Category Archives: Non Fiction

Mar27

Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood by Ibtisam Barakat

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Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood by Ibtisam Barakat

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This memoir may qualify as non fiction, but the majority of this 176 page book is told from the perspective of the author when she was three years old, so much of it reads to me as somewhere between historical fiction and autobiography.  No matter how you categorize it though, this AR 5.8 book is better suited for middle school and up. I love that this is is a Palestinian perspective of the Six-Day War and the immediate aftermath, but after reading it, I’m not haunted by the atrocities of the Israeli occupation so much as, some of the choices her family made.  I got my copy through Scholastic and in excitement, purchased multiple copies that I sadly think will sit in a box as I doubt I’ll find many students that will enjoy this book.

SYNOPSIS:

The book is divided into three parts with the first and third being short letters written in 1981, and the second part being the majority of the story taking place between 1967-1971.

The first part is a high school Ibtisam getting detained at a checkpoint after heading out to check a PO Box that she uses to keep in touch with her pen pals from around the world.  She reveals what life is like and shares the joy of learning about the outside world from her correspondence, but that she rarely talks about her childhood and her life during the war.  Part two is her sharing that.

The Barakat family lives removed from neighbors and a city, but Ibtisam loves her two older brothers and younger sister and at three years old is happy.  When war comes, the family decides to run, in the process Ibtisam doesn’t have time to find a shoe, and then she gets separated from her family and swept up with the people running for the caves to escape the bombings.  Once reunited with her family, they along with numerous other Palestinians make their way to Jordan and some safety.  Safety comes at a cost though and the family is separated as her father leaves to find work.  When the war ends, the family moves from the shelter and finds a small room to rent until they can return home.

Once the family returns home, things do not return to normal as the Israeli army begins training near their house causing Ibtisam’s mom to worry constantly in her attempts to keep the children inside and away from the windows.  Eventually, the mom takes the children and herself to an orphanage in Jerusalem saying that their father cannot keep them safe.  Ibtisam is close to her father and this dramatic change does not sit well with her.

In the orphanage, the boys get separated from the girls and eventually their father promises the mother to build a wall and make repairs to the home and purchase a goat if they come home.  They do, and the kids are grateful to be together again.  The boys then start school and the goat has a baby and life carries on.   Ibtisam grows close to the baby goat and their father promises that he will remain the children’s pet and will not be slaughtered.  But, when the boys are 8 and 9 they get circumcised and the feast involves the goat.

The next major event in young Ibtisam’s life is when she finally gets to go to school.  Incredibly smart, her mother essentially equates her love for her daughter with her success in school and with that motivation and predisposition to learn and excel, she does very well.  One day on the way home, she is sexually assaulted by an older boy, and makes arrangements to always have her brothers with her when walking.  Her parents are not made aware of the offense, and don’t seem to investigate Ibtisam’s change in attitude toward school.  When an Israeli soldier attempts to assault her mother, the family moves once again and part three is a teenage Ibtisam quarreling with her parents and once again excelling at school.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I like that tidbits of memories are woven together to give an overall impression of the author’s childhood.  The book is a quick read and is compelling enough to hold one’s attention.  The family is culturally religious, but the book makes a point that the father prays, not indicating that the rest of them do or even know how.  I love how the freedom and hope that Ibtisam has comes from learning the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, alef.  The love of language and the power found in reading and writing, is celebrated in its reverence to the learning of the letters.

I don’t get the mother, and while I get that war is a horrific time, and she is 24 when Ibtisam is 3 and has like four kids, so her life is definitely not easy, I still find it disturbing to me that she would lose a one shoe-ed daughter, take her kids to an orphanage to live while both parents are alive and well, and be so cold to her daughter.  The father seems to be loving to the kids, but he still slaughtered their pet, and I’m guessing culturally circumcisions are done at that age, because that seems incredibly cruel.

FLAGS:

War, loss, sexual assault, details about the circumcisions.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I won’t do the book as a book club selection and while I know the book is in many libraries and classrooms I doubt many kids would be compelled to pick it up and read it based on the cover and synopsis on the back.  I have a few Palestinian friends that I will ask to read the book to see if they find it an accurate representative of life during the six-day war and even today as it could definitely be used to teach about the region, the conflict, and writing a biography about life for others to learn from.

