqsa and asks the kids about the other two holy sites for Muslims. They discuss olives and how the home was stolen.

The next stop is Gaza, where a once beautiful garden is killed when water is stolen, and a well poisoned. The final home stolen, is Reem’s school. The story ends with urging the children, and readers, to always be grateful to Allah swt as Jannah is the home awaiting us all inshaAllah.





Mar2

The Swallows of the Cube House by Sana Kamyar illustrated by Azam Vazehi

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The Swallows of the Cube House by Sana Kamyar illustrated by Azam Vazehi

With vibes of a folktale or myth, the imaginative story of how the swallows took up residence at the Kaaba is a sweet story with beautiful illustrations.  How the story actually reads though, is a bit awkward for me.  Told from the personified perspective of a swallow, it seemed a little odd that the names of the birds: Redbreast, Skytail, Whitewing, did not start appearing until page 12, the Kaaba is never named, and there really isn’t any religion articulated. The language is lyrical, which conveys the emotions of some of the worshippers that the swallows see, but also leaves it all so very vague.  The birds giggle and laugh (yes the word giggle appears frequently), happy that they found a new home that is like the mountains, the beach, and cities, this, along with kids playing, are the main takeaways, not even hinting that the Kaaba is a place that has everything to fill one’s heart or that the acts are being done in worship to Allah swt.  The culmination of it I felt needed to be stronger, why the swallows too are circling the house of Allah, swt, but it once again is so vague, and the final page breaking the fourth wall, unfortunately just seems unnecessary, it could have been done better with informative backmatter.

The book starts with a swallow telling the reader that, “One day it finally happened.”  Not sure what it is, the story then tells how the swallows fly from location to location liking certain aspects of the mountains and coast and forest and cities, and how being in one place though, makes them miss the other places.  They come to the “cube house” and all there needs are met by the sounds, the tears, the giggles, the playing of children, etc. and so they stay.

I could see the book being a decent starting point for discussion if it crossed in to talking about how animals worship the creator, or if it gave any backmatter about swallows and their environmental or migratory tendencies, so that readers could appreciate them settling in Makkah, or even if it talked about the parts of hajj or umrah, but as just a story imaging why they settled where they did, to me feels a little short.  That it is based on a real flock of birds is amazing and I just don’t think the text gets readers to truly appreciate it, and the illustrations, while wonderful, can’t do it all on their own.

 

Oct20

Sameer and Snazzy: Kindness Counts by Emma L. Halim illustrated by Herry Prihamdni

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Sameer and Snazzy: Kindness Counts by Emma L. Halim illustrated by Herry Prihamdni

The 32 page faceless picture book for toddlers and up, is set in Australia and follows Sameer and his cat Snazzy on a bushwalk.  At first I felt like it might be a little bit like the classic, “And to Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street,” but the structured story with a repetitive refrain adds in Islamic phrases, silly encounters, and examples of kindness that make it unique.  Add in a fun surprise at the end, and like many other books by the author, be prepared to have it memorized as your little ones ask for it over and over again.

The book starts with Sameer look forward to his grandpa coming to visit, but wishing he had something exciting to share with him.  Snazzy suggests he shares that he can talk to animals, but Sameer knows no one would ever believe that, so the two set off on a bushwalk to find something exciting.

When they hear an “A-choooooo!” in the trees, the fun is just getting started with Miss Koala sneezing and making eucalyptus leaves fall. The duo finds a way to help, but the fallen leaves mean ants are stuck in their home and can’t get out.  Once again, Sameer and Snazzy, find a way to help.  After each episode the refrain of, “‘Imagine if I told Grandpa this!”‘ I say to Snazzy.  ‘He’d never believe you! he smiles.  ‘NO-ONE WOULD!’ We laugh together and continue along the path, when suddenly…”

The book ends with a surprise, that I won’t spoil. The backmatter has a reference to Surah An-Naml and explains that Prophet Sulayman peace be upon him, really could speak to animals.  There is also a glossary of the Islamic phrases and a QR code to continue to the fun after the story ends.

The book is a bit more text heavy than some of her others, but the illustrations are fun, and will keep kid’s attention.  It does not rhyme, but has a cadence that makes reading it aloud easy. The small size makes the book better suited to bed time, but could work in a story time, and would be wonderful tuned into a story board/felt board read aloud.  The book is a universal story, but at some point in Islamic fiction self published and small published books, I think we will need to have open dialogue and discussions if having characters that are not the same race as the author or illustrator is appropriate and beneficial, or is misleading and better to avoid.