 

Feb10

Muslim Girls Rise: Inspirational Champions of Our Time by Saira Mir illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel

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Muslim Girls Rise: Inspirational Champions of Our Time by Saira Mir illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel

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Women you have heard of, some you are meeting for the first time. Some you like, some you disagree with, women that cover, women that don’t, some young, others older, some athletic, some academic, some a little bit of both.  One fictional, a few political, but in the end, all strong women of today, all Muslim, all unique, from all over the world, all known for paving the way for others to follow.

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In 42 pages, 19 females are highlighted and illustrated to inspire Muslim and non Muslim boys and girls alike, but really Muslim girls will get the most out of it.  Sure a female gets mentioned here or there in other compilations of influential people of our time, but this one, well, this one seems mostly for us.

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There are famous females in science, activism, fashion, film, sport, education, media influencers, make-up artists, you name it, and Muslim’s participate, so finally a book shining a light on the best of the best.  With each person getting a full two page spread, a few tidbits about who they are and what they are “famous” for are detailed in easy to read sentences that inspire, and if you haven’t heard of them before, enough general knowledge to get acquainted.  A few felt a little generic, but once you have a name, Googling them or researching them, is obviously, not difficult.

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I wish there was a bit more information detailing who was chosen and why.  At first I thought it was  US or “western” movers and shakers, but then you have Maria Toorpakai Wazir, the tennis player in Pakistan, and Shirin Ebadi from Iran.  So then I thought ok, they are all contemporary, but Maryam Mirzakhani passed away in 2017.  Needless to say, one could argue that the list is arbitrary, and I think I would agree.

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One could also argue, that these women may make history for notable things, but that they might say or do things that you might take issue with, and again, I agree.  They are people, they are fallible, and diverse, and have different perspectives and life experiences, but that’s ok, infact I think that might even be the point.  We all have different passions, and paths, and views and yet at the end of the day we should be able to lift each other up and inspire.  I think every person who reads this book will find someone that sounds or feels or looks like them, and that is a good thing, no, a great thing!

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My favorite was the Kamala Khan entry, because I didn’t realize the G. Willow Wilson was Muslim.  I erroneously assumed the other co-creator, Sana Amanat gave Kamala’s back story and home life its sense of OWN Voice, and I love that I learned I was wrong from a book.

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The illustrations are right on and do an amazing job of conveying the character and the inspiration of the collection.  The book is much needed and I hope they do a similar style book for Muslim women in other time periods.

Special gratitude and appreciation to Gayartri Sethi (IG @desibookaunty) for gifting me this book for no other reason than to share the power and strength of women, and being a leader in that, by sending me a beautiful book.  May I learn from your generosity and pay it forward! Thank you.

Dec23

Ibn Yunus: The Father of Astronomy by Ahmed Imam

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Ibn Yunus: The Father of Astronomy by Ahmed Imam

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Oct7

Little People, Big Dreams: Muhammad Ali by Isabel Sanchez Vegara illustrated by Brosmind

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Little People, Big Dreams: Muhammad Ali by Isabel Sanchez Vegara illustrated by Brosmind

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A few things surprised me in this latest addition to the non fiction biography series Little People, Big Dreams. First that a police officer told him to learn how to fight if he wanted to face the thief that stole his bike.  Second, that the 32 page book targeting 5 to 8 year old children has an AR level of 4.8 and finally that it does mention his conversion to Islam and shows him praying.

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The biography hits a lot of major milestones in the boxer’s life after showing he once was a little kid too.  He was born in Kentucky, had a younger brother and after his bicycle was stolen he started learning how to box.  He wasn’t the strongest fighter, but he was fast.

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He won a gold medal at the Olympics in Rome, and then set his sights on being a professional boxer and becoming the world heavyweight champion.  Its nice that on this page the illustrations show that part of that pursuit involved physical training but the books and meditation show internal growth was valued and pursued as well.

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It shows how he used to taunt his opponents and that some thought it poetry, while other’s thrash talk. It also makes it clear that he used his voice to speak out for things important to him at a time when it was dangerous and accepted the consequences, whether it was African American rights or the war.

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The page about him becoming Muslim explains that he was inspired by Islam, changed his name and “felt strong and proud to be himself.”  After his ban from boxing, he won the heavyweight belt three times before retiring and dedicating his life to community and giving back.

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The book ends with a timeline and some real pictures of Muhammad Ali, along with some other books you can turn to for more information.  The illustrations are comical yet detailed in their emotion and the information that is conveyed.  Kids will enjoy them and find they give life to the simple text on the pages.

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I got my copy from the library and my children aged 4-12 enjoyed the book as they have the other books in the series.

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Sep20

The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees by Don Brown

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The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees by Don Brown

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I try and keep an eye on what is available at Scholastic regarding Muslim characters and Muslim authors since for many kids the Scholastic Book Orders might be the most interaction they have with seeing available books, and for others, they may see a book in a library or other book store that they have seen on a Scholastic flyer and pick it up for that reason of familiarity.  Granted I might be completely wrong in this assessment and just be trying to justify my review of a non fiction 103 page AR 5.7 graphic novel that talks about Muslims and refugees, but nonetheless I try and read the Scholastic books that feature Muslim representation to a very captive audience.

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SYNOPSIS:

The book takes facts about the plight and flight of the Syrians as they are forced to leave their homes due to war, and the horrors they face on their journeys to finding a new place to call home, and illustrates them.  The book focuses more on the exodus than on the politics that forced them to leave.  There are no characters or story lines, but rather illustrations to the headlines, articles, and facts that detail the truths about the collective experiences of many Syrians.  It seems every single sentence is referenced at the back of the book, which is probably a good thing as it is non fiction and this is a researched book, not a book of anecdotal stories or an OWN voice retelling.

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The book in muted tones tells how the young boys scrawling graffiti is what is attributed to the spark that set Syria ablaze with frustrated citizens standing up to an oppressive regime.  The pictures show different factions policing the people for trying to have pianos, to kicking people out of the homes and torturing them or killing them.  As the situation elevates and no end is in sight the book, then follows people leaving by foot into neighboring countries, and then fanning out as border countries refuse to let more people stay.  Eventually, many are forced on to rafts to countries further away, but as their resources deplete, many Syrians have no where to go and are unwanted.

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WHY I LIKE THE BOOK:

I like that it is real and graphic and violent, it doesn’t show everyone getting a happy ending.  I think many children’s books focus on the heroes trying to help or people having a happily ever after, but by upper elementary, readers need to know that the situation is dire and no resolution is in sight.  The author tries to explain the Sunni and Shia differences by using Christian divisions as examples, and he shows jihadists torturing people, and he does use statements about Islam and music, and I don’t know how a child would take these labels as they don’t come with much explanation.  On the other hand he does highlight that some countries would only take Christian Syrians, so I don’t think he is advocating one faith over another, but the details about Muslims for some reason seemed a little forced to me.

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I think his agenda or purpose was to show how the world, with the exception of a few countries, have really turned their back on refugees.  It says in a footnote at the end “that in the first three months of 2018,” for example, “the United States has accepted 11 (refugees) for resettlement.” The facts, the maps, the diagrams, really drive home the point and do evoke an emotional response, which I think is needed.  A few of the pictures are also incredibly resonating, such as the one of the man stating he couldn’t save his family from drowning.

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FLAGS:

The book shows violence and death.

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TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

The shortness of the book, might not make it an ideal candidate for a Book Club, but the value in such a book makes it a great addition to any and every classroom.  I don’t know how many children will read this book on their own.  It isn’t fun or compelling, its factual and depressing.  But, I think it is important.  Nonfiction is often hard to convince children to read, so I like that it is a graphic novel and I like that the information can all be verified.  I think children need to be encouraged to read things that might not be easy and fun, and have a way to discuss how such readings make them feel.  Furthermore, If you are a teacher teaching references, this book is a great example.