***EDIT: The author reached out to me asking me to remove this generalized opinion of me calling upon the need to have discussion, I opted to amend, as I think we need to have conversation and believe intention and purpose in whatever one decides is a benefit.  So, to avoid errors in interpreting her ask, I will simply post the screen shots, and my response.  Please note I did not tag the author in my Instagram post, she reached out to me.  I purchased the book, it was not gifted.

Sep14

All the Ways to be Pretty by Shamaila Khan illustrated by Reyhana Ismail

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All the Ways to be Pretty by Shamaila Khan illustrated by Reyhana Ismail

The premise of this book is fabulous, an Islamic approach to internal beauty to counter the societal emphasis on external appearance, by drawing on the examples of Ai’shah (RA), Khadija (RA), Sumayyah (RA), Maryam (RA), Hajar (RA), and Rufaidah (RA), may Allah swt be pleased with them all.  The illustrations are decent, focusing on the girl understanding what her mother is saying and her imaging herself with those qualities.  The part that I struggled with, is I flipped through it before I started reading it, and the pages are often walls of text.  Additionally, I didn’t realize it is rhyming text over 34 pages.  SubhanAllah though, somehow, it works.  I can see this book being shared at preteen gatherings in masajids, homes, and schools everywhere.  The rhyme at times is forced and lacking, but the flow makes the walls of text zoom by and the information shared is not overwhelming and Alhumdulillah, it doesn’t stray too far from the central messaging. You could share it with younger readers, but I think it works best if the audience knows some of the women and facts highlighted, and the information shared is a mix of reminder and new tidbits urging further exploration. The publisher lists the reading age at 7-10 which is probably a good fit based on the amount of text, but the rhyme, mirrors at the end, and starting point of battling beauty standards on the screen and “Princess” messaging is a bit of a target audience disconnect, which is why I point it out so consumers are aware.

The book starts with a lengthy author’s note before the rhyming scene of a mother and daughter walking to school and discussing what the daughter would like to be.  The girl doesn’t answer a profession, but rather responds that she wants to be pretty, and gives some justifications.  The mother gently then encourages her not to just want to be pretty, but rather pretty smart, pretty wise, pretty brave, pretty pious, pretty resilient, and pretty kind, before concluding with the girl throughout the day thinking of how to be like them, and her mother, to earn Allah’s pleasure.  Each attribute is a two page spread with one of the historical women featured.  The book ends with a hadith and six mirrors with the characteristics beneath them.

I like that the book does not try to give an entire biography about the women featured.  I also like that Islamic references are also brought in, some explained some not. It is “Islamic fictionalized non fiction” it is meant for Muslims with Islamic framing, not just Muslim characters, and it has substance.  Lately so many self published or even Islamic published books seem to not feature Islamic foundational themes, and I realize how much I have missed reading books that do.  Yes, I normally would have a solution to offer as to how to make the pages less text filled and I know I should say that maybe it shouldn’t rhyme, because it makes for some awkward phrasing, over explaining, and useless lines, but alas, I have no suggestions.  We need books that present our Sahabas and Prophets in a manner that allow our kids to know them and think of them and emulate them. Alhumdulillah, I can see this book being read and shared and discussed, and that to me is a “pretty “good thing.

Sep4

Dark Nights and Light Hearts: A Muslim Book of Opposites by Hena Khan illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini

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Dark Nights and Light Hearts: A Muslim Book of Opposites by Hena Khan illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini

Every few years, for the last 13 or so, we get a new title in this series, and each one warms my cynical heart with its unapologetic Islamic representation and vibrancy.  The heartfelt rhyming lines, the Islam centering, and the enveloping illustration make these books timeless, sought after, and beloved.  This installment covers opposites, previous books in the series focused on colors, shapes, and numbers. From the BIG ummah to a SMALL baby’s aqiqah, HOT oud to COLD rain bringing barakah, SLOW honey full of shifa to FAST cars heading to Jummah, the book uses two page spreads per each term in the opposite pair with rhyming couplets in large clear font to introduce/remind, describe, and highlight an Islamic tradition.  As both opposites and Islam are conveyed, the cadence and illustrations pull Muslim and non Muslim children in and make the book delightful at storytime, in small groups, at bedtime, and for kids to look through on their own, over and over again.  Alhumdulillah.

The book is 36 pages with a Glossary of Islamic words at the end with an Author’s Note.  It is available wherever books are sold and a great reminder that well done Islamic books can make it from traditional publishers.