 

Aug19

Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai illustrated by Kerascoet

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Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai illustrated by Kerascoet

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I’m going to try my best to review a nonfiction autobiographical book and focus on the story, not on the author because yikes, Pakistanis have strong opinions about Malala, and I have no desire to get pulled in to an argument.  I’m half Pakistani, I know the position of both sides.

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I have read both the Young Readers Edition and original I Am Malala books, so I didn’t jump to review this book in 2017 when this AR 3.6 40 page re-re-telling of her story came out.  After reading numerous other children’s books about girls in the subcontinent striving to go to school and be educated, I thought maybe the controversy had calmed down and I could read this large hardbound book a bit more objectively, and thus focus on the story a bit more.

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The book is listed as a biography, not an autobiography, so I’m not sure Malala even wrote the book, but none the less it is a synopsis of her story for younger elementary children.

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Starting off a bit like Harold and the Purple Crayon, Malala asks if the reader believes in magic, and then tells what she would do if she had a magic pencil to draw things that would make other’s happy like a proper soccer ball for her brothers and a way to stop time so she could sleep in a little longer in the morning.

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Every night she hopes for a magic pencil, and every morning she is sad one hasn’t appeared.  As she starts to notice the world around her she realizes that the kids looking for food and metal scraps in the junk yard, have it much much worse.  She asks her father about it and learns that if the children were in school their family’s might go hungry.

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As she notices “real” problems around her, her ideas for what her magic pencil could fix, evolves and develops into a burgeoning social conscience.  But quickly her naive outlook is changed when dangerous men start to appear on the streets and girls in her class stop coming to school.

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Her magic pencil finds real world power when she uses her words and her voice to make a stand and people start to pay attention.  The rest of the book highlights how she made progress despite the attempt to stop her and how she now uses her “magic pencil” to work to make a more peaceful world.

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The surface story is incredibly hopeful and would motivate young children to notice the world around them and do what they can to improve it. Inquiring children might be alarmed at children going through trash, or want a lot more information about who the scary men are and why they don’t want girls going to school and why she gets to travel around and tell her story. Information that is given at the end of the book in an afterwards of sorts.

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Most pages have sparse text and the ones that have a lot are kept on level and avoid being preachy.  Even the attempt on her life is present, but not detailed, sufficing to say that they tried to silence her, but failed.

The illustrations are beautiful and tell the story as much as the words do.  The book does not mention religion, but in the pictures where she is out of the house her hair is covered, but not when she is at home in bed and whatnot.  Obviously it is how she carries her self in real life.

Overall, I think the book is incredibly well done and inspiring to young readers.  Anytime a modern day figure can show children that they too have a voice and can use it, I think it is a good thing.  The fact that the voice comes from a minority, a female, a person with a name and culture different than the ones in most western children’s text books is also a plus.  I hope if nothing else it opens a window to children that there are a lot of amazingly strong and courageous people in all cultures and to seek out their stories.

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Jun24

The Amazing Discoveries of Ibn Sina by Fatima Sharafeddine illustrated by Intelaq Mohammed Ali

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The Amazing Discoveries of Ibn Sina by Fatima Sharafeddine illustrated by Intelaq Mohammed Ali

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This non fiction, 32 page book is important in introducing 3rd graders and up to a very influential Muslim that shaped the world.  I try to keep to fiction reviews, but as someone who didn’t learn about Avicenna/Ibn Sina until college, I feel like the sooner we can inspire our Muslim children to know some of these remarkable historical figures and get their stories into western curriculums the better for us all.

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The book is told in first person and is translated from Arabic so parts are a bit awkward, such as when he is telling when he died, and parts do sound a little arrogant, but all that aside the book stays on task in describing Ibn Sina’s accomplishments and not getting distracted by historical, political, or cultural influences.  Some could argue that some context would be nice, but for 8 and 9 year olds, the facts are impressive enough and the streamline approach I think makes it something they can grasp.

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The book is beautifully done with a 9×12 hard cover and glossy pages.  The colored pencil pictures are beautiful and rich on most pages, with the neck and eyes a bit distracting on others.

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The book of course mentions his contributions to medicine but also includes his Islamic knowledge of memorizing the Quran and studying Islamic Law, cultural knowledge of knowing volumes of Persian poetry, architecture, literature, music as well as his extensive studying of philosophy, logic, linguistics, and more.

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It also mentions some of his findings, which do a great job of showing readers how relevant and important his work was then and now.  Understanding how children should be educated, how infections passed, that light travels faster than sound, anesthesia for surgical patients, to name a very, very few.

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I checked out the book from the public library and made my kids all read it, well not the 3 year old, and I think Islamic school teachers and Muslim parents really need to try and expose their kids to his accomplishments, get them excited about how their faith promotes questioning and education and then work on getting historical figures such as Abou Ali al-Hussein ibn Abdullah ibn al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Sina more widely known in the greater society.

Mar15

Proud: Living My American Dream (Young Readers Edition) by Ibtihaj Muhammad

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Proud: Living My American Dream (Young Readers Edition) by Ibtihaj Muhammad

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I had high expectations for a memoir about such an inspiring figure, so I treaded timidly into the book waiting to be disappointed, but after finishing the book in two days (high praise considering I have four kids), I realized I was holding my breath for nothing, the book and Ibtihaj are amazing! Now three days after I started, my daughter too has read it and I have ordered a handful of copies to offer as my next Middle School Book Club selection.  Inspirational, real, Islamic, hopeful, empowering, check, check, check, check, and well written too.  A great story and a great role model, alhumdulillah.  The Young Reader’s Edition is an AR 6.7 and 304 pages including Acknowledgements, Glossary of Fencing Terms, Ibtihaj’s Advice, and Q and A with Ibithaj.

SYNOPSIS:

Ibtihaj begins her life story establishing her background of who her parents are, how they met, how they came to Islam and how they are raising their children.  She also details how she is different and realizes it from a young age, whether it is substitutes not being able, or willing, to pronounce her first name, or not being able to sleep over at her friends’ houses.  She also sets the stage for the environment of Newark that she was born into and how it differs racially and economically from Maplewood where she spent most of her childhood.  The story then is pretty linear walking through some of the challenges of being highly driven and motivated and determined to succeed and get in college.  How she is first introduced to fencing and why she gives it a second chance after initially not liking it.   Along the way the reader gets to know how Islam influences her point of view as Allah is very central to her decisions and expectations of herself.  The quick pace is not depressing, while others at times do treat her differently she definitely doesn’t paint herself or seem to see herself as a victim or as privileged, she is just herself and this is her story.  It isn’t all rosy and it isn’t harsh, she is putting one foot in front of the other and there is amazing support from her family, and some of her coaches and some of her teammates, but not everyone and that is a very important part of her story too, which I think provides even more for young readers to relate and learn from.  Anyone not familiar with fencing and how the sport and its rankings work will learn so much reading this book, but thankfully not be overwhelmed with it all either.  The book ends shortly after the Olympics and her historic bronze medal win.  The title may reflect her being proud of what she accomplished and continues to pursue and her pride in being a Black American Muslim Woman, but I think anyone who reads the book will just be proud that someone like her exists, and that maybe some small part of ourselves can be great too.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love that the book leaves in some of the naysayers and difficult coaches and teammates.  I really think it is easy to assume that people are great and things should all work out when you are competing on an international level, but alas no, completely not the case, yet differences aside, they still had to win an individual sport as a team. 

 I also love that she is truly what she claims, the way she practices Islam is who she is and she loves her family and her faith.  There are no contradictions she excels and perseveres and finds herself while acknowledging all parts of herself and it is so inspiring.  She portrays Islam as a way of life, she prays and fasts and has days when her iman is low and days her faith is rewarding.  She focuses on what she can control and has to learn to accept what Allah swt has decreed for her.  She has Muslim friends, and non Muslim friends and through it all she is finding her place and is surrounded by love and support from her family.  It really is a feel good story and we should all pray that it continues to be.  She doesn’t portray Islam as limiting, nor as her family an exception to what a Muslim home is, and this level of dawah can really change perceptions.  The book is not preachy or arrogant, it is simply her story and Islam is a part of it.

I like that she went to a prestigious university and it didn’t make all her dreams come true, she still had to work hard and find herself and humble herself to work at a dollar store to scrape by, it shows tenacity and a glimpse of the real world that privileged middle schoolers might not have had to consider before.

FLAGS:

The book is clean.  It talks about how uncomfortable she was at her first fencing lesson with her coach having to reposition her stances and thus touch her, and it discusses how she felt listening to music was ok in Islam even though her parents disagreed.  A few sentences at most, collectively, but kids will have thoughts on it.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

My 12 year old daughter read the book in a few hours and discussed it with me for even longer.  It was as if some tidbit from the book would blossom inside her and she would consider it, and want to discuss it, from why she would not talk to the kids she was substituting about fencing, to why her coach made her switch to saber, I don’t think there is a shortage of things to discuss, or more importantly listen to from the young readers.

There is a ton about her online as she became the first American Muslim to medal and the first to compete in hijab.  I highly recommend this book for book club, and will  hopefully add how our meeting went in a few weeks.

 

 

 

 

Feb18

Purity & Prayer: A Rhyming Picture Book of Sacred Rulings by Ameena Bint Abdir Rahman illustrated by Reyhana Ismail

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This book is definitely non fiction, and I’m reviewing it because I figure some of you like me, have looked at it online and wondered how it can do everything it claims.  The book is 50 pages, fully illustrated (with faces), meant for children before the age of accountability, written in rhyme about fiqh (wudu and salah) according to the Hanafi madhab, and everything is scholar supervised and checked.  I’ve read it a few times now, and yeah, it does all it claims to, and is a great tool and resource, and book to have around for kids of all ages, plus I think they’ll really enjoy it.

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The book has a lot of information and disclaimers about how the author wrote the book and verified the information, there is a dua, preface, and Author’s Note at the beginning, and Rulings of Sacred Law by Shaykh Faraz Fareed Rabbani, an Appendix, References, Glossary of Arabic Terms, messages from the Fiqh Teachers, Author, and Illustrator at the end.

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The 8.5 x 11 hard bound horizontal glossy book is divided into sections.  The first section is Du’a and Salah, followed by Purity which covers things like fard parts of wudu, what breaks wudu, etc..  The next section is Prayer and covers the fard conditions and integrals within prayer, wajib things you say, how you recite, postures, what breaks your salah, and incorporated in to the sections are what would need to be redone to make your salah valid.

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Each subheading is a two page spread with a title and either rhyming couplets or quatrains to convey the information.  While naturally at some parts the rhyme is incredibly forced, but because I found myself learning things, I wasn’t as bothered by it as I thought I would.  The repetition sometimes got jarring, but again, because the complex facts are being brought down to a child’s level ,and yet isn’t belittling, I’m willing to overlook a lot. 

I like that it isn’t just facts, the Appendix is there for that, but also similes and metaphors that will help put the concept in perspective.  Du’as can be made at any time like making a call to Allah.  Prayer is like visiting a friend, you have to go at the time you were invited, dressed nicely, wear appropriate clothing.  

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The breakdown of when you have to repeat the whole salah, or do a special prostration is incredibly helpful.  As is knowing what laughter breaks wudu and what breaks wudu and salah.  It is so great that children will see how detailed our religion is, and how everything has an explanation.  Yes, you shouldn’t laugh while praying, but clearly it happens, so when it does this is what you do.  The approach makes the book grow with children as their knowledge and awareness increases.

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I hope to read a two page spread each night with my kids, and have them discuss.  My kids range in age from 3-12 and while my 3 year old won’t add a lot, he will be entertained by the rhyme, fascinated by the pictures, and be included in the early introduction to fiqh.  InshaAllah the older kids will learn or review something and know how to find such knowledge if they have questions in the future.

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Undoubtedly, such a book, was a huge undertaking, may Allah swt reward all those involved, I was pleasantly surprised and greatly impressed at how the book reads, presents the information, and still connects to younger children, mashaAllah.

 

Jan11

The Young Muslim’s Mindful Book of Wellbeing by Zanib Mian

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The Young Muslim’s Mindful Book of Wellbeing by Zanib Mian

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This tiny book (5.5 inches square) is non fiction and I’m reviewing it, because I think it has a lot of value and will appeal to the parents that check out this site for book suggestions for their middle grade children.  The flower on the cover and the topic, might naturally turn away boys, but the depicted character that presents the information is a boy and while it is a token gesture, it is a nice one, to try and make the book and it’s contents appeal to all children.  Irregardless of if you have teens, or tweens, or toddlers, girls or boys, I think parents should read the book and use the concepts and framing presented when talking with their children.  At least that is what I hope to do.  One doesn’t need to wait until their child comes home crying from friend drama, or losing out on something they desperately wanted, to implement the lessons and reassuring bits of mindfulness, it should be the established foundation of how to handle emotions in a healthy way, inshaAllah.

SYNOPSIS:

The book is broken into 14 chapters based on topics covered, and the directions encourage the reader to read them all in order the first time through, then going back to certain sections as needed.  The headings include: How to be happy, A Way Out of Every Problem, How to Feel OK If You Wanted Something, but Didn’t Get It, Friends, Feeling Sad, and Talking to Allah.  The information is presented in a positive reassuring manner that helps the reader to feel like others have felt this way too, and to try some of the suggestions.  It doesn’t belittle or talk down to the feelings one might be having which is great, as the concept of Allah (swt) is incorporated onto every page.  Strengthening ones relationship with Allah as a way to cope with stresses and know that He is always there, is the central theme throughout.

The book offers advice on dealing with negative people, negative thoughts, and finding your own positivity and strength with the help of Allah no matter what.  The book isn’t dry though, it engages the reader and uses examples children can relate to and comparisons that are tangible.  At one point the book talks about shields that reflect back whatever you are giving off.  So when you are shining from the inside, you feel better, and so do others around you.  When talking about seeing the bigger picture, the book urges the reader to consider seeing an entire room through a key hole and likening it to how we see our own lives seeing only what is happening right now.

The book also takes into account that somethings may take work to feel better, and that it isn’t an easy fix to feel good, but inshaAllah worth the effort.  The end summarizes in two points what the previous 36 pages articulate and explore, concluding how to make you shine and be your best self.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love that we are talking to and with children, not just toddlers, about their feelings.  We aren’t telling them to just cheer up or be happy or get over it.  We are giving them tools that they can carry throughout their lives, inshaAllah.  The pages are text heavy, granted the book is small, but the book is thick and the amount of words on the pages could intimidate some, but like I said earlier, even if the child won’t read it, parents will benefit from it and implementing it in the home.  Also just having the book sitting around will urge kids to pick it up and thumb through it, I would almost guarantee it.

My critiques are the presentation.  I am no expert on the content and what I read seemed logical, and I liked it.  Vague I know, hence I don’t review non fiction often, because what do I know?  As for the physical annoyances of the book, it is too small.  It doesn’t need to be huge, but for the topics covered, it is trivialized by the size, in my opinion. 

I don’t mind the font, I mind that it changes size so often and for no other reason it seems than to fit everything on the page.  Nearly every chapter is a different size font, but sometimes its even within the same chapter.  A few times for example the page on the left appears to be a size 14 font and the text in the same chapter on the right is like an 11, making it seem inconsistent and jarring..  If the idea needed to be bolded, or shouted or whispered, I support playing with font size, but this is not the case, it is so that the picture and text can all fit without having to turn the page, and its not the best solution I feel, its too distracting. 

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The other inconsistency that I found a bit odd, are the illustrations.  The little boy on the cover with his yellow flower and yellow shirt take you through maybe 80% of the book, but on occasion other characters pop up, which is fine, when they are drawn in the same manner, like the frog.  But the random appearance of the full color super hero, reminiscent of My Dad’s Beard book, and the full color Migo and Ali looking bears, there’s also a one time appearance of a girl in full color, seems bizarre.  I don’t see the cameos as adding a shoutout to the content and author, but more like the books from the 90s that used free clipart to illustrate the pages that otherwise would be text only. 

FLAGS:

None

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I think this would be a great book for a school counselor to use as a guideline for group discussions.  I think it could be done from the library, but a counselor and students would really benefit from the book and the manner in which the material speaks and empowers youth to shine